The Sweet Release… of the Firefly Lineup

Congratulations! After weeks and weeks of waiting, we’ve finally been blessed with a bouncing baby FIREFLY LINEUP!

If anybody’s been following the drama, you’ll know that it took the folks at Firefly at least a month longer this year than the last to release their lineup. Not that they haven’t been trying to placate their fans via social media. Many contests and giveaways were held daily through their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites over the past week or so. But nothing beats the sweet release- of their official lineup, that is.

It happened Tuesday, February 17th. “Officially.” It seems the lineup was leaked about three weeks beforehand, except with one glaring difference: the first headliner is now blurred out, but the leaked version had written in one SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY. Firefly made a statement on their Facebook, stating the reason for the delay:

“We would love to give you your final lineup right now, but we are still waiting on some last-minute approvals before we can release the lineup. We actually haven’t had problems with your lineup. It’s just taking more time than expected. Unfortunately, we don’t have full control over these approvals.”

Mmhmm.

So whats with the blur then? Delaware radio station WDDE held an interview with Red Frog Events, hosts of the Firefly Music Festival. They state their decision to release the lineup with a blurred out headliner was meant to appease increasingly impatient fans. Christiane Pheil, director of talent and artist relations for Red Frog, says they didn’t want to make fans wait any longer while trying to finalize that last act. I can understand that- I mean, I was one of those increasingly impatient fans.

But they sure liked giving away tickets. February 10th was a particularly generous day for them.

Good luck getting those free tickets, though. It seemed if you weren’t one of the first to respond, it was game over. I tried a few times. I failed a few times. Ah well.

SO ABOUT DAT LINEUP DOE.

Take a good long look at that puppy. That’s what they’re going with this year. It’s not a bad lineup. It’s got two of the Top 7! There’s just something about it… Is it wrong to say I’m more excited by the first two lines of the Governor’s Ball lineup than this one? There seems to be a LOT of small print on here. But, but- if it’s true that Paul McCartney will be there, than I suppose that makes everything totally worth it. Acts I’m most excited for (just reading down the list):

• Kings of Leon– they cancelled on me last summer, and I’ve been mad at them ever since. Like OKAY fine you had some horrific bus accident I get it. Gosh. Don’t let it happen again.
• SNOOP friggin DOGG– because WHAT??
• Sublime– Classic.
• Matt & Kim
• Manchester Orchestra
• Broods– I know two of their songs, and I like what I hear.
• Big Data
• Bear Hands– this band grew on me, so yeah, I’d see ’em.
• BORNS– they’ve got that Electric Love song, they’re good.
• The Griswolds– Yas! I’m actually really excited for these guys, their music is super fun.

Honorable mentions go to The Killers, Foster the People, Bastille, Hozier, Cage the Elephant, Awolnation, Walk the Moon, Dirty Heads, Young Rising Sons, Night Terrors of 1927, and Grizfolk. All awesome, but by the time Firefly rolls around I’ll have seen them. So, I feel like the point is to see new acts and add to the “collection”. Of course, if no one else is playing, I’d gladly see any of them again! Plus, you can’t neglect the wishes of your companions (unless ya’ll go it alone, then heck do what you want). There are others on the list that I’d like to see, but those I can take or leave.

“So CJ,” you ask, “does that mean you’re going to Firefly again?”

Well. Last year’s Firefly experience, my first festival ever, was crazy. It was hot, exhausting, dirty, dusty, sniffly, sunburnt… and I was about 95% sure that I was too old for this nonsense. But… I gave it a year to think about it. And I look back at all the photos and I think, all that craziness was so incredibly worth the experience. So yes, I believe I am going back to the Woodlands this year!

How about you? Have you been to Firefly? Are you going this year? Which bands are you most excited for?