The Rural Minority

Here it is guys…after all this time.  Posted yesterday, here is the latest confirmed:

• Dave Matthews Band
• Kings of Leon
• Stevie Wonder
• Jay-Z
• Tenacious D
• Weezer
• The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform “Dark Side of the Moon”
• The Dead Weather
• Damian Marley and Nas
• Phoenix
• Norah Jones
• Michael Franti and Spearhead
• John Fogerty
• Regina Spektor
• Jimmy Cliff
• LCD Soundsystem
• The Avett Brothers
• Thievery Corporation
• Rise Against
• Tori Amos
• The National
• Zac Brown Band
• Les Claypool
• John Prine
• The Black Keys
• Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
• Jeff Beck
• Dropkick Murphys
• She & Him
• Against Me!
• The Disco Biscuits
• Daryl Hall & Chromeo
• Jamey Johnson
• Clutch
• Bassnectar
• Kid Cudi
• Baaba Maal
• Kris Kristofferson
• Medeski Martin & Wood
• The xx
• GWAR
• Dan Deacon Ensemble
• Tinariwen
• Wale
• Deadmau5
• The Melvins
• The Gaslight Anthem
• Miike Snow
• The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• Dr. Dog
• They Might Be Giants
• Punch Brothers
• Isis
• Blitzen Trapper
• Blues Traveler
• Miranda Lambert
• Calexico
• Gary Chardonnay
• OK Go
• Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
• Martin Sexton
• Lotus
• Baroness
• Dave Rawlings Machine
• Mayer Hawthorne and the County
• Japandroids
• Jay Electronica
• Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
• Ingrid Michaelson
• The Dodos
• Manchester Orchestra
• The Temper Trap
• Cross Canadian Ragweed
• Big Sam’s Funky Nation
• Carolina Chocolate Drops
• NEEDTOBREATHE
• Tokyo Police Club
• The Entrance Band
• Local Natives
• Brandi Carlile
• Mumford & Sons
• Rebelution
• Diane Birch
• Monte Montgomery
• Julia Nunes
• The Postelles
• Lucero
• Here We Go Magic
• Hot Rize
• Neon Indian
• B.O.B

Let’s get some comments rocking.  To me, this is the best lineup yet.  You?

My Top 10 Albums of 2009….

1.) Phoenix–’Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’
..pure…If you don’t own it, or like it, you’re probably an idiot.

2.) The Dead Weather–’Horehound’
..Jack White and Alison Mosshart–another rock n’ roll supergroup…It’s almost not fair for other artists to blend such talent.

3.) The XX–’XX’
..Thanks to Ryan Fisher, who once again rescued my terrible taste… I think I’ve listened to it everyday since it’s discovery.

4.) Alberta Cross–’Broken Side of Time’/'Thief and the Heartbreaker’ EP
..This album has so much soul, even Jesus sings along with it.

5.)  The Black Crowes– ‘Before the Frost..Until the Freeze’
..Was never a big Black Crowes fan until this album dropped..Without question their best work as musicians, and bold!  The entire double album was recorded and captured live in upstate NY at Levon Helm’s studio.

6.)  Band of Skulls–’Baby Darling Doll Face Honey’
..Classic rock sound, very refreshing…and I love hearing Zeppelin-ish sounds no matter where I go.

7.)  The Airborne Toxic Event–self titled
..Great stuff…Perhaps releasing one of the most underplayed, and best singles of the year–’Sometime Around Midnight’.

8.)  The Flaming Lips–’The Dark Side of the Moon’
..Arguably the only band that could do justice remaking this legendary album… Anddd Henry Rollins makes his appearance numerous times.

9.)  Jupiter One–’Sunshower’
..Such a good blend of new wave sound and folk.

10.) Wale–’Attention Deficit’
..I couldn’t leave my hip-hop roots off this list entirely, although I tried…Luckily, Wale saved the year!! I hope hip-hop continues to evolve WITHOUT terrible collaborations and lousy artists…Yes Jay-Z, I hold you accountable.

** Honorable mention, and easily shoul/could fit on the list was Neko Case–’Middle Cyclone‘

According to the web site Consequence of Sound, here are some educated guesses on who may be heading to Bonnaroo next year (and yes, pumped about the first one, if it’s true):

Bonnaroo (June 10-13; Manchester, TN):

• U2 - It’s beginning to appear more and more that Bono and Co. will be making their way to Manchester.

• Roger Waters performing The Wall - Word on the street is that The Who isn’t happening. Roger Waters seems like a suitable replacement.

• The String Cheese Incident – This year’s Phish.

• Guns N’ Roses – If Axl were to play any music festival this summer (and we know he wants too), then it would have to be Bonnaroo.

• Jay-Z - Might be a bit of a stretch considering he already has a date in Europe that weekend, but Bonnaroo does need some hip-hop and it only makes sense that the world’s biggest festival would tap the world’s biggest rapper. Late night set? Thank goodness there are things such as airplanes.

• Pavement - Exclusivity won’t matter by then. Why not have them?

• Pixies - Keeping the reunion going.

• My Morning Jacket – My Morning Jacket and Bonnaroo belong together.

• Others: The Flaming Lips, Them Crooked Vultures, She & Him, The Whigs, Deftones, The National, Rufus Wainwright, Drive-By Truckers, STS9, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros