söndag 6 Maj 2007, 15:47
Apr Fri 27 - Sun 29 : Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
This article was originally posted to CognitiveCollective.com
Once again, Coachella Music and Arts Festival has come and gone and this festival goer is still left in the clouds! If you have not yet had the pleasure to attend one, I highly recommend checking it out next year. I am sure you will find yourself attending again each year after!
The thing that kept impressing me this year was how huge this event has gotten! Coachella Valley really has become the hot spot for festivals, and being a part of it each year, watching it grow, is a real treat. The global representation this year was phenomenal! So much talent from all over the world. And so many fans traveled to Indio to endure the blistering heat while they enjoyed the tunes from their favorite bands, and discovered new ones to take with them when they return home. Out of the many I met, only two lived in America!
This year I did have a major difference in my Coachella experience. On-site camping! I have camped for Coachella at other locations than the polo fields… have even slept on the side of the road in the vehicle we drove up in… but this year it was decided to go for it and sleep on the polo fields. Unfortunately I only have one good thing to say about on-site camping; Your bed is close when you're done for the night. My companion and I thought it may be beneficial to stay on-site so we could guarantee ourselves that we would not miss the opening bands. However, it was just the opposite. We were still woken up by the heat in the early hours of the morning. If you even thought to leave for a "quick" cup of coffee or bite to eat away from the cooler you brought, you still had to deal with the traffic coming back in to the festival grounds. Parking far away from camp is not fun either. So if you store your valuables in your car, expect to be walking back and forth even more on top of all the walking you do inside the festival. Here it is Friday, and my body still hurts. I'm sure my friend would say the same since he did even more hiking than I.
There were amenities provided for campers. Shower facilities, which you had to wait in line many hours for at times. And if you are "fortunate" enough to have waited in line up until they closed at 3pm, you had to deal with apathetic security attempting to ward off unhappy campers. A general store, that charged you 6 dollars for a small bag of ice. Cellphone charging stations that I did not have to use since we used our car to power our phones. And a food court, where you basically have the same selection as inside the festival. Great tip for nutrition while camping: Oranges and Bananas in your cooler, and protein bars in your bag. (And if you can sneak in the cold oranges in to the festival, it's a real delight to the body to eat while standing amongst the many in the hot, hot desert sun.)
There were some positive changes this year. One that deserves mention would be the water bottle recycling program. To encourage keeping the field clean for a comfortable experience, festival goers were encouraged to turn in ten empty bottles in exchange for one new bottle. Because of this new program, the grass seemed to be mostly clear of trash. It was heart warming to see people walk around with their trash bags filled with empty bottles to trade in later. I even noticed people being much more responsible with their plastic bottles, even if they were not participating in the exchange program, and deliver them to the appropriate recycle bins and cans scattered around. The only downfall from this new incentive? You have to be much more conscious about where you leave your water. We actually had our water (just purchased and not even empty) jacked straight from our feet where we set it next to our backpack. Next year, remember to keep the bottles you have not finished drinking either in your big old pockets, or inside the bag you brought. It seems "recycle program" translates to "free game to all containers" to some festival attendees.
While we are on the topic of keeping our venue clean, here is a nice tip I would like to pass on to other smokers: Carry a small tin in your pocket or bag to keep cigarette butts in. I have grown fond of using Altoids gum tins for my portable ashtray use. It is nice on the environment, and considerate to others.
Security still leaves for wanting. Just as each year that has pass, the staff still does not seem to be on the same page about the rules. One day you can do something, the next you cannot. One minute you can do this, the next you cannot. It sends mixed signals to people, and I do hope that GoldenVoice can somehow be better organized with properly informing all staff of the same information. (And retaining the information so they can properly convey to the rest of us enjoying the festival would be an added bonus!)
So that pretty much covers the workings of the festival that I wanted to touch on. Now for the talent!
- Friday -
Interpol - This was my second chance to see these guys live. They really do have a great catalog of tunes, and experiencing them live is fun. But I would highly recommend catching them on their own tour. They sure can put on a show when they headline!
Bjork - Beautiful as always! I did get to see her last time she came to Coachella. But that year she was a bit on the pregnant side, and was not as lively on stage. (She was still very magical, and reminded me much of a beautiful fairy performing on the stage.) This year I found my experience even better! The high energy reached out in to the audience as we danced and enjoyed old and new tunes. The equipment used on stage impressed everyone with it's futuristic qualities. The horn section gave such great depth to the music, I could feel my body vibrate!
Sonic Youth - Good set even after a little bit of stage difficulties. (Which later I felt was a trend with the Outdoor Theater.)
DJ Shadow - Poor guy. I felt really bad for him because the stage was not cooperating, and he did not get the deliver his world renowned performance. This was my first time to experience DJ Shadow live, and I was very disappointed that I did not get to come back with a story of non-stop dancing to sick beats.
Walked by Brazilian Girls a couple times and could see myself getting in to their set. I am going to have to check out their catalog. I know the crowd was really getting in to their set! Walked by El-P, and found ourselves making fun the rest of the weekend mockingly shouting out "Mother-fucker-MOTHER-FUCKER!" Danced some to the sounds from Benny Benassi. Definitely felt very much like a Rave, especially when I have people rush me asking for drugs simply because of the fact I'm playing with my practice poi which happen to have glow sticks attached. (Just a tip folks: Not everyone who plays with glowy/shiny/fuzzy things is gonna be a dealer.)
- Saturday -
Regina Spektor - She started our Saturday off just right. Even with some annoyance with stage equipment not working properly, she was able to keep professional, and cute, and deliver an awesome performance! What sassy lyrics. And she really is a sultry lady! I will be seeing her again the next chance I get. And definitely in the market to collect her entire catalog.
Travis - They hit the main stage right after Regina. We stuck around and checked out the beginning of their set. Was very pleased to hear their classic "Driftwood" before we headed off to check out new stuff.
The New Pornographers - Popped in. Could not get in to the set. Not sure if it was because of the heat though. Had to go off to hide in the food vendors area. I do dig their music and will have to give them another shot on their own tour when they pass through town.
The Decemberists - Had the chance to hear them from across the field as we chilled and ate in the food area. They sounded lovely, and I do wish I had the chance to be in the crowd. But my food kept me in place.
The Arcade Fire - By far, one of the best sets of the weekend. I am a sucker for controlled chaos, though. These guys were all over the place! Constantly switching which instruments they were playing. Running around stage thrashing instruments against other instruments. It was beautiful to experience them live. The last time they came to Coachella they were in one of the smaller tents, and were the talk of the festival after their set was over. I missed out on them that year, but walked away a fan by word of mouth. This year I made sure to be there, and am extremely pleased we made it.
Blonde Redhead - Stopped in on their set and found the place jumping! These guys have a fun sound, and even better live! A definite must for music fans to see live.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I have been warned, time and time again, that I would absolutely adore the Chili Peppers live. I have lived in Southern California most my life, and in Los Angeles for the past 5+ years, and it was not until this Coachella that I got to see them live. Everyone was right. I had a blast dancing to their set. And so happy they went all over the place. Even treated us with a fun flow from 1983! Kiedis truly has come a long way with his performance ability. Hearing him do the classics was highly enjoyable. And of course, the courtesy sing-along "Under the Bridge" was a lot of fun.
Black Keys - Ending our night with this duo, I found myself comparing them to another band. "Hey, they are like the White Stripes!" I exclaimed to my friend.
"Yeah, except they're the Black Keys." he retorted. We rocked out to the rest of their set before heading back to camp.
- Sunday -
Rodrigo Y Gabriela - What an amazing way to start of our Sunday. These cats really knock it to you with their rocking flamenco sounds and energized drumming (of their guitars!). Getting the crowd all pumped with a sing-along to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" was unexpected. We unfortunately had to cut out a little early to catch The Roots on the main stage. But as we were leaving, they honored us with their rendition of "Stairway to Heaven".
The Roots - I do love good live hip-hop. And these guys are one of the best out there. I did not even realize until I visit them at Coachella.
David Starfire - Starfire gets a special mention here amongst the other talent up on the main stages. We popped in on Do Labs several times during the weekend to enjoy their setup and djs. But we stumbled upon Starfire's set and could no leave! He is not just a dj, but truly a musician that will not let you sit on the side without tapping your toe… bopping you head… and then eventually rushing to join the crowd as they dance in the heat while being sprayed by water cannons.
A special note regarding Do Lab; they were the talk of the festival. Often I would hear, "You know where the best electronic is? Where those red glowy things are in the middle…" and similar sentiments, referring to Do Lab's amazing Lucent Misting Oasis. And as a person who is part of the Burner community, I am very happy that Do Lab artists are getting such great recognition.
Sad I missed out on Lucent's water show. I hear they were refreshing!
Konono No1 - A new favorite of mine. We arrived while they were setting up, finding a small crowd awaiting them to begin. Sound check even consisted of hearing their native language. (These guys are from the Congo!) Their set began, and the Gobi did not stay empty for long. Before you knew it, swarms of people had found their place there to enjoy the awesome rhythmic beats of Konono No1. This was the only set of the entire weekend that forced me to pull flag poi out to dance with. And I could not stop dancing.
Air - What a let down. First, they show up late. Second, they play 3 songs and a jam and get the power pulled on them. I was just started to get in to the set too! Not sure who to direct my disappointment to. Coachella? Or Air?
Damien Rice - Stuck around for his set, which was right after Air. He was a bit delayed due to the Air situation… And I really do not know if it is because I am not as familiar with his work, or if there really was something going on with the Outdoor Theater stage, but we were put off by his set and had to walk away. The only thing I got out of it? Discovering how short the man is. Might have to check him out on his own tour sometime.
Tried out Amos Lee, paid respect to Crowded House, and finished the night off with…
Teddybears - What an AWESOME group to see live! Such charisma… even if they were in teddy bear costumes. The energy coming off the stage combined with the crowd enticed us back to the Gobi tent to finish off our night.
By the end of Teddybears' set, my body was giving out and I had to throw in the flag. I had to say sorry to myself for missing out on Lemonheads and checking in on Infected Mushroom.
Rage Against The Machine - Walked by. They sounded ok. I did not see anything special. Many are saying it is just the novelty of them getting back together that created the energy about the festival, and I may have to agree. I appreciate the break away groups than I do Rage. (I do dig some of their tracks, so I am no hater.)
- Monday -
Woke up early (like 6:30am early!) and started to pack up. Get all our gear over to the information area to stage. I am left waiting with everything as my friend goes to get the car. I have the pleasure of hearing all the juicy goodness going on with security. I remember in the beginning of my stay a guy shows up wrapped in towel asking were to report stolen items. They ask him what was stolen, and he tells them his tent. The man went to take a shower, and returned to find his home stolen! Amazing… The audacity of some people.
Later I hear on the radio that they are trying to locate the tent of a kid that was sent to the emergency room. They had a funny description that did not seem so helpful. (Keep in mind there were 16000 campers!) All I could think to myself is "crazy raver kids".
Then before packing up the car I hear the report of some people in a golf cart with the label "SECURITY" on the front coming in and out of camp stealing things from people's tents while they are away.
Off-site camping next year. Definitely.
All in all, I would say this year's Coachella was a huge success and by far one of the best I have attended yet! To those who are heading out to StageCoach, enjoy the heat!!