Welp, Bonnaroo 2016 announced its schedule this morning, and that's good news for people who like Waxahatchee, Bully, Twin Peaks and BØRNS, who play back to back to back to back Thursday night at This Tent. But it's bad news for fans of Lamb of God and Sam Hunt, who duke it for festivalgoers' attention Saturday night on the tent stages, playing head to head on This and The Other, a mere half hour before Ellie Goulding galvanizes Which Stage, at the same time local faves Promised Land Sound do a little 'Roo debut on the Who Stage.
Indeed, Tennessee's favorite festival's schedule once again offers an inevitably brutal reminder that life is full of tough choices. Traditionally, planning your days on the farm offers up Sophie's choice after Sophie's choice, each tantamount to choosing a college, deciding on a life partner or gauging whether or not to drop two (Alka-Seltzer) tabs or stick with one and see how how your stomach feels in 45 minutes.
Are your two favorite artists in contemporary music Jason Isbell and Kurt Vile and the Violators? Then kill yourself, as they play overlapping sets on Sunday evening. Same goes for fans of Kamasi Washington and Fidlar, who face off on Friday. And speaking of morbid, Death Cab for Cutie plays just before Dead & Company Sunday night on What Stage. Things are equally tough for fans of Chris Stapleton and Natalie Prass, whose sets overlap on Saturday, hours before fans of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis and Haim have their own wrenching decision to make.
Perhaps no one's got it tougher than those who equally love J. Cole, Leon Bridges, M83, Flosstradamus and Tyler the Creator, whose sets are stacked and burritoed across various stages Friday night. Luckily there's no such thing (or at least there shouldn't be such thing) as Ween fans who also like Third Eye Blind. Those bands face off Sunday.
Meanwhile, headliners LCD Soundsystem, Pearl Jam and the aforementioned Dead & Company play (mostly) unopposed Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, respectively, on What Stage.
Bonnaroo hits nearby Manchester, Tenn., for the 15th year in a row June 9-12. Visit the festival's official site for tickets and other deets. Check out the full schedule (subject to change, natch) below.
In other festival news: Austin City Limits announced its 2016 lineup this morning. In addition to the obligatory LCD appearance, the top of the bill offers Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar and Mumford & Sons. Check it out.
