Jason Bentley’s Coachella Picks

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Considering home court advantage and a steady surge in popularity, this neo-hippie collective is poised to cap off a banner year with a stellar Coachella performance.

Fever Ray – I still regret skipping Fever Ray’s shows in LA a few months back, but you can be sure I won’t miss their sinister sci-fi musings under the desert stars this year.

Jónsi (of Sigur Rós) – With the imagination of Sigur Rós and Riceboy Sleeps to his credit, and a solo album filled with joyful exuberance, I have no doubt Jónsi will deliver something special.

The Specials – The Two Tone/ska movement Commercial Inflatable Obstacle Course For Sale was crucial to me as a teenager, so the opportunity to hear all time favorites “Gangsters” and “Ghost Town” live is a chance to revisit my “rude boy” roots that I can’t miss.

MGMT – With a sophomore album made decidedly on their own terms, the pressure is on to turn in a striking performance if we’re expected to follow MGMT bravely into the psychedelic night.

The xx – Casting a spell of smoldering intimacy on their debut, it’s a wonder that such quiet sentiments have reportedly elicited shrieks and screams at live shows across the country. Will Coachella behave itself for this British trio? I’ll be there to find out.

Beach House – Layered intensity roils throughout the epic ballads of Beach House, and my sense is that this duo will make a triumphant stand in support of their third album, Teen Dream.

Delphic – The latest group to emerge from the fashion forward Parisian house of Kitsuné, Delphic channel ’90s rave energy with modern alt-rock sensibilities. This band is one to watch this year.

p.s.: You can see Jason’s picks in a publication called CAMP at Coachella. URB and Goldenvoice partnered to produce CAMP, a special limited edition publication designed for Coachella campers. It marks the first time that Coachella has produced a piece of custom printed material. The magazine will be distributed exclusively on the Coachella campground for free to over 10,000 campers.