Rate The 2013 Acts You've Already Seen As Live Performers

[goldfinger19]

Bestest:

Descendents - Saw them September in Toronto...fun and mayhem from start to finish. Might be my favorite band at Coachella, but shhh don't tell everyone.
Portugal. The Man - Seen them 3 times now. 2 of the 3 shows were near transcendent. The other was at Coachella in 2010 and I was far to wasted to remember.
Metric - Seen them twice, both times at festivals. Last year at Lollapalooza they played one of the best 40 minute sets I've ever seen. Us Canadian's love us some Metric
Sigur Ros - For some reason I ignored this band until Lolla last year waiting for At The Drive-In. Caught the end of the set...the slow building brilliance of Popplagið made me an instant convert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQX3WEuvLzw
Wu-Tang Clan - Saw Them at Rock The Bells in NYC 2007 before Rage Against The Machine. They were all over the place on stage...Method Man was in the crowd. Hope they don't conflict this year.

Tight

Janelle Monae - A bundle of energy and an immense talent. Saw her at Jay-Z's Made In America last year.
Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine - The Dead Kennedys' frontman can still bring it and he usually injects several DK songs into the set. Don't miss him.
Grizzly Bear - First saw them open for Radiohead in '08. Really laid back, but super tight.
Franz Ferdinand - Seen them 3 times. The first they had shit sound in Germany. The 2nd was incredible right before NIN. The 3rd I was too drunk to remember, but the consensus was that they killed.

Meh

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Seen them twice. In 07' they didn't play any old songs. I hated them for that. Last year at Lolla was better but Anthony fucked up a bunch of times. Doubt I'll watch them again.
Dropkick Murphy's - Not as bad as they are not good. Seen them twice...if you are shitfaced you'll probably enjoy it, but they sounded shitty both times.
JEFF The Brotherhood - Liked a few of their songs leading into their mundane Lolla set. Sooo boring live. At least they were at that show.
Yeasayer - 50/50 with these guys. I dug the end of their last Coachella set, especially Ambling Alp...but I saw them in a club in 2011 and it was pretty tame.

Bunk Hipster tripe

Passion Pit - endured them at Lolla and Made In America last year waiting for Black Sabbath and Jay-Z. Drab, unintelligent clap-your-hands music. Boring as shit.
Phoenix - See Passion Pit, but instead of waiting for Black Sabbath or Jay-Z, I was waiting for Atoms For Peace.
Two Door Cinema Club - See Passion Pit and Phoenix
The XX - Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[goldfinger19]

Here's all the bands I've seen. The number next to the band is the number of times I've seen them live.

Friday

Great
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (3) - They've gotten more tame as they've aged, but that hasn't lessened the greatness of their live show. Karen O is a fantastic front-woman and Nick Zinner is a pure joy to watch on guitar

Four Tet (1) - I'd always heard he was boring, but when he played at FYF fest I was just blown away. He's one of the best EDM sets I've ever caught, and I'd highly recommend anyone interested in his music checking him out

Alright
Modest Mouse (3) - Two shows I saw were excellent, one was absolutely horrible. It seems like that is the general consensus amongst people who have seen them live. The last time I saw them they were super on point, so hopefully they've been working on that issue. Go in with trepidation.

Band of Horses (2) - They have a good live sound, but they're lacking in great songs that would back that up. They're fun to lay back on the field and listen to, but I wouldn't skip a band I really love to catch them.

Beach House (3) - I find their music boring, but live they're pretty damn impressive. They are more about sound than songs to me, and the sound is made to wash over a large crowd. Not terribly memorable, but entertaining.

Local Natives (2) - I saw them twice touring the first album and was highly impressed. They were a very tight live band, great vocal harmonies and excellent songs. The new one is not nearly as good, and I can't imagine the new songs adding much to their show. That said, worth seeing.

Aesop Rock (2) - He used to be an astounding live act: tons of fury, really focused, great choice of DJ and guest stars. When I saw him recently, it was good but that old energy was missing. Maybe he'll have it again, but he wasn't as good as he used to be.

Purity Ring (1) - I have a feeling that they will develop into a great live act eventually, but they're still young. I like what they do with the lights/drum triggers and their songs are pretty damn strong. It just feels like they need some work.

Youth Lagoon (1) - I only saw him do a solo show without his guitarist or backing band, but the kid's a really impressive performer, if a bit timid. He can only move up from that though.

DJ Harvey (1) - What I saw at FYF was great, but I didn't catch much so I can't say for sure. I hear he's a party and a half.

Lord Huron (1) - Their songs weren't memorable, but they had a great live set and an impressive stage presence for a small opening band. I question how well they'll come across on the polo field on a larger stage, but they have some serious live potential.

Japandroids (1) - I want them to be in the great category so badly, but they just aren't there. They take too much time between songs to talk and tune, killing the energy that they should be building up. They have moments of pure transcendence, but they can't sustain them for a whole set.

Bad/boring

Tegan and Sara (1) - For a long time I had them in my top 5 worst sets I've ever seen. They were abysmal when they played before Arcade Fire in 2005: annoying vocals, boring songs, stupid banter. Just insufferable.

Stars (1) - Boring. That's all. Completely and utterly unmemorable live.

Saturday

Great
Sigur Ros (3) - There's only so much more that can be said. They are HUGE when they play, and they have such control over their performance. That said, last time they played Coachella they were plagued by sound problems and it cut into their majesty somewhat. I'd still recommend catching them, as they are just an impressive live act.

Grizzly Bear (9) - They've grown into a powerhouse live band. They can peg the tricky vocal parts with ease, they add more volume and weight to the performance, and they seem like a truly democratic band, lined up equally across the stage. They are fantastic at festivals, and while they don't banter much, it doesn't matter when the performances are this gorgeous.

Descendents (1) - One of the all-time great punk bands, I saw them at FYF recently and they can completely harness the energy and fury of their early material despite their age. They're hilarious, bizarre, and one of the best punk bands you'll see live. Highly recommended.

Franz Ferdinand (5) - Every time I think I'm tired of them and their decreasing returns on album I see them and am reminded why they still get such high billing with no new music and nothing really of note since the second album: they are excellent live. At Outside Lands last year they created a funky dance party in the middle of the day and played a great mash up of one of their tracks and I Feel Love by Donna Summer. They never disappoint live, so I'd urge anyone who's ever liked them to give them a chance.

Spiritualized (6) - I've been impressed with them before, but this last tour was a step above any other set I'd seen from them. The new album was really good, and they play tracks from all throughout their career, including a huge selection from their best release, Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. They seemed revitalized: see them.

Richie Hawtin (2) - I've seen both a Hawtin set at Plastikman, both in the Sahara. He's mesmerizing with whatever he does, but the Hawtin set is one of the best things I've ever seen in the Sahara. He has a complete mastery of the decks, EFX and 909, and it really shows when he performs. Can't recommend highly enough.

El-P (2) - The rare rapper who comes across almost more powerful live than on record. He tours with a full band and they just bring his dark, grimy music to the next level. If he's continuing the tour from last year he'll almost exclusively perform tracks from his last album, which benefited greatly from the live backing. A must.

The Evens (1) - I only saw them at Coachella in 2004. As Ian was talking, someone yelled out, "You're a legend!" That person was correct.

Trash Talk (1) - When I saw them (in a pizza parlor) the band got on stage and started a slow, Sabbathy dirge. I noticed a commotion in the back of the audience. A dude plowed his way through the crowd, fists ablaze, then catapulted himself off the backs of some people to the left of me, grabbed the mic as he was still in the air, let loose a scream, and as soon as he hit the stage the band burst into their first song. For the rest of the set the crowd didn't stop moving.

Good
Phoenix (2) - At Coachella 06 they were a huge surprise, funky and tight. The last time they played, they had one of the biggest crowds I've ever seen at Coachella. They will pull headlining off, but they're just not overly thrilling as performers. Entertaining though.

The XX (1) - I saw them at Coachella and it was bright out, so hard to judge. They sounded good but were absolutely boring in their performance, so it was a toss-up. Plus, their crowd was so shitty and I can't imagine that's changed in the interim.

Hot Chip (1) - Super funky and tight, but they've always suffered in my mind by the fact that they were coming up at the same time as LCD Soundsystem, the better live act of the two. They're probably great live, but I just couldn't get past the comparison.

Yeasayer (5) - Diminishing returns. On the tour between the first and second album they seemed like they could become the best live band around for awhile: psychedelic, taut guitar jams, great rhythms, tons of vocal harmonies, really focused. Then they decided to go new wave and they've been getting steadily less impressive live ever since.

Cafe Tacuba (1) - I saw them at Coachella, it was fun but unmemorable. People were super into it, but if you don't know the songs it may be hard to get into.

Dropkick Murphys (1) - I loved them when I saw them, but that was back in 2003. I can't imagine they play the same way now, but they were a fantastic live act back then, super energetic.

Booka Shade (1) - They really need a better set time than what they had at the last Coachella they played. They sounded good but it was hard to really get into it in the late afternoon.

Allen Stone (1) - He opened for Al Green and I was really pleasantly surprised. A good soul singer, tight band and some good songs. He's not very creative, but I could see him being a highly entertaining mid-day set.

Bad/boring


Sunday

Great
Dinosaur Jr. (8) - The best of the live acts I've seen on the lineup. They are loud, they are virtuosic, they just put on an absolutely perfect live set. They can also pull off their sound fantastically in an outdoor setting. Do not miss: they never fail.

Tame Impala (3) - I've loved them each time I've seen them, but when they played Coachella I was shocked by how full their sound was on the Outdoor stage, a place notorious for bad sound. Their new album has tons of great stuff and will only help with their already fantastic live show. Must see.

James Blake (1) - I was worried his subtle, quiet music would be drowned out in a live setting. That fear was almost realized at FYF, when Tanlines started up and bled over. Blake just nodded to his band, and they cranked into the best electro/jazz/funk/psych/experimental set I saw at the fest. They were mesmerizing, mind-blowing and just spectacular. I will see him every time he's near me from now on. Believe the hype.

Vampire Weekend (8) - They've grown so much: the first time I saw them at the Echo they were a goofy group of collegiate dudes playing happy songs. The last show I saw they really earned a headlining set at the Hollywood Bowl. Ezra has developed into a charismatic front man, able to wring his goofy banter for all its worth and the band can add some serious weight to the music.

Cloud Nothings (1) - Woah. I loved the album from last year, and they perform it just the way it sounds (thanks Steve Albini!) They are loud, vicious and absolutely engaging on-stage. They'll be the sleeper hit of the festival I bet.

Good
Kurt Vile & The Violators (3) - I love their music, but they are somewhat pedestrian live: the songs all start to sound the same and the jams just don't take off the way they should. Kurt's the antithesis of charisma.

Father John Misty (2) - On the flip side of Kurt Vile. I'm not a huge fan of his music, but he is an excellent performer and has tons of stage presence and personality. He can pull off the festival with aplomb. Sneak some whiskey to the set, as it's mandatory while watching him.

Red Hot Chili Peppers (3) - I haven't seen them with the new guitarist so they're only at this level. If you like their music though, they are a fantastic live act, and they have a really big catalog of hits that are fun to sing along with your friends. A good headliner, just a bit of a let-down considering.

The Faint (2) - At Coachella 05 I was fairly impressed, but I thought they were better at FYF 12.

Bad/Boring

Social Distortion (1) - Not bad, but definitely boring. By the fourth song everything sounds the same and Mike Ness kind of seems like a huge asshole on stage. And, they draw a horrible crowd.

Wu-Tang Clan (1) - Mic feedback, people rapping over each other, whole tracks getting lost and confused. I want them to be great, but when I saw them it was just a train wreck.

White Arrows (1) - Not bad, but much more boring than the albums. Approach with caution.

I fully agree with you regarding Cloud Nothings. I wasn't able to cross paths with them last year. So jacked to finally see them live. That record was in my top 5 of 2012 for sure.

[goldfinger19]

I saw Modest Mouse at a festival last summer. I don't know if it was because they were playing at a metal festival, and therefore the crowd wasn't their usual crowd, but they had no energy whatsoever. It felt like a paycheck set and they looked like they would've rather been anywhere else than playing this festival. Coachella seems more like their crowd so maybe it'll be better. With the options on Friday I'll be skipping them.

Was It Orion? I was there but I only heard Float On as I was walking from Suicidal Tendencies to secure a good spot for Arctic Monkeys.

[ialvarado2]

EPIC:

Cafe Tacvba:
They're my favorite band of all time, I've seen them close to 20 times since 1998. Their new album is amazing and I can't wait to hear it live. They only thing I hate is when people that only know 1 fucking song just go there to ask for that same fucking song all the time. I hope they don't play it. Yes, you know what song I'm talking about.

Beach House:
Saw them at Coachella and Hollywood bowl, both shows were pretty good and I really like Bloom.

Franz Ferdinand:
A couple of times now, most recently in Lolla last year, he did a great show and got a great response from the crowd.

Dropkick Murphys:
A looong time ago at a Warped Tour, I think it was 2009. Great mosh pits.

Vampire Weekend:
Saw them twice at Coachella and the Hollywood bowl, great show every single time.



Alright:

Modest Mouse:
Saw them when my band opened for them a very long time ago. They were cool but never really got into them.

Metric:
Just saw them for the first time in Lolla last year and they were suprisingly good. My wife started getting into them recently so we will likely be there.

Phoenix:
Saw them play Coachella last time and I digged'em

Sigur Ros:
A few times now, some pretty awesome performances and some like Lolla last year that was kind of meh because they played during the day. But I'm looking forward to see them this year.

The XX:
Coachella back in 2010




Meh:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Last time they played Coachella, was not very impressed. But I'm a huge fan of Fever to Tell and Show your bones so I am actually looking forward to seeing them this year.

Infected Mushroom:
A couple of times in Mexico, they're just meh.



Fuck that shit:

Red Hot Chili Peppers:
Twice last year and it's not the same anymore. The Staples center show was decent but Lolla was fucking awful. Maybe it was that the main stage area at Lolla was a complete mess and the sound quality was terrible. But still, it's not the same without Frusciante.

[brewersblue]

Yeah yeah yeahs - 9/10
Saw them a few years back in vegas. They put on an amazing show. Karen O has great stage presence, nick is an awesome guitarist, and the drummer rips it up.

Vampire weekend - 8/10
I've seen them twice, once at coachella. They put on a solid show and if you like their music you won't be disappointed by their live show. Ezra is pretty funny on stage in between songs.

Phoenix -8/10
Dont like their music very much but they put on a fun show last time around at coachella.

Beach House -6/10
Granted I don't like their music very much but they still put on a pretty boring and forgettable show. Won't be seeing them again.

[LickTheLizzard]

Positive

Youth Lagoon – Way more energy than I expected, they played to a festival crowd and had everybody dancing. The material is a lot more fun live than on record.

Bassnectar – I’ve seen him in a theater setting and at Coachella 2010 and both were outstanding. His Sahara set in 2010 was one of my favorites that year.

Beach House- I’ve seen them twice, the Bloom material has really boosted their live show. I will probably skip them at Coachella, but only because I will be seeing them in Phoenix the week before.

Father John Misty - Hands down one of my favorite touring acts of 2012. I saw him three times in three different states last year and he was fantastic each time. The on stage banter and humor combined with his huge voice makes for one of the most entertaining live acts around. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of the album, I highly recommend checking out this set.

Thee Oh Sees – I saw them play an afternoon festival set and they woke up the entire crowd. The have tons of energy with almost no down time between songs. This is a band that loves to play live and it shows.

Cloud Nothings – I saw them 4 times in 2012 and they got better each time. At first they played Attack on Memory pretty much note for note, but have slowly added more freak-outs and noise to the whole thing. I saw one set where they extended Wasted Days to almost 20 minutes.

Four Tet – I saw him at FYF 2011 and was blown away. Being very familiar with his albums, I was in utter disbelief at how funky and danceable his set was. It was quiet in all the right places though and was a great was to watch the sun go down.

Kurt Vile and the Violators – Great live. Loved all of the pedal work, and the Violators drummer is excellent. He plays with his hands, maracas and all sorts of weird shit.

Jeff the Brotherhood- I won tickets to one of their shows back in October, I was stoked because Diarrhea Planet opened but JTB followed with a great set. Guitarist plays a three string guitar but gets SOO MUCH sound out of it. He sounds like a more punk rock Rivers Cuomo. The only downside to this show was a sparse but obnoxiously drunk crowd.

Wolfgang Gartner – Always fun no matter which light set up he is touring with. He plays his own tracks almost exclusively and always adds a few unreleased tracks. I enjoy his festival sets more than his club sets.

Dinosaur Jr. – LOUD.

Descendents- They play everything you want to hear. Their set at FYF was a full crowd mosh pit and was exhausting. I left feeling like death and was absolutely satisfied with that. I never thought I would hear I Like Food live.

Dropkick Murphys - They have evolved from their Warped Tour days and are now a full-fledged Rock Band. I saw them in 2011 and their live show has transformed into a full on Rock N’ Roll spectacle. Since they keep putting out decent (some may even say good) albums, they have enough material to play over 2 hrs. They still play the drunk punk favorites from their first album (Oi! Oi!), but a lot of the new stuff is still really great live.

The Faint - I saw them once in ’05 and twice last year. Their live show hasn’t changed much, but if you know the words and like to dance this may end up being one of your favorite sets of the weekend. Closing out FYF, they put on my favorite sets of the weekend.

Indifferent

Purity Ring – I saw them at FYF 2011 before they put out Shrines and got their new fancy light show. I thought they were decent, but I imagine they are much better now.

Wild Nothing – Forgettable. Nothing memorable about the show at all.

Negative

Japandroids – Unbelievably cheesy. I was able to look past the cheese on Celebration Rock for a while, but seeing it live was unbearable. I understand this band is close to many boardies hearts, so I will be nice and say that they are just not for me. I saw them play one night after seeing Titus Andronicus, and the Japandroids show seemed like a silly kid’s band in comparison.

Grizzly Bear – I have only seen them at Coachella 2010. The sound was off, the tent was too dark and way too crowded. I imagine they are good live, but I had a bad experience.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – I saw them on the recent tour and it just didn’t do much for me. I went for the nostalgia factor and just wasn’t what I wanted it to be. They do play all the hits, so there will be mass sing-a-longs, but it will never be the same without John. I did enjoy their selection of some of the deeper cuts though.

Vampire Weekend – Coachella 2010. Too crowded. Nothing special.

[theStank]

RHCP = horrible. Brutal stage presence........ the sound was awful. Flea was the only "hi-lite". This was at Lolla last year.

[thebaconator]

EPIC:


Franz Ferdinand:
A couple of times now, most recently in Lolla last year, he did a great show and got a great response from the crowd.


Alright:

Sigur Ros:
A few times now, some pretty awesome performances and some like Lolla last year that was kind of meh because they played during the day. But I'm looking forward to see them this year.


Meh:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Last time they played Coachella, was not very impressed. But I'm a huge fan of Fever to Tell and Show your bones so I am actually looking forward to seeing them this year.

Infected Mushroom:
A couple of times in Mexico, they're just meh.

Franz is a good band but epic? Sigur Ros allright? Infected Mushroom and YYY's Meh?
I'm having a hard time wrapping a head around this

[IceyHotshot]

Cream of the Crop

Four Tet - From first note to last, Four Tet blew me away at FYF 2011. Awesome beats, great DJing (from what admittedly little I can tell), superb transitions and overall progression of the set. The first time I heard "Locked" was at FYF, which he opened his set with, and the first thing I did when I got home was looked it up. And this was on the same day that I saw one of my favorite bands of all time (The Olivia Tremor Control, for reference).

New Order - Saw them at the Greek in LA this past fall, and it was just a great big dance party. They are super tight and very fun.

Very Good

James Blake - Saw this guy at the Fonda last year, or was it the year before? One word: subbass. You will feel it throughout your body and it will be awesome. He was playing some of his slower singer-songwriter stuff back then that I didn't really care for, but otherwise, very good set.

Probably Good

Ben Howard - I happened to chance upon him at his free show at Amoeba one night. I just went in to buy records, not knowing there was a show, but I actually really enjoyed what I heard. Looking forward to giving him another listen.

Sigur Ros - I was the only person who just "didn't get it" at their Hollywood Forever show. I like them a lot on record, and look forward to trying again.

It's kind of great how few of these acts I've seen live - there's a ton of "new" stuff for me to hear at the fest!

[dallaswp13]

Do Not Miss:
James Blake: My personal favorite show I've ever seen. I'm a huge fan of his music, knew his whole set and the sound was perfect, maybe better than his recorded material and that's saying something. If you like his music, make sure to see him on Sunday, even if you don't maybe give him a shot. I'd see him over anyone on the lineup for Sunday.

Great:
Purity Ring: I'll be fair and say I only saw their last 3 songs at FYF because I was seeing James Blake, but I'm also a huge fan of their music. They had a fascinating stage setup, but don't sound quite as good as studio material but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm definitely going to see them given there are no major conflicts.
Trash Talk: This is as crazy as hardcore shows get. I was really only into the Awake EP when I saw them but ended up having a great time despite not knowing too much of their set. Their new album was pretty disappointing, but I'm really looking forward to an early outdoor stage set. If you like hardcore, and more specifically LA hardcore then I'd say go see these guys.

The Rest:
Aesop Rock: I wasn't familiar with any of his music but saw him at FYF and it was alright. It's up to you depending how big of a fan you are but I'm thinking I may check him out again at Coachella.
Danny Brown: Saw him on the Long Live A$AP tour and was really looking forward to him but he lacked stage presence, which was hard to wrap my head around considering how much showmanship he seems to have. Perhaps it wasn't his best show, but he had Bruiser Brigade with him the entire time and that was actually kind of annoying.
Grimes: I wasn't in the crowd for this show. It was at Make Music Pasadena and it looked like a ton of fun. I was standing on top of a parking garage perpendicular to the stage, so the sound wasn't good from where I was standing, but her livelihood just makes everyone dance and Visions was a great album. Definitely seeing her at Coachella. If she suits you then I suggest going as it'll be a ton of happy fun.
Cloud Nothings: They were great at FYF despite their prolonged jam sessions. They sounded great and had energy, but in certain songs they would jam for about 10 minutes making it hard to stay interesting. I'll probably give them another chance, considering Attack on Memory was probably in my top 20 albums for 2012 and in hopes of them not jamming too long again.

[bmack86]

Judging any band based on Coachella 2010 is a bit of a crap shoot. That festival was so horrible because of the crowd.

[Nealocus]

Judging any band based on Coachella 2010 is a bit of a crap shoot. That festival was so horrible because of the crowd.

How come? I wasn't there, but I've heard a lot of other boardies say the same thing.

[bmack86]

The lineup was kind of a perfect storm in that it drew TONS of people for the first time. They also experimented with the wrist-band situation for the first time, and it has been greatly fixed since then but it was a total failure so they wound up just looking to see if people had tickets OR a wristband most of the time for ins and outs. As a result, thousands of people snuck in and the festival was extremely overpacked with rude people. Just think: as many as 10,000 extra people, all of whom think they should be able to just sneak in and not pay. It was a clusterfuck of assholes who made even the best sets hard to tolerate because of their douchiness.

[getbetter]

I met the guy who owns the wristband company on SS Coachella and he was saying there's a new wristband for Coachella,Lolla,and ACL.Espeically tie ins for social networks

[kvnty]

I've seen about 10 of the bands before and the following should not be missed:

• Franz Ferdinand - probably the best show at OSL 2012; after seeing them live, they quickly became one of my favorite bands of all time. And all three of their albums are great. Don't understand the people who say otherwise.
• Grimes- the show I saw in December was an all out roll-your-ass-off dance fest; really really hoping there will be the same energy in the desert come April
• Yeasayer - the more I listen to them, the more I appreciate their genius - and their show in December was sublime (please listen to "Henrietta" all the way through - one of the best tunes of 2012)
• FOALS - saw them at Coachella in 2011 and wasn't expecting to be as blown away as I was - plus, loving their new single "Inhaler"
• Portugal. The Man - killed it at Lolla 2011 then OK at free concert last summer in LA. But heard they were transitioning keyboardists, so going to cut them slack. Their music is important and catchy.
• Moby - saw him LIVE during the Everything Is Wrong tour way back when, and that show still is one of the greatest I've ever seen. He does with a stand-up Moog what Pete Townsend does with guitars. Not sure about this DJ thing but will give it a try, barring any major conflicts.
• Hot Chip - OK live, and will try to catch them barring any major conflicts. Still waiting for them to add "Motion Sickness" to their setlist
• Tanlines - the best for last. Saw them absolutely kill it at FYF last year. They are one of my favorite bands live and in the studio (recorded). These guys will be huge someday. Almost want to keep this secret to myself, since I can be a jealous bitch.

[Bus McRider]

Moby (DJ set): it's chill

you saw a "chill" DJ set from moby?

[suprefan]

I'd do this, but I've seen 76 of the acts before, so it would take a while.

Just avoid Jessie Ware and you'll be fine.

Im suprised, I thought the difference between who you have seen and who I have seen would be larger. I am at 71.

[nathanfairchild]

Was It Orion? I was there but I only heard Float On as I was walking from Suicidal Tendencies to secure a good spot for Arctic Monkeys.

yes.

[georgeorwell]

This was a great thread idea

[HeavensWeep]

you saw a "chill" DJ set from moby?

Chill as in cool. Perhaps that was the wrong adjective to use.

[orangejulius]

I'll preface my post with the fact that seeing a band is completely subjective based on many factors. Being a fan of the band and knowing songs, venue/lighting/tech, crowd participation/size as well as the obvious state of the attendee (drunk, stoned, etc) all must be taken into account.

Scale of 1-5, 1 being utter shit that should be avoided, 5 being AMAZING

Friday

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (4+) - I was obsessed with this band in 2009. I mean obsessed. I saw them 6 times that year alone, and they bring it every time. I love the band members and hope them only the best.

Bassnectar (3) - This is just my take; I know there are some serious fans out there of this guy but I'm not one of them. There is serious crowd energy but I think you should be drunk or stoned for this. And DONT be in the front row. I still have hearing damage from Forecastle 2010.

Passion Pit (1-2) - I was completely unimpressed with their set at Lolla 2012. I have never heard a good thing about them live. Bad vocals, but okay musicianship saves them from being a total waste.

Beach House (3+) - I have seen them a few times over the past 3 years and believe they are really a fan driven band. I like some of their material, and believe they have good musicians and vocals but I never feel much when I see them perform.

Metric (4) - Seen them a couple times now, most recently at Lolla 2012. They seem to be about as solid as a band can get without venturing into the territory of greatness. Recommended.

Japandroids (4) - Saw them at Pygmallion Fest 2011, and they really helped fix the day. They went on after Xiu Xiu (shit) so maybe I'm biased, but I really enjoyed their raw sound. They are a good early band, and recommended if you haven't seen them.

Saturday

Phoenix (4) - I don't get the hate... I've seen them 3 times and they have been solid every time. At Mile High Fest in 2010 the lead climbed the damn girders in front of me, and rode the crowd around. Love them and hope their new album is great.

XX (3) - Overrated. They bring a sleepy set even for people who know their music, myself included. I think they are just a little too buzzy even after the last few years of people worshiping them. Expect too big a crowd.

Grizzly Bear (4) - Very solid musicians and vocal, but a chill set. I've seen them a couple times and they seem to be getting better. I like Veckatimist more than Shields, but still great songs live nonetheless.

Franz Ferdinand (4-4+) - High energy show, with usually great crowds. I found myself shouting their songs with the crowd and loving every second at Lolla 2012. Don't miss them if there isn't a bad conflict.

Decendants (4) - Saw them at Riot Fest 2012 and was impressed. Solid band, high energy, good crowd and charismatic front man. If you don't know their songs, do your homework and you'll be happy you did.

Yeasayer (2+) - I didn't get this band live. I'm not very familiar with their body of work, but I didn't feel their show at Lolla 2010. Perhaps the crowd was crappy, or the sound was off.

Portugual the Man (3+) - Solid set with great use of a wide variety of instruments and nice vocals. I'm not greatly familiar with their music though, so make it a 4 if you are a fan.

Major Lazer (3+-4) - Pitchfork 2010's performance being my only viewing, I was about destroyed by the rowdy crowd. I was a little drunk, which helped, but I liked the show overall. Very dependent of a good crowd however.

Dropkick Murphys (3+) - Really wanted to enjoy their show, but all their songs have a nasty habit of sounding the same. Screamed, strained vocals but good show. Expect a rowdy crowd if Coachella kidz do it right.

Janelle Monae (4+) - Lots of talent, but they really need to give her a night set. She goes for a kind of nightclub atmosphere when given the choice, which seems to be perfect. I really enjoyed the show I saw her at, opening for of Montreal. She blew them away.

Sunday

Vampire Weekend (4) - Seen them 3 times now, and they get better every time. They seem to deserve their popularity, and are at home in festivals as well as tighter venues. Highly recommended, but expect one big crowd.

Gaslight Anthem (3+-4) - Saw them at Riot Fest 2012 and they were solid. I don't know much of their catalogue, but I was impressed overall.

Dinosaur Jr. (4) - Solid rockers with charisma, great musicianship. I'm not a big fan of their music but I found their set last year very worthwhile.

Cloud Nothings (4) - Another solid band, I saw them open for Dino Jr and Grizzly Bear. I need to give their albums a few listens. Tight musicians.

Smith Westerns (3?) - I don't know how I feel about them. Seen them a few times but they were really green. I feel like they need some age before them can be great live, so I'm withholding judgment and giving an average 3.

So that's my take on bands that I can remember seeing from the lineup. A few others sprinkled throughout that either I can't remember or didn't make an impression on me, neither of which is probably a good thing.

[ialvarado2]

I probably exagerated on the "epic" category, I should have called it "good".

If it wasn't for Sigur Ros's performance in Lolla during the day, which was pretty forgettable, I would have ranked them higher.

I was pretty disappointed the last time I saw the YYYs (Coachella 09) and Ive never got into Infected mushroom either, maybe it was the crowd, I don't know.

I'm still going to check out the YYYs though.

[abbeyroad 04]

Having been to every Coachella in the past 10 years, I've seen a lot of them. 2010 had several of this year's performers. Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer and Phoenix come to mind right away as having been great.

[grichsgang]

Don't Miss

Two Door Cinema Club - I know there is anti-KROQ hate on these guys, especially now that they're in a bigger font, but they are quality musicians who play a tight, fun, energetic set.
FOALS – They were right before TDCC in ’11 and it was the best back-to-back in a tent in my four previous ‘chellas.
Cloud Nothings – unless you don’t enjoy great jams. These guys can really play and they bring it.

Might Suck/Might be Fantastic

Lou Reed: Put on great shows when I saw him between 84-97, but dude is 70 now. On the plus side, he never could sing anyway and two others near his age - Daltrey and Townshend – put on a great show last night.
Beach House: Caught the last half in ’10 and really only knew Norway and 10 Mile. They were kind of meh until 10 Mile, which was mesmerizing. My hunch is that they’ve grown a bunch since them and, if a night set, could melt my face.
Grizzly Bear: I did not like their ’10 set but that was Clusterfuckchella day and I wasn’t in the mood for anything. Love the new stuff and I'm looking forward to being turned around.
Tame Impala: Another one that was mildly disappointing, as the energy and presence were lacking. I think they’ve grown up a bit since then, so it may be different.
Dinosaur Jr.: Saw them at the Warfield in ’96 and was underwhelmed. Saw them at FYF and J was turning my inner ear into oatmeal – and I was loving it.

Go if No Conflicts

Tegan & Sara – Good energy and interplay between the sisters. The music is listenable but forgettable.
Yeasayer – I enjoyed their FYF set, especially 2080, but walked away thinking it should’ve been better. Sound was a bit muffled.
Father John Misty – Enjoyed his set at FYF


Listenable from the Beer Garden

Passion Pit – Did very little for me but wasn't obnoxious.

ALSO:

I saw The Three O’Clock 27 years ago and vaguely recall enjoying it, but, that was 27 years ago and let’s just say that there are a lot of things I don’t do that I did 27 years ago.

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

Be prepared to be heavily disappointed if that's your comparison. The War on Drugs is one of the best up-and-coming live acts around right now. The Violators, even when they have people from TWoD playing with them, never reach those heights.

Really? I love the TWoD live and I love all Vile's albums - I guess I just assumed it was gonna be the same.

[TheBlueJay]

Must See:

Sigur Ros – I had heard their records and enjoyed them. That said, I was not prepared for their live show, which is without question one of the best I’ve seen. Just take the advice of everyone on this board and see it. Lie down in the back, close your eyes, and just bask in the beauty of it all.

Tame Impala – My fav band of the past few years so maybe some bias, but perfect Coachella music. They aren’t an energy band, so don’t expect that. Expect a few Australian dudes jamming out and ripping psychedelic solos. The lead singer, Kevin Parker, is something of a musical visionary (he plays all the instruments on record) and can hit the notes live.

Should See:

Franz Ferdinand – The tightest live rock band around. They will only play their hits, and damn they have a lot. Can’t have a bad time at this show. And they aren’t douchy!

Hot Chip – You will dance, no matter what. Their latest album was great. Like Franz, so many hits.

Booka Shade – if they play at night, this goes to must see. Live techno at its absolute best. Suuuuuper funky and tribal.

Phoenix – Nothing wrong with happy, dancey rock.

Yeasayer – see Phoenix, but way trippier. They sing harmonies like the Beach Boys.

Infected Mushroom – Look up their latest live setup. Very cool. And they just love playing live, great stage presence.

Moby – Will throw it down. Will not be “chill”. Probably won’t play much Moby.

Simian Mobile Disco – Their setlists are often weird, but you will dance and never be able to find out what the heck they were playing.

Wu Tang – for like 15 minutes, hopefully you’ll hit it for C.R.E.A.M

Beardyman – one of the more unique acts, and surprisingly successful live. Get weird!

Richie Hawtin – top act to take a first time drug user to (preferably someone who would rather be at Two Door Cinema Club)

El-P – dude goes hard. Last time he played coach he was bleeding everywhere. Very fun set to take some anger out.

Jason Bentley/Zane Lowe – two of the world’s best radio DJS, JB from LA’s own KCRW.

La Roux – The singer hits the high notes, which, if you know their music, is really impressive. People love Florence…Elly Jackson is better.

Nothing Special:

Fedde Le Grand – Big dance music, won’t play “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit”

Major Lazer – really fun, but too repetitive for me. Also I’ve seen them/him five times so maybe better for first timers.

Pretty Lights – if you know his music, you know what you’ll hear live. Basically just presses play.

RHCP – sloppy live, but fun to hear the hits.

Grimes – too shrieky, but “Oblivion” is good live

Portugal the Man - rock

Wild Nothing – indie rock

Diiv – washed out indie rock

Don’t See:

The XX – sooooo sloooow and quiet. Big fail last time at outdoor bc of soundbleed.

Passion Pit – just no. they played at my college and were boring and bad.

Knife Party – NOT PENDULUM DO NOT COME TO THIS EXPECTING PENDULUM. If you like Skrillex see Knife Party.

Benny Benassi – again? If you haven’t seen him this is your first festival/rave. He was great in ’07, not so much anymore. Never plays any of his old songs.

Bassnectar – loud, sweaty, not musical

[Zafocaine]

Yeah Yeah Yeahs put a decent show on. I will return for them this year, for at least part of their set.

Vampire Weekend seemed to play their songs well, but were an overall uninteresting band to watch.

Violent Femmes have energy, and I'll be willing to check them out again this year.

The Foals is a cool band that I walked in on, not knowing who they were, but ended up staying for their entire show.

Beardyman had my interest going into the show, but I had to run for another act. I'll likely be checking his show out too.

[Horrible Children]

Ok, so here is my take on what I have seen:

DO NOT MISS:

Phoenix- Liked their studio stuff, and was a little indifferent about seeing them, but their sunset performance at Coachella was magical, one of the best of the festival

Spiritualized- Saw them on tour for Let it Come Down, very moving experience. Might not translate at a festival, but check it out
.
Portugal the Man- These guys kill it, hope they get a later in the day slot, last time it was sweltering in the tent.

Richie Hawtin- better in a small dark club, but should still be amazing at the Sahara.

Major Lazer- best thing I saw at Bonaroo last year. Just a ridiculous amount of fun, very goofy.


CATCH IF THERE ARE NO MAJOR CONFLICTS:

Jurassic 5- saw them years ago, just good fun underground hip hop

Bassnectar- don't really like his new stuff, but usually great live

Luciano- more for a club, but he will probably be on early, so give it a shot

Seth Troxler- One of the best house DJ's around, don't miss him if you can help it

Four Tet- really good in Montreal a few years ago, and his material just keeps getting better

Benny Benassi- Pretty much the master of cheesy Electro House, if you don't take yourself too seriously, he is actually a really good DJ

Puscifer- caught half the set at Bonaroo, better live than on album, and really cool stage show.

La Roux- could barely get in the tent it was so packed at Coachella last time. Really solid show, more laid back than I was expecting, but nice.

Roni Size- one of the best DnB acts still around, catch this while the genre still exists.

Loco Dice- always a good set from this Techno DJ


TOO OLD TO STILL BE ONSTAGE

Lou Reed- Saw him nearly 10 years ago and it seemed he was going through the motions then. I'll still be in the crowd if there is no conflict though.

New Order- Saw them at Ultra last year, just not the same without Hook.

Red Hot Chili Peppers- Never been a huge fan, but It felt like they were really forcing it at Bonnaroo last Year


MEH

Infected Mushroom- used to be good, but WAY past their prime

Wolfgang Gartner- generic electro house

Moby dj set- amazing with the band, but from the tracklists I've seen of the dj sets, I'm not impressed

Vampire Weekend- Saw a little bit at Coachella, don't get the appeal

Pretty Lights- don't get the hype, it's nice and chill, but not really concert material

Paul Oakenfold- pretty much same as Infected Mushroom


AWFUL

Beardyman- I was really looking forward to this, but it basically amounted to beatboxing over shitty Dubstep

Knife Party- love Pendulum, and really did their electro tracks, but the set I saw in New Orleans was all awful Dubstep

Fedde la Grand- used to like him, but he spent more time standing on a table at Ultra hyping the crowd than mixing

Kill the Noise- once again liked their electro stuff, but not feeling the all Dubstep sets

[edbangme]

Metric- Saw them for the first time a couple months ago and damn they are great! They have a really fun music catalog and Emily Haines has boundless energy. I don't see how anyone would have a bad time at their set.

Wolfgang Gartner- Seen him a few times. Nothing spectacular but still a fun dance party. Out of all the cheesy electro dj's, this guy is one of the better ones.

Phoenix- Haven't seen them in quite a while but had a great time when I saw them at Bonnaroo in '09. Had no clue who they were at the time and was completely won over.

La Roux- Very hit and miss. Seen them 3 times and 2 times they were pretty meh. The other time they were great, Elly's vocals were spot on and they seemed to finally have all the synths in control and on point. Curious about their new material.

[mmblack]

This will be a mostly dance music guide, because well, I don't ever really see "bands" outside Coachella

10
Jamie Jones - the man
Loco Dice - the myth
Richie Hawtin - the legend

9
Simian Mobile Disco - they don't even look at the crowd and have great command, all about the music. they're up there tinkering away and it's sort of mesmerizing to watch. techno sweat fest
Seth Troxler - phenomenal stage presence
Disclosure - show at the El Rey was great, expect them to take it to another level and more guest vocalists

8
DJ Harvey - no one mixes records like harvey
Hot Chip - always fun and a great catalogue of tracks
Booka Shade - their music when performed live has an ethereal feel to it, really fun to watch them play
The Faint - dance-a-thon even the rock kids can wiggle to
Dog Blood - while i didn't see an "official" dog blood set, i saw BN and skrillex do a b2b techno set and IT WAS AWESOME so i expect much of the same maybe with some fancy production to spice things up a bit

7
Moby - masterful DJ and high energy electro jams
Jamie xx - pheonomenal track selection
Dropkick Murphy's - if only they were playing in the beer garden, this would be a 10
Baauer - knock the whole 'EDM trap' train all you want, this is trap done right
Birdy Nam Nam - saw them in a dingy club in berlin, was really fun
Eric Prydz - euphoric progressive house at its finest
Grimes - love watching her on stage, hard not to have a good time
Maya Jane Coles - grab a dance partner and get sensual

6
Wolfgang Gartner - new live set-up is pretty cool, nothing special musically anymore though
Dillon Francis - high energy, the kids will be going apeshit for this and there's bound to be some tithes
Julio Bashmore - wasn't impressed with his mixing when i saw him, but awesome tunes
Joris Voorn - sort of run of the mill tech house mixing for me

5
Major Lazer - some of the set will be great, some of it will be unbearable. haven't seen them since switch left
Theophilus London - not awful, not great, meh
Dirtyphonics - four dudes doing some cool live stuff with midi controllers and samplers if you can handle the electro

4
Bassnectar - whole set sort of sounds the same to me, nothing moving
Tommy Trash - generic
Fedde Le Grand - outdated
Bingo Players - see tommy trash
Pretty Lights - see bass nectar
Adrian Lux - see bingo players

3
Infected Mushroom - 6 years ago i had a really fun time seeing them in a 500 person venue, granted i was in college and nearly blacked out. would consider checking it out to see the new stage set-up
Nicky Romero - see adrian lux
Benny Benassi - benny is really hit or miss, the last time i saw him in NYC he played the skrillex remix of cinema twice and got on the mic to apologize the second time
Kill The Noise - used to be a all-star caliber DJ, can still mix really well, but hopped on the dubstep train at the right time
Jason Bentley - no idea what to expect of him, saw him years ago and it was laughable
Paul Oakenfold - why am i writing about this

2
Excision - can't handle more than 20 minutes of it at once
Knife Party - most generic dubstep/electro set you'll ever hear. beatport top 10 anthems for an hour, shoot me now

1
Hardwell - trainwreck after trainwreck at electric zoo last year

0
Wu-Tang Clan - too many dudes yelling into mics at once, as the son of a sound engineer it made me want to strangle everyone within 500 yards, which is particularly depressing because i fucking love wu-tang and it put a really bad taste in my mouth. saw red and meth by themselves years ago, and that was great, but say no to the Wu