The Vegoose oddsmaker
We know Vegoose is coming back, that it’ll be October 26 and 27 (with night shows October 25-27) and that Widespread Panic will not be anchoring a night for the first time in three years. We also know that 2007 likely marks the make-or-break point for the festival, coming off last year’s sparse attendance, so we’ve gotta believe promoters Superfly and AC have something mega-epic planned.
Our early attempt to handicap possible headliners:
BEASTIE BOYS, 2:1 – The hot rumor has them playing an all-instrumental set to promote new album The Mix Up, but they’d need to mix in plenty of hip-hop to truly qualify as must-see headliner material.
THE WHITE STRIPES, 3:1 – New album, Jack played the ’06 fest with The Raconteurs, Stripes haven’t played Vegas since 2003 ... it all adds up.
THE POLICE, 4:1 – Sure, they just played here, and the tour—including a recent appearance at the Superfly/AC-promoted Bonnaroo—has received lukewarm reviews, but plenty of interested parties have been shut out of their nightly sellouts.
PEARL JAM, 4:1 – Swore they’d never do another festival after the 2000 Roskilde tragedy, but they’re headlining August’s Lollapalooza, so that stance has apparently softened.
DAVE MATTHEWS, 5:1 – Helped make Vegoose Mach 1 a success at the gate, but after two shows here in March, is October too soon to return?
BOB DYLAN, 8:1 – A safe choice and a Superfly fave.
NEIL YOUNG, 8:1 – Not sure he’s got the drawing power, but he’d no doubt rock the house, er, field.
THE DEAD, 10:1 – Lesh, Weir, Hart and Kreutzmann haven’t toured together since 2004, but don’t count out a reconciliation and another Garcia-less go-’round.
PHISH, 12:1 – The hot gossip, but the East Coast seems far more likely for this inevitable reunion.
FOO FIGHTERS, 12:1 – New album scheduled to drop in September, but is the buzz big enough?
THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, 15:1 – A great live band, but should they really be atop a festival marquee in 2007?
BJORK, 15:1 – Would be brilliant to (finally) bring her to Vegas, but would the jam-heads care?
TOOL, 20:1 – Four Vegas shows in the past two years would seem to take the luster off.
COLDPLAY, 25:1 – Will the new album be finished in time? Doubtful.
BECK; IGGY AND THE STOOGES; MODEST MOUSE; MUSE, 25:1 – Easy to see any or all involved, but do they have the support to headline?
ROGER WATERS, 30:1 – Would have been a favorite if he hadn’t just played here.
JAY-Z, 40:1 – Would have been hot during his 2006 “comeback”; now it might feel played out.
RADIOHEAD, 50:1 – The album’s perpetual delay means they probably won’t be touring this fall.
WU-TANG CLAN, 75:1 – Hard to believe organizers would mess around with this.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, 100:1 – A reliable source tells us the festival fallbacks aren’t coming, but we won’t breathe easy until we (don’t) see it.
PAUL MCCARTNEY, 200:1 – Not a festival regular, but maybe if Starbucks signs on as a sponsor ...
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE; SMASHING PUMPKINS; WILCO, 500:1 – Booked for New Orleans’ Voodoo fest the same weekend (though any could theoretically do one night at each).
OUTKAST, 1,000:1 – Andre doesn’t play live anymore, which would make it a major coup.
THE ARCADE FIRE, 10,000:1 – Not unless they cancel their European gigs that weekend.
TALKING HEADS, 50,000:1 – We can dream, can’t we?
THE SMITHS, 100,000:1 – Yeah, right.