Fantasy Music Festival

With Coachella now behind us and a full season of festivals ahead, I took the opportunity to imagine my own ideal lineup, one without big headliners, but filled with artists you may not know yet. The combinations might not make sense in the real world, but that’s part of the fun, and hopefully it leads you to discover something new along the way.

THE CHILL STAGE (built entirely like a giant bounce house) Kraftwerk - Tanzmusik (Playing their 3rd album: Ralf & Florian in its entirety) King Midas - Blanco (playing this song on loop for an hour) Aphex Twin - Track 3 (Performing Ambient Works Vol.II from beginning to end) Love Inc. - Life’s a Gas (playing a 5 hour version of it with Marc Bolan singing live The Holy Ghost Inc. – Walk On Air

THE DARK STAGE (black walls, black ceilings, black floors and only black light) Kendra Smith - Wheel of the Law (and disappearing from public view to never be seen again…) Psychic TV - White Nights Alien Sex Fiend - I Think I Need Some E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon) El Corte - Los Blancos Montagneses Strawberry Switchblade - Go Away

THE BLUES AND JAZZ STAGE (a classy room serving Japanese whiskey only) Duke Ellington - Fleurette Africaine (performing live with Charlie Mingus and Max Roach) Jaco Pastorious - Donna Lee Bill Frissell - Pretty Stars Louis Moholo - You Ain't Gonna Know Me ‘Cos You Think You Know Me (performing this like a procession) Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train

THE HOTWIRE STAGE (presented in a small room for only 50 people and no air conditioner) Bo Diddley - Who Do you Love The Dirtbombs - Shari Vari The Cramps - Garbage Man Tonetta - My Bro James Brown - Down and Out in New York City (performing the entirety of the Black Caesar soundtrack along with the film)