Soundtown 2012 (Our Guess at the Lineup)

Soundtown kicked off last year with its inaugural festival at the Somerset Amphitheater, featuring an interesting lineup mixing big acts like the Flaming Lips with a large contingent of local bands.  This years version will happen the weekend of July 27th, with a lineup announcement coming soon.  As we have done in the past, we are guessing/advocating the lineup for the festival.  Read below for who we think will take part, who we want to take part, and who we dread will take part.  Have guesses or opinions of your own?  Leave them in the comment section.  Find more information/buy tickets from the Soundtown website.

Jon

Headliner

Best Guess:
Jack White
I kind of feel like White would appeal to both the demographics this festival caters to – “rock people” and “jam people.” Not quite as sure about the latter part there – at least until some hippie reassures me that “Jack White can really play, man!” Runner up: Wilco.

Dream:
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
They have a new album coming out relatively soon (hopefully). Maybe this isn’t such a stretch? Wait, no, despite being a god amongst men, Cave’s sound is probably too difficult for the kind of broad appeal the festival probably needs.

Worst Case Scenario:
Soundgarden
Chris Cornell is the worst. At everything
Runner up nightmare scenario: Kings of Leon, Death Cab Snore Cutie

Supporting Slot 1

Best Guess:
Gogol Bordello
Again – broad rock & jam fanbase, raucous live show, and regularly sell out shows here. I feel pretty confident about this one.

Dream:
Mobb Deep
No more of a strange pick than last year’s choice of Slick Rick was. I would love to hear Havoc and Prodigy go deep into their old material.

Worst Case Scenario:
In this section I will list all of the jam bands I can think of: Pert Near Sandstone, Trampled By Turtles, String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Phil Lesh, Foster the People, Umphrey’s McGee, G. Love & The Special Sauce, Blues Traveler, Martin Medeski and Wood, moe, Keller Williams, Robert Randolph, um that one band that I can’t think of but is something like “Can You Feel the Fresh Air” or something like that. Ugh.

Supporting Slot 2

Best Guess:

Drive By Truckers
Or some other alt/country band. No outdoor festival is complete without an alt/country band, right?
Runner up: Blitzen Trapper

Dream:

Budos Band
Not only is the Budos Band great, they are also the perfect band for this sort of thing. Something the jam fans and the people with taste in music can both equally enjoy.

Worst Case Scenario:

Matt & Kim
In terrorist training camps the play Matt & Kim songs in order to ensure hatred of America. True story.

Token Locals

Best Guess:

Lots of locals again:
I am guessing this year’s local contingent will be a little smaller but will look something like: 4OnTheFloor, Zoo Animal, Rogue Valley/Chris Koza, the Pines, Marijuana Deathsquads, A. Wolf and Her Claws, Lucy Michelle, Wiping Out Thousands

Dream:

These locals:
Food Pyramid, Blind Shake, Mother of Fire, Brute Heart, Brother Ali, Thunderbolt Pagoda, Father You See Queen, Tender Meat, Condominium, Is/Is, Low/Retribution Gospel Choir, Daughters of The Sun, Private Dancer reunion

Worst Case Scenario:

Motion City Soundtrack, American Headcharge, Quietdrive

Josh

Headliner
Best Guess: Wilco

I have no clue why, but for some reason it seems like this has already been decided that they are plauying in my head.  A similar sized band to lasts year headliners (Flaming Lips) who I am guessing could even draw more.  Despite having no evidence to back it up, I feel like it is a sure thing.  (I hope it is not)

Dream: Neutral Milk Hotel
They played a spellbinding set this fall in Minneapolis and I can only imagine how cool it would be to hear Mangum outside in front of thousands of fans.

Worst Case Scenario: Phish

My plans to go would be stopped in their tracks if jam band hippies were added to equation.

Supporting Slot 1
Best Guess: Delta Spirit

One of those bands who I simply just do not get.  I don’t dislike them, but they seem to have a bit of a cult status, at least here in the Twin Cities music scene.  I would guess people would be happy to have them in this slot?

Dream: The Knife

Yeah, I know.  I have a better chance of winning the Mega Millions lottery that happened lastweek, but this is for dream picks, right?

Worst Case Scenario: She and Him

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.  Oh hey sorry, I was just saying that this band does generic folk rock in a way that is very boriZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Supporting Slot 2
Best Guess: Free Energy

A fun live band with a local connection.  While most of the “best guess” picks end up being snarky choices that I wouldn’t want, I think if Free Energy fills this particualy spot on the setlist I would be just fine.

Dream: Shabazz Palaces

They totally and compeltly blew me away last week in the tiny Whole Music Club.  Would love to see them in front of a big crowd getting the love that they deserve.

Worst Case Scenario: Jams Bands

Serisouly. Get the fuck out of here.

Token Locals
Best Guess: Jeremy Messersmith
Everyone loves this guy, right?  Seems like an easy pick.

Dream: OPEN

Any of these bands…or these bands.  There are plenty of stellar to downright awesome bands circling our local scene right now….it shouldn’t be hard to find a few who I would love to see outdoors on a nice summer evening.

Worst Case Scenario: No Comment
I am generally as cynical as they come, but for a festival like this, I hope as many local bands as possible get a chance to play on the big stage in front of half-drunk crowds.  May the shitty bands fail miserably and may the good bands leave with loads of new fans.

Kyle (Solace

Headliners:

 

Best Guesses: Silversun Pickups, Metric, The Gaslight Anthem, Bloc Party

 

I realize they’ll probably still only have 2 proper “headliner” acts like last year, so pick 2. They all have new albums out this summer, and none currently have a local show on the books. Metric would fill in the slot held by New Pornographers nicely as well.

 

Dream: Dr. John, At The Drive-In, Wilco, Sigur Ros, Bob Mould playing all of Copper Blue, Yeasayer, The Walkmen, Andrew Bird, Jeff Mangum

 

Worst Case Scenario: fun., Cee Lo, Mumford & Sons, Florence & The Machine, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

 

Supporting Acts (note, i’m not saying all of these acts are possible, just figure my guessing will be like 25% accurate, so keep that in mind):

Best Guesses: Girl Talk, Sleigh Bells, The Kills, Gossip, Drive-By Truckers, Passion Pit, Heartless Bastards, Dawes, Best Coast, Those Darlins, Lissie, Cults, Kings Go Forth

Dream: Grandaddy, M83, The Joy Formidable, Beach House, Dirty Projectors, M. Ward, Charles Bradley, Budos Band

 

Worst Case Scenario: Lana Del Ray, Of Monsters and Men, IAMDYNAMITE, The Head and the Heart, Birdy, Band of Skulls, The Ting Tings, The Wombats

 

Local acts: 

 

Best Guesses: 4 on the Floor, Dessa, Haley Bonar, Peter Wolf Crier, Caroline Smith & The Goodnight Sleeps, Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles, Vicious Vicious, Villa Rosa, Toki Wright

 

Dream: P.O.S., Astronautalis, Dosh, Grandma’s Boyfriend, Now Now, A. Wolf and Her Claws, Wiping Out Thousands

 

Worst case scenario: Wookie Foot

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