My first Coachella experience is finally in the books and its memory is ready to be eroded away by distance and time. But before the stories I begin to tell friends become increasingly exaggerated, I figured I might as well give my honest opinion.Even with my dirt filled lungs, scorched skin and dehydration, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I came into the atmosphere with no expectations except to maintain a good mood for 72 hours, and although I did not make it the full 72 hours, I was able to witness multiple unique musicians exposing their souls in artistic melodies. I would have never cared to know these people had I not been there to make that personal discovery.
We had our scheduled bands, Dj's, and rappers to see, but the best part for me was allowing the music to dictate where we wandered. Hearing a beautiful voice or insane electronic instrumental, walking over to get a better view, and asking the nearest stranger what musician is currently sweeping you off your feet is something that everyone who has an ounce of hippie/indie love in their DNA should experience.
The top unexpected musicians that I saw were 2 Door Cinema Club who had my entire group dancing as if we would never tire, Vintage Trouble who is a mix between old school Al Green and country music, Beardy Man who is a one man band equipped with a keyboard, a looper, and his voice for beatboxing, and Action Bronson who is a chef turned rapper.
For those of you who have yet to check this event off your bucket list, I have a few suggestions. One, there is no such thing as too much sun block. Two, you are in the desert and will have a couple moments where you are on your camel searching for the water oasis. Three, come with an open mind because there are interesting sites to see.As for me, I think that I will hold out for a premiere lineup since I have the first notch in my belt. The producers went from an epic performance from Kanye West, to resurrecting Tupac in hologram form, to a surprise appearance by R.Kelly. No offense to Kells, but he doesn't quite fulfill the excitement requisite set by the previous years. However, a couple of people in the front row stressed from the heat were quite elated by the possibility of a golden shower.
My only regret is that I could not be in two places at once. Until next time Coachella..
I too had the fortune of attending Coachella this weekend and I have to agree with your review. Coachella originated as an Indy-rock music festival and over the years, it has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon where people from all over the globe gather for a weekend in the Southern California desert to listen to music and take part in a once in a lifetime event.
ReplyDeleteLast year, the Coachella line up was a lot stronger than the one we saw last weekend. The artists were far more familiar to the mainstream public and the quality and number of guest appearances cemented Coachella as a premier opportunity to witness all that the music industry has to offer. Unfortunately, this year the festival returned to its Indy roots and I’m certain that Goldenvoice (the company responsible for putting on the festival) was disappointed in its sales numbers compared with previous years. The most drastic impact, however, will be on pre-sale tickets for the upcoming year.
The public are coming to see the big names. Sure, you can have the smaller Indy artists performing on one of the 5 stages available at the Polo fields, but to dismiss the Electronic Dance Music scene in this day and age is a critical mistake. Goldenvoice would be wise to replicate last year’s lineup in 2014.
Coachella, In My Backyard
ReplyDeleteI actually live in Palm Desert which is about twenty minutes from the famous music festival known as Coachella. I have had the pleasure to attend a couple of times and I would have to agree with Jason Sneed. It is quite the experience and unlike any other concert that one would normally attend. Your day is governed by which bands you choose to see, with many options you run around trying to catch your favorites. Not only is it great to see all these musical talents at once but it is your responsibility to try and see all the ones on your list. Although it is the desert and the desert means extreme heat, I am used to it because I live here. It would almost seem strange if I didn't go to the most popular musical festival in California when it is in my very own backyard.
Lastly, I would like to point out that it is somewhat hard to explain what Coachella is exactly. When I was younger I had always heard about it, and not until I went did I really understand all that it has to offer. It is one of those things that must be personally experienced. I say this because in order to fully grasp the gravity of fun and adventure a weekend at Coachella entails... you must go!
Never been to Coachella but I have heard a lot it. Looks like your review confirms everything I've heard about it. Typically, musical festivals are not my thing. But one thing I like about it is how music brings people from all sort of background and around the world together.
ReplyDeleteI went to ultra music festival at Miami this Spring break, which is sort of like Coachella but a very different set up. What was fascinating about it was that even at LAX airport, we met people from Australia, Germany and Ireland all going to this one event. When we landed at the Miami airport it was like was like this one place where you find people from all over the world. It was amazing. And it was all for the love of music.
Thanks for sharing your experience of coachella!
I've always wanted to go to Coachella, especially since I grew up in Southern California have spent a fair share of time in Thermal at the big horse show competition circuit held there every year. Yet, every year, I just can't bring myself to drop hundreds of dollars on a single weekend that I may or may not enjoy. Your account of the weekend (and accounts from a few other friends), however, has definitely convinced me that it's worth checking out at least once. Thanks for sharing your experience!
ReplyDeleteAllow me to begin by giving you the credit you deserve for the last line of your post. I must admit that I had to read it a couple times through before literally "laughing out loud". And for the record, with or without offense to Mr. Kelley, I too would be less than excited to have been graced with his presence.
ReplyDeleteLike Jess, I have always thought about going to coachella, but no line up, except for maybe the one last year, seemed worthy of spending over half a month's pay check. In any case, you along with the other contributors to this post have thoroughly convinced me to seriously consider attending this next year. Thanks for your post!