Last year Goldenvoice brought the last thing this country needed more of (music festivals) to the last part of the country that needed it. Most local live music lovers don’t travel across country to, say, Coachella, because they know the lineup will be playing somewhere in Manhattan or Brooklyn within weeks anyway. So the Goldenvoice promoted All Points West (aka Coachella East) had two viable routes to being successful on its own terms, as a festival worthy of infinite ferry lines to Liberty State Park in Jersey City to see a bunch of bands playing Bowery that week: make the surroundings a user-friendly playground like its sister event in Indio (they did not), or book Radiohead for two nights. One out of two is not bad. One out of two did not stop people from calling it All Points Worst.
But this year looks different.
For one, they’ve promised an enhanced beer-drinking experience. That sounds like a petty quibble, until you find yourself trapped on an island with limited access to expensive beers in limited amounts with no forewarning. For another, they’ve picked up on Coachella’s design and created an enclosed, “tent” stage to host some top flight comedy (featuring Tim & Eric, Michael Showalter, Todd Barry, Janeane Garofalo, and Eugene Mirman). Mostly dudes you can see in Park Slope, but still. Progress. And most importantly, this musical lineup is actually righteous, rather than a bad rehash of every band doing every festival this year. Check it:
[Click and it'll grow.]
Tickets are on sale Friday 4/3 at 12PM EST via ticketmaster.com. Single day tickets are $89, three-day tix will be priced at $199 for a limited time, and there is a recession-friendly layaway option. There is also a VIP package, but honestly after last year I would say stay far away from that. Unless they’re offering BBQ and earplug-fitting session with Kevin Shields and/or beer-spitting lessons with Karen O.
All Points Worst to All Points Best? Obviously we’ll have to see it first, but the surprise of the morning: We are actually gonna go to see it first. What a difference a year and/or a promising press release makes, right guys? Blogging. Lots more info at the official site. If you are planning to go, here is the primer we hope is outdated but you should read before making ferry plans anyway.
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The beer experience is not something petty to quibble about — it was the single worst aspect of APW last year. Beer gulags surrounded by ten foot high fences through which one could not see any performance? Bracelets with tabs to limit you to five beers after which an ‘X’ was marked on your hand to indicate you’d been cut off? Spare me this nanny state crap – and then the brownshirt park police who seemed to care about nothing but nailing someone who had booze outside of the quarantined areas? Yeah I know it’s a state park and by jersey law you’re not supposed to have beer at all. THEN DON’T HAVE IT IN A STATE PARK. I look forward to how they plan to ‘enhance’ the beer drinking experience. It could hardly get worse.
Coachella has always had restricted beer gardens, too, and you barely hear anybody making such a fuss about them 10 years into the festival’s running…
you’re probably an alcoholic. stay home and listen to your music.
Maybe they should rename the festival “AAPW.”
Nice … poster.
nice…astronaut outfit.
You guys are crazy. this lineup fucking sucks. Coldplay? BOOO
awful lineup
your comment tells us an awful lot about you, awful being the operative word.
He’s awful?! So which 90′s band are you pumped about seeing? Or are you giddy over the prospect of seeing 80′s has-beens Echo and the Bunnymen? The muzak of Coldplay? Are you sure you’re on the right site? This isn’t tigerbeat.com…
They should just leave the whole beer thing alone. It was great not having people spilling beer on you in the crowds. As for this year, no Radiohead, no chance of it being as good as last year. Coldplay? No thanks! Vampire Weekend? No thanks! Weak lineup.
I don’t live in that area so I don’t think I’ll be making the trek for this, especially since I’m already down for Coachella and I’m seeing a lot of overlap with that and other festivals. There’s quite a few acts like VW and MGMT who I think could manage stepping out of the limelight for awhile, too…
I’d say upgrade from last year, though. Last year was basically two Radiohead shows and this year has more meat on the bones from top to bottom.
Decent line up, good headliners, little bit deeper talent pool than last year, interesting. I was on both sides as to the ‘beer gardens.’ As a beer drinker, it was, of course, nice to be able to drink, although the areas were WAY too small, lines too long, beer outrageiously overpriced, etc. BUT, it was very nice to watch Radiohead without drunken morons spilling beer all over you! So yea, ultimately they have to figure out a way to let people drink AND still be able to see the show, but keeping the drinking confined to certain areas I think overall made the ‘watching the bands’ aspect more appealing!
i’ll continue to fly to the middle of nowhere for a good festival and ignore the one 15 minutes away.
have fun living like a filthy hippie.
it’s fun to live in a tent for 4 days out of 365.
i make a prompt return to my luxury manhattan highrise.
don’t you worry.
well la-di-da. i hope it rains on you, not the whole site, just you.
these comments are so “mature”
Not bad at all. I wish they could have gotten Wilco for Saturday night’s headline spot, but I’m sure they’ll be around at some point during the summer. I like the addition of comedy acts, and the tent is a great idea. Definitely worth the $199 and train fare.
A lot of the bigger bands are the same as the Lolla bands so I am hoping that some of the others on this list will pop up on the slowly leaking Lolla line-up.
i havent even seen the lineup and i’m pre-ditching lollapalooza for sasquatch this year.
those festivals have nothing to do with this post. i hate you.
too be honest it sounds like i could manage to have a great weekend at this, without really liking any of the headlining bands. has that been a trend this summer or what? the headliners have seemed to kinda blow but everyone else looks good
http://www.pandasnare.blogspot.com
This festival is great for people who have been living under a rock and haven’t seen a single band play for the past year or two.
you’re too cool for school.
why the fuck is Tool placed above MBV. that’s extremely sad.
I really like the Black Keys, but I don’t need to see them at yet another festival. That mid-first day hip-hop line-up’s almost solid, though.
And really – does ANYBODY need three days of College Humor? I can’t even stand 1/2 an hour.
Sunday looks kinda lame…but Saturday looks to be a monster. The top 4 bands that night are Freaking Nice…..count me in…..for Saturday.
The headliners are a bit whatever and obviously there are some repeats from other festivals, but I’m psyched for Flying Lotus, Q-Tip, and Pharcyde, and any lineup that brings Akron/Family (new album’s great), My Bloody Valentine, YYYs, Shearwater, Elbow, Echo, Mogwai, Tim & Eric, etc. to one bill cannot be called bad. Michael_’s right – it’s much more fleshed out which will make the early day sets much more pleasant (and the ferry line delays much more frustrating). Yay for the comedy. Compared to last year, I’m impressed. And still bringing a flask.
MASSIVE LINEUP FAIL. Other than MBV, nothing exciting that I’m not already seeing at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, or on their current tour.
And Coldplay sucks major cock. Those eight letters shoot the jam session down right there.
Um, Tool is placed above MBV because they are one of the biggest bands in the world, and they sell about 2-3 million records more than MBV!? I love MBV, and Tool for that matter, but if you think that MBV will draw more people to a festival than Tool, you are living in fantasy land!
They should have crammed this into 2 days. Too many lame idie bands who will wilt out in the sun. I’d go only if it were free. And I live nearby.
you will be missed (you will not be missed)
they say on the website 7 beer max. this year, and bigger gardens with shorter lines.
Coachella > All Points West
thanks glazzy. i had no idea.
that’s because you’re a dumb baby.
Wtf this is a way better line up than Coachella!
oh yeah and FYI I am going to Coachella. lol. Well Paul McCartney is the only act I was primarily going for.
This year’s lineup definitely trumps last years. Radiohead’s great, but there didn’t seem to be much else. The deeper lineup along with the more manageable price ($200 from $270 last year) may actually have me sold.
This is a decent lineup if you ask me. And you don’t have to spend a gazillion dollars to fly out to California, Chicago, Tennessee or wherever.
This surely means that Tool won’t be playing any shows in NYC but their presence alone is making me consider this thing. If they keep going strong in a couple of years we may indeed have a real festival down there.
Roots Picnic > All Points West
Where exactly do Coldplay fit in with all these other bands? They are lame, commercial top 40 crap. Why not get The Jonas Bros or Britney Spears while you’re at it.
Organized Konfusion got back together?
Really excited about the prospect of seeing Tool, Mogwai, and MBV at the same festival. Without having to fly to Europe to do so. Good job, APW!!!
Went last year and it wsn’t bad. Sucks that there’s no camping allowed, and the 5 beer limit was a bit weird. But listening to Radiohead against a backdrop of the Manhattan skyline was one of the best experiences of my life.
Because Coldplay will sell a shitload of tickets. Simple as. Sunday will be the first day to sell out, mark my words.
@ jjazznola
Before I give my two cents, it’s people like you who depriciate the value of good discussion boards like this one.
The thing with this festival is that it’s not a festival at all. There’s no camping, no bringing your own food and beer. (who gives a shit if you want to drink no beer or 10 and pass out, it’s your prerogative.)
For the cost, last year’s felt like a real ass pummeling.
Despite the improvements, if you’re the cynical or hard to please type stay far away from APW.
you should change your name to mr blue doodie head
well said, Medium Happiness. I think the lineup is fantastic actually. so many great, different bands. drinking is only a small bonus to me (i’m there to sing and dance to the songs of my favorite bands.) and yeah i don’t understand why they think people want three nights of college humor. overall, i can’t wait!
http://bonafidewithheadphones.blogspot.com/
QUESTION: Does this iteration of Pharcyde include FatLip? I thought I remember him returning and/or the whole group coming back together.
so stoked for this festival- I just got my tickets woot woot
Looks like Friday is the day to be there.
Not a horrible lineup by any stretch of the imagination..
I would like to see My Bloody Valentine, Echo & The Bunnymen, Mogwai, Yeah Yeah Yeahs.. maybe Gogol Bordello, although i’ve seen them before..
There’s no way I’m going all the way to Jersey to see a few good bands, though.
The alcohol thing is kind of bizarre.
Went to Bonnaroo last year, and the drinking/drug policy is really lax.
Doesn’t it seem to you guys that most summer festivals’ lineups are worse than they were last year? Maybe it’s just that there aren’t as many good bands touring, but.. hmmm. pretty lackluster. nothing i’m going to dish out a few hundred bucks for.
does anyone know how crazy they are about drugs at APW? i assume its pretty strict seeing as its a state park…
Is anybody else here tired of the Beastie Boys? Why are they the headliner for every damn summer festival? How many times do i have to hear Paul Revere before i blow my brains out. Seriously, i don’t understand this. The pre-headliner acts look great this year: MBV, Fleet Foxes, yeah yeah yeahs, mgmt, etc. But the headliners leave nothing to the imagination.
Are you KIDDING me?!?! Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the National, Heartless Bastards, Fleet Foxes, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, Tokyo Police Club, MGMT, We Are Scientists, Mogwai, the Black Keys AND Silversun Pickups?! And you’re complaining?!?!?! What, are you expecting zeppelin and the who to show up before you’ll be happy? or are you just bummed sheryl crowe can’t make it? sheesh…
count yourselves lucky if you can make this fest… i’ve seen a lot of these bands individually, and I can tell you, this is a great lineup.
hey abacus 123,put down the crackpipe &join the rest of us!!!your hating on the beastie boys is the reason why you should stay home that day.q-tip&the pharcyde kick ass as well as the beasties.of course they will promote local bands&bands coming up.vampire weekend is too soft&the yea yea yeas blow.boooo yaaaaaa. gator out
The only solid reason to attend APW is to watch Jim Putnam work his monitor magic for the Silversun Pickups. The man has ears of platinum. No really, he had his innerears surgically reconstructed out of platinum after an old Voice of the Theatre speaker blew up in his face while he was checking for a buzz at around 12 dbs. I guess the human body doesn’t reject platinum oracular implants.