Coachella: Critic’s Picks
BJÖRK: Does the world hold a more joyful wandering soul than Iceland’s queen of wild beats and lucid dreaming? Björk never stops driving toward the unexpected. Her imminent album, “Volta,” features a killer pit crew, including hip-hop luminary Timbaland, crooner Antony and Congolese percussion ensemble (and fellow Coachella artist) Konono N°1. It’s not clear who’ll join her for this gig — there’s a rumor afloat of an all-woman brass band — but no matter. It will be gorgeously over-the-top.
(Coachella Stage, 10:45 p.m. Friday) (Axel Koester / For The Times)
ARCADE FIRE: The raucous spirit of Canada’s most successful indie art collective surely doesn’t reside exclusively in the nasal cavities of singer Win Butler, but if you’re concerned that his recent sinus surgery might diminish the group’s impact, never fear. Butler is reportedly fine, and eager to break out the anthems again. The oppressive hero-worship surrounding Arcade Fire’s excellent second album, “Neon Bible,” might have proved a threat to any other band’s spirit, but in concert, Arcade Fire always manages to play as if it’s the first time, and everything turns on the noise they make — right now.
(Coachella Stage, 7:30 p.m. Saturday) (Ryan Remiorz / AP)
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE: During its brief reign over the craggy realm of hard rock, Rage Against the Machine earned hate from critics for being dogmatic, overblown and just plain irritating. Boy, did the band’s detractors realize what they’d lost once vocalist-instigator Zack de la Rocha abandoned ship. There’s a reason the desert air is on fire in anticipation of this reunion. Time has proved that Rage’s rap-rock mix was both pioneering and uniquely powerful, and though much good political music has been made in the seven years since the group disbanded, none has matched the intensity of Rage’s revolutionary rhetoric. Welcome back — and watch out, powers that be!
(Coachella Stage, 10:40 p.m. Sunday) (Carlos Chavez / LAT)
