ACL 2011 crowd Credit: Photo by Shelley Hiam

Start planning your bathroom breaks now: The set times and schedules for the ACL Music Festival 2012 just dropped.

It’s an eight stage affair again (for those of you who track such things, the Vista Equity stage is now the Google Plus stage, sponsorship fans.)

And who gets the prestigious honor of playing the very first notes of the weekend? That goes to Nashville-based singer-songwriter Megan McCormick, who is scheduled for 11:15 am on the opening Friday on the BMI stage.

OK, we’ve teased long enough. This year’s tough decision is Saturday night, when Neil Young goes head-to-head with Jack White. Friday has its own unfortunate head-to-head with Black Lips battling Weezer. That said, there may be some split votes on Sunday, when The Avett Brothers have to prove their worth against The Stooges before the Red Hot Chili Peppers close out the weekend.

And you just have to feel sorry for anyone going up against freewheeling South African freeeekshow Die Antwoord.

Of course, this list drops just as the interesting rumor circulates that C3 Presents are contemplating doing a Coachella (or, to be more accurate, what the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has been doing since 1976) and turning ACL into a two-weekend affair for 2013.

ACL Music Festival 2012 runs Oct. 12-14. See the full schedule here.

This article appears in July 20 • 2012.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.