Austin City Limits Lineup Wish list

As summer approaches and the anticipation of Austin City Limits tickets and their line-up looms the next month. I have to say the concert scene in Austin and surrounding cities are looking promising. I am however keeping up with my new year's resolution and I have bought tickets for The Decembrists in April, and so far the show I can wait to see is Weezer in June, which they are playing the Blue album in its entirety.

I have been waiting to see if the rumor mill starts up with the ACL line-up, and as of yet I have heard nothing and it's been very quiet for that matter. Of course you have the outlandish rumors of David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc. but those are just unrealistic. Taking a look at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch and some other festivals you have to think a few of those bands will make the festival circuit this summer.

With that said here is my wishlist/possible bands that we could see at ACL for 2011. I will start off with the bands and end with the possible headliners.

Ryan Bingham, Band of Heathens, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Crystal castles, Cut Copy, The Hold Steady , Interpol, Klaxons, Sleigh Bells, The Drums, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Titus Andronicus, The New Pornographers, The Tallest Man on Earth, Wiz Khalifa, Broken Social Scene, Freelance Whales, Scissor Sisters, Best Coast, Fistful of Mercy, Foster the People, Neon Trees, Iron and Wine, Bassnectar, Tokyo Police Club, Girl Talk, Wavves, Cold War Kids, Wolf Parade, Young The Giant, Das Racist, J. Macias/Dinosaur Jr, Cotton Jones, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Florence + The Machine, Steve Earle, Fleet Foxes, Fiona Apple, White Lies, and Sharon Jones and the Dapkings. (I am sure my list will grow by the time they announce the line-up, but this would be my wishlist/possible bands to play at ACL in 2011)

Now on to the possible headliners for this year, with this year being the 10 year anniversary I know that one of the main stages will have Willie Nelson at some point, if they don't I might be a little disappointed with ACL for not having the person that played the first ever Austin City Limits TV show not play at the 10 year anniversary of their festival. Now I weigh more of what big bands have albums coming out over the spring and summer to headline at ACL. So with that said here is a list of my possible headliners for this year.

Arcade Fire, Willie Nelson, Mumford & Sons, Kanye West, Bright Eyes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Foo Fighters, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, The Decemberists, R.E.M., Soundgarden, Radiohead, Lady Gaga (it kills me to put this, but we all know it could happen, we did get the Eagles last year), My Morning Jacket, Phoenix, and Snoop Dogg. Of course this is just my wishlist/possible headliners for this year, but we can all admit these are all good possibilities. If I go with a huge Sunday closer I am putting my guess with a band like Radiohead. For years people have wanted them at ACL and this year looks like the best to get those crazy Brits over here to party with everyone in Texas. Let's keep our fingers crossed this happens.

Now it's time for a few music reviews. I have to admit I am getting a little piled up with all the music I am listening to that is new or old to some, but here are a few that I will get too this week.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals-Self Titled

GPN is a roots rock/soul band from Vermont. This band is definantly going to be getting more popular over the next year. They have been on the rise for the past few years, but their newest album is very good. Grace Potter has a very soulful voice, and they have a great sound. Her sound can win over the biggest music snob and the hardest rocker. She has a great 70's soul sound to her vocals and song writing. Check out the song Paris (ooh la la).

Smith Westerns-Dye it Blonde

This is a band that is getting a lot of attention lately. They will be playing at Stubb's during SXSW, and have supported the likes of MGMT, Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian, Girls, and Passion Pit on tour. So this young band from Chicago has had some help from some great indie bands while coming up. This is their second album, but with some better financial backing to make this album sound more refined than their first one. If I had to describe their sound it would be more of an indie/dream pop sound that is coming out here lately with Real Estate, Wavves, and Best Coast. So far this is one of my favorite albums that has came out this year so far. Check out the song Weekend.

White Lies-Ritual

This is the second album from the alternative band from Ealing, London. I got to see them live at ACL in 2009, and they blew me away live. They were a great live band that day, and I go hooked on their first album To Lose My Life. So I was excited to hear they would be releasing an album this year. The White Lies sound a lot like The Killers and MUSE. They don't have the killer sound like those two bands just yet, but I feel they will. They didn't stray too far from their sound of the first album, but over all this is a good album, not great, but not bad either. The way is sounds is a safe album to not stray too far from what made the first album so good. Check out the songs Strangers and Bigger Than Us.

Avi Buffalo-Self Titled

This is the indie-pop bands first album that they have released. Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg is the lead singer and main song writer for Avi Buffalo. What makes the songs so infections is the lyrics that he gives the songs. They are almost so innocent and sweet that is makes the gushy indie-pop songs long for your long lost innocent sex starved teens. Out of all the genre's of music that is coming out now, the indie-pop scene is one of my favorites. The dreamy melodies and song writing makes you want to move to LA and sit on the beach and listen to it all day. I guess this album is a great album to put on a lazy spring Sunday morning and hang out on the back porch enjoying the sun. Check out the song What's In It For?

Destroyer-Kaputt

This is a Canadian indie rock band that has been around since 1995. Lead singer Dan Bejar has often called their style "European Blues", and is often compared to David Bowie, and there are some influences of Pavement and Guided by Voices is some of their sound. This is the bands ninth studio album that they have released, and this album would fall into the same dreamy indie music that is coming out right now. Dan Bejar has a very mellow way of singing and the melodies accompany him very well. Check out the songs Chinatown and Kaputt.