Because apparently only when bands reunite to play shoddy and substandard new material that in no way lives up to the music of their heyday should be lauded, Billy Corgan took to Twitter yesterday to do what he does best (since the thing he used to do best—writing great rock and pop songs—has long since faded into the either): bitch about things.  In this case, reformed ‘90s alt-rock heroes Pavement.

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Saying the economy is going through a rough time is an understatement with all the financial problems we have going on. Even with Live Nation Entertainment, the biggest corporation in booking big acts at high prices, suffering tours and festivals are still trying to do what they can with the little resource we have called money. So now that the Virgin Mobile FreeFest has returned for 2010, fans should be beyond elated to know that they can catch headliners M.I.A., LCD Soundsystem and Pavement performing for the cost of $0. Believe it or not, the festival name is not a joke. You can see these acts and more perform for free again on September 25th. See more details after the jump!

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***Also check out photos of Modest Mouse and Free Energy***

It’s always difficult to choose a headlining act for the biggest indie music festival in Chicago, possibly the US. How do you pick a band that is big enough to deserve a headlining spot over all the other acts yet not quite mainstream enough to make Lollapalooza? Easy, you get iconic indie rock band Pavement to reunite and close out night three of the Pitchfork Music Festival. After a lengthy introduction by someone who used to work closely with the band trying to “capture lightning in a bottle” and generate a hit for them, Stephen Malkmus took to the stage.

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Classic indie fans, 2010 may well be your year (well, ok, technically, 1992 is probably your year, but you know what I mean) .  In addition to a blisteringly good Pavement reunion – seriously, catch their live show this year if you can – fans of ‘90s indie are now being treated to a full-fledged reunion tour of Guided By Voices’ classic lineup.  Thank you, Universe, thank you – I will now tolerate whatever Bieber or Gaga singles you want to dump upon me now, because you have given me a Pavement and GBV reunion within the same 365 day span (GBV tour dates after the jump).

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GBV! GBV! Yes, you read that headline correct. Guided By Voices are reuniting and they’re playing Matador‘s 21st birthday bash in Las Vegas on October 1- 3. One of the most charismatic  indie rock bands from the 90s who knew how to throw down on stage when it came to performing (and drinking) is back after their abrupt end to their endless (but great) stream of releases. Now, the only question is: Does this mean they’ll be releasing a new album?

If you thought this reunion was the greatest news you could have read all day, just wait until you put it in its entire context. Yes, GBV is reuniting and they will actually be playing a live show again (with the original ’93 – ’96 lineup) but this show of theirs also includes Pavement, Sonic Youth, Belle & Sebastian, Spoon, Yo La Tengo, and PLENTY MORE. Check the entire line up out after the jump!

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Classic indie rock fans, hold thy collective breath—Stephen Malkmus (with his solo backing band, The Jicks) entered a recording studio with Beck earlier this year to record new music, according to Pitchfork. Let me run that by you again: Stephen Malkmus, Beck, recording together. Two artists who produced some of the best genre-bending rock of the 1990’s, working together. This is almost as mind-shattering for me as Journey and Steve Perry reuniting (don’t you say a word about this—you know it would be amazing).

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Pitchfork reports today that noisemakers Sonic Youth have recorded the soundtrack to a new film, French director Fabrice Gobert’s Simon Werner a Disparu.  The film, set in 1992, concerns the disappearance of several high school students, is set to screen at the Cannes Film Festival next month, and will bow with the English title Lights Out.

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Ok, festival kids, the Coachella set times are now up, and the inevitable queasy feeling in your stomach can now begin as you decide which favorite acts you’ll be missing, or only catching a part of, in order to watch MGMT suck for 50 minutes (kidding, kidding—but not really, as MGMT really do suck, guys).  Owing to a slightly more spread-out schedule than in recent years, with (for myself anyway) fewer must-see bands clumped together, there aren’t as many conflicts as one might think.

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The countdown is on for the return of Pavement. And we’re close, very close. The band kicks-off their reunion tour Monday in Auckland, New Zealand. To spice up the long-awaited reunion, guitarist Scott ‘Spiral Stairs’ Krannberg has been working his blog about the band’s rehearsals in Portland, OR, posting photos and comments as the band jets off to the home of Flight of the Conchords.

And if ya hadn’t heard, drummer Steve West has a YouTube channel, where he posted a new video about seeing Pavement live; the rest of the band is rehearsing in the background.

Watch West’s video below.

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