The big announcement?

So, one of the centerpiece events of our summer is our first attempt to witness/survive the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee. Today, the festival sent out an e-mail announcing the cancellation of the Allman Brothers' appearance (a shame; I was looking forward to seeing them for the first time) due to Gregg Allman's health concerns. But the weird part was the tease for an upcoming "Big Announcement" this Thursday:

Allmans Cancel/Big Announcement

Of course, there's plenty of speculation (between Joker and me, and in the world at large) about what the announcement could be. It almost has to be the addition of a headliner-caliber artist to the lineup; nothing less would be worth the tease. They've been quietly adding mid-level artists for weeks. So who could it be?

Of course, the dream scenario is a one-off North American appearance by Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant is already booked for the festival, and John Paul Jones is a veteran of last year's show. Still, all Zeppelin talk thus far has made it seem like an impossibility this time of year. But I cross my fingers.

So who else could it be? Suggestions I've seen, most based on who has open dates and an interest in festivals, include Eric Clapton, Stone Temple Pilots, Prince, and Tom Petty. Of these, I'm most pulling for Prince (I already have Clapton and Petty tickets this summer). But here's crossing fingers that the gods of rock and roll smile upon us all, and give us that Zeppelin show.

-Slick