October 06, 2008

By By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is moving its 2009 dates up two weeks to April 17-19, Billboard has learned. The event will take place as usual at Empire Polo Field in Indio, Calif., with a lineup to be confirmed early next year.

Goldenvoice's other major festival brand, the country-leaning Stagecoach, will be held the following weekend (April 25-26) at the Polo Field.

First staged in 1999, Coachella remains the premiere American festival event of the year for alternative music lovers. The event has become renowned for reuniting or featuring cult favorite bands that hadn't played in the United States in years, such as Portishead, Rage Against The Machine, Daft Punk and Kraftwerk.

Stagecoach debuted at Empire Polo Field in 2007 and has been a quick hit with fans. Last year's headliners included Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Big & Rich and the reunited Judds.

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