Desert Trip Music Festival is a dream come true for every fan that loves classic music from the 1960s and 70s. The lineup includes a combined six bands and musicians in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and adds up to one of the most prolific festivals of all time.
With only six acts taking the stage, there is no schedule to make or next big artists to find. Desert Trip Music Festival will only be about the great music you are going to hear.
So we need to change that. With all this talent, a head-to-head matchup to find the best of the best is the only thing to do. With three nights of two performers taking the stage each night, the matchups have made themselves. Let’s get started.
The Rolling Stones vs. Bob Dylan – Friday Night, Oct. 7th/14th
It’s hard to see how one man can compete with an entire band, but if anyone can, it’s Bob Dylan. The man has been an icon in the music industry for almost six decades, and has showed no signs of slowing down. With one of the most recognizable voices of all-time, Bob Dylan has some of the most dedicated fans in the history of music. Almost every folk artist today can trace their roots back to Dylan and cite him as a positive influence in their own career. With songs like, “The Times They Are a-Changin,” “Like A Rolling Stone” and “Shelter From the Storm,” Bob Dylan’s work will long live on after he hangs up his acoustic guitar.
The Rolling Stones have Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, two of rock and roll’s most prolific partiers. They never let that get in the way of making good music, and have been in the business since 1962. Part of the British Invasion, The Rolling Stones are integral part of music history as well. “Paint It, Black,” and “Start Me Up,” are two of the Stones’ best songs, but they also have a catalog of hits to compete with Dylan. The stage presence of the aforementioned duo has also kept The Rolling Stones relevant. With this being the first Desert Trip Music Festival, a memorable set from The Rolling Stones could be the highlight.
Dylan is arguably one of the most influential artists of all time but this is a live festival performance. He doesn’t quite stack up against the lively bunch from England. Definitely a close call, but the Rolling Stones are the winners by the slimmest of margins in this one.
Paul McCartney vs. Neil Young – Saturday Night, Oct. 8th/15th
Whose idea was this? Round 2 gets even tougher. Paul McCartney’s résumé includes being in one of the best bands of all-time. The Beatles made him famous, but his talent has allowed to have a nice solo career as well. Paul McCartney has also spent a lot of time as the front man for the band, Wings since leaving The Beatles. McCartney still does all of his writing though, and will perform some of his most classic tracks with or without the band. “Band On The Run,” and “Live and Let Die,” are two of his best songs that his loyal fans can never wait to hear. The fact that McCartney has a catalog of The Beatles’ hits in his arsenal can’t hurt either.
Neil Young can’t be written off in this one, though. The Canadian folk rock musician is a very versatile artist that changed his style more than once. With hits like “Heart of Gold,” and “Rockin’ In The Free World,” Young will steal the show. Those two hits spanned almost twenty years, and besides the voice it sounds like two completely different musicians. The second coming of Bob Dylan and the “Godfather of Grunge,” is well-deserved praise for Young.
Young’s versatility against one of the best singer/songwriters in McCartney is what this one comes down to. My initial choice is Neil Young. However, McCartney can pull out a classic by The Beatle’s on cue, and that could make his performances special at Desert Trip Music Festival.
Roger Waters vs. The Who – Sunday Night, Oct. 9th/16th
Roger Waters, another solid solo artist tries to take down The Who, one of the most influential rock bands ever. Roger Waters was the bassist and front man for Pink Floyd, so his credentials are impressive as well. In 1984, he started off his solo career releasing The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking. The album received mixed reviews but went on to be Gold Certified in the U.S. He has released three studio albums since and uses a combination of his solo hits and classic Pink Floyd music. Waters’ vocal range is one of the most impressive in music today. His total range is B1-C7, and musically speaking that is almost unheard of.
The Who is a juggernaut of epic proportions. Roger Waters can’t take them down without the help of Pink Floyd so this one will be a victory lap. Their catalog of hits is endless. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and “Baba O’Riley” were transcendent hits that included the use of synthesizers. They might not be the first band to delve in to the synth-rock genre, but they are certainly the best. The Who have won countless awards, recorded songs that will live on for decades after they are gone and are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Who are the last band to perform on the weekend, and there can definitely be a case made that Desert Trip Music Festival is saving the best for last.
Desert Trip Music Festival will be a memorable experience for all in attendance. Find your Desert Trip Music Festival tickets right here at TicketNetwork.