Coachella Report: Day 2

Coachella Report: Saturday, April 17

I arrived to the festival grounds in the heat of the late afternoon, amped for another fabulous evening of music and spectacle. After entering I made a speedy beeline to the mainstage, where I would camp out for the rest of the night.

Eager to begin the crucial mission of elbowing my way to the front for Muse’s set (which was still three acts and over five hours away), I embedded myself deeply within the pit for Tokyo Police Club. The band drew a decent crowd, inlcuding that same five year old from Friday, who was still perched atop his dad’s shoulders and mouthing each and every lyric. The performance was nothing extraordinary, but the guys’ excitement to be appearing on the Coachella main stage (the group’s largest crowd to date) was endearing.

As the teeny-bop rock fans filtered out to catch other acts, an edgier crowd made its way to the pit, forcing me to stand firmly in my prized spot near the railing. Coheed and Cabria performed next, inciting a miniature riot within the pit with its heavy metal riffs. The band’s appearance was particularly exciting for the hard core fans around me, who were rejoicing over the release of its brand new album (Year of the Black Rainbow dropped just days before the start of the festival). In celebration, heads banged and bodies moshed, and those of us less familiar with the group enjoyed the unique experience. I was especially delighted as Coheed wrapped up its set with the song “Welcome Home,” which awesomely featured my alma mater’s marching band, the USC Spirit of Troy. It was pretty epic. Read more

Coachella Report: Day 1

Coachella Report: Friday, April 16

After getting a very late start on my day (the traffic and the admission line were both brutal) I was able to catch a very diverse mix of acts.

Playing on the main stage when I entered was Street Sweeper Social Club. I didn’t spend a lot of time listening to the band, but the crowd seemed to really enjoy its performance. I liked what I heard, and was hugely disappointed that I had left so soon after later learning that SSSC is comprised of Rage Against the Machine rocker Tom Morello and hip-hop artist Boots Riley. Morello is a fiend on the guitar and I wish I could have caught more of his act–I highly suggest folks check SSSC out.

As I oriented myself with the grounds (the vastness of Coachella is impressive in itself) I found the stage featuring Zooey Deschanel’s group She & Him. Although the bouncy music was sweet and reminded me of driving to the beach, it wasn’t enough to keep my interest for very long, and I was eager to get back to the main stage for The Specials (a band I had heard lots about during my two and a half hour wait to get in) and Them Crooked Vultures. Read more