Dirty Projectors, Mike Posner Fill Holes in ACL Sunday

The challenge of finding a Sonic Youth replacement 1 month out is not so great. It's not a matter of all the other equivalent bands already being committed to other gigs. The situation presents itself with two incentives for C3 to avoid re-stocking the lineup with a Sonic Youth equivalent.

Cheap Trick could do that date.
ZZ-Top could make that appearance.

Granted, ZZ-Top is a larger band than Sonic Youth. Cheap Trick typically plays similar-sized venues as Sonic Youth, however. I provide these two examples because their 2009 Tour Schedule is open surrounding these dates and they'd be strong attractions at ACL.

It's the attraction they would bring to the event that disqualifies them from consideration as replacements by Charles Attal. These are bands that can sell tickets to future ACL festivals. There's no need to waste them on the 2009 event when all the tickets are already sold. That gives him an empty spot in the 2010 or 2011 headlining spot for him to fill.

By this reasoning, no one should expect to see equivalent replacements at ACL for headliners that drop out. The Vultures work as a bait-and-switch for the Beastie Boys because they have star power. But they wouldn't have worked as an announced headliner because they don't have radio hits or a familiar discography people would expect to hear with their purchased ticket. Them Crooked Vultures may prove to be interesting this year, but they wouldn't have helped sell out tickets like the Beastie Boys name did on the C3 website.

I've seen Dirty P live. Maybe they were suffering from the SXSW syndrome of not being inspired to play this free gig to 100 hungover people in the 2pm heat.

I realize that these things happen but Sonic Youth, a legendary band that is still putting out great music, is a huge loss for ACL fest.

Sonic Youth = legendary / for sure.

Dirty Projectors = temporarily hip / unclear

As someone who has seen them live, I can attest that the talent is real and they could well have staying power. Not saying they are an = replacement for SY, just that Whooo's snide comment might be a bit off base.

A temporarily hip band that plays small venues like the Mohawk and Red 7 for legendary Sonic Youth. No whining, just saying paying for big and getting small. The reader can be judge if they're getting screwed or not.

That's very positive of you wattage. :)

I agree that it's a crap trade, but I see two upsides to it:

1. Now I won't have to sprint from Sonic Youth across Zilker to see the beginning of Pearl Jam, because the Dirty Projectors aren't on right before PJ and I don't care about Girl Talk, etc.

2. I've never seen the Dirty Projectors, but I have seen Sonic Youth many times. I don't mind not seeing SY and getting to see a different band earlier in the day now.

I'm looking on the upside that I can just make myself comfortable for Dead Weather and hour break and then 1.5 hours of Pearl Jam to end the weekend.

Sonic Youth for the Dirty Projectors is a crap trade. I still am looking forward to the festival regardless.

I'm sure my post will be followed by a number of other posts by people whining about how bad Charles Attell and C3 are, as they always do here. I wish those people would either sell their ACL Fest tickets or shut up if they're not going.