If you enjoy wicked music and even wickeder times GO TO COACHELLA. Hey, even if you don’t enjoy fun times GO TO COACHELLA, beginning to sense a running theme here??? If not, allow me to mention just one thing: GO TO COACHELLA. Yeh enough of that for the time being, but the suspense has to be built, I flew across the world, over the international date line, into The United States of America. Sure you might have your own pre-formed (pre-fabricated) pre-conceptions about the US, but let me just mention two things, everything is big (including some of the people) and they know how to throw one hell of a festival. I’m obviously only going to elaborate on one.
So, the fat people, right, well whilst they were still in their cars lining up at the fast food drive-through throughout the country, all the normal people (and some fat people), made their merry way down to Indio, California; where the 9th Coachella Music and Arts Festival was to be held. In the middle of the friggin’ desert, 2.5 hours from Los Angeles, 50,000 punters gather to welcome in the next installment of a festival that have recently brought Rage Against The Machine back to the forefront of international superstardom. This time ‘round it was time to further exonerate the likes of Roger Waters performing Dark Side of The Moon, The Verve, Portishead, The Raconteurs, Jack Johnson, Death Cab For Cutie, and some muppet by the name of Prince, yes Prince, or whatever he’s calling himself today.
As a result of years and years of doing this, Coachella organisers kicked off an interesting and positively awesome initiative for the cash-strapped (my trip around the world started on Monday, the festival started on Thursday, I should have saved a little harder) travellers: They ran a free train from downtown Los Angeles to a temporary platform they erected at Indio, a town closest to the festival, then bussed us from the platform to the festival, this was for free. This is awesome. That’s where and how I met fellow campers. Gifts were plentiful on the Coachella Express, such as T shirts, ice creams and VIP passes to the festival (more on that one later). It was the inaugural year for the Coachella Express, and such it was covered greatly by the media, they were on the train, interviewing filming, getting drunk with us, and when we arrived at Indio we were swamped by interviewers asking for our experience on the train, which was a little something like: Awesome, got drunk, danced to the DJ, watched the world go by, danced to the DJ, drank water, now I’m here, shit it’s hot. Although one of the more amusing moments was when a fellow punter, decided that all the media were there for him. As he exclaimed on exiting the train (whilst standing on the hand rails of he platform) “Coachella, I HAVE arrived!”
As we arrived at Empire Fields Polo Centre, two things struck me as odd; it was stinking hot, with temperatures hovering at more than 40 degrees celsius, forcing more water than alcohol down our throats, and two that there was the lushest grass I had ever seen that we were going to be camping and seeing the festival from, that simply means one thing: Barefoot!
After setting up our tents in blisterting heat, it was time to sit back and have a few beverages to really take stock that we were about to be witness to the 2008 Coachella Music festival. No big deal until we went to the bars, got our wrist bands, then went to the bar itself and found out that the smallest can of beer, and the smallest priced alcoholic beverage came in at a whopping $7 USD. Something HAD to be done about this…
We (a fellow Melbournian and I) rounded up two Canadian lasses that found $7 per drink not only astonishing, but is possibly bank busting. We left our security of the camping area, and went on a mission – to smuggle booze into a festival that was policed to the extent of having horse patrols through the camping area, and full pat downs on entry both into camping and into the festival… This was going to be tough. It ended up being a simple matter of grabbing a taxi into town, buying the cheapest, nastiest Vodka (more on that one later) disguising the vodka as something other than Vodka (not going to actually tell you how we did it, but it was ingenious, but there were these lids that were resalable, so it appeared as whatever beverage you poured the vodka into… OK, that’s a fairly well known method, but I won’t tell you how we bought 24 bottles of water and how we swapped the middle four bottles for the vodka… getting a taxi back to the festival and walking in straight though the front gate to witness the much publicized Laserium show.
Emailed to the camping ticket holders were a number of emails putting forward the chance to witness the Laserium laser show - so we arrived and had a few drinks of our smuggled booze, and quickly acquired a taste for the $15 that brings you nearly 2 litres of close-to poison. So even after a few heart starting demonisers, we were expecting a laser show much like the one Groove Armada put out when they perform, however what we got was a small screen on what they played 1970’s laser shows from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. To say it was disappointing would not do it justice, however to see the other underlying factor, being that Roger Waters was going to perform Dark Side Of The Moon in less than 72 hours, was a great move by the promoters as we could compare and contrast 1970’s technology with what Roger (yes, we are on first name basis) has requested for the Dark Side show (more on that later). Overall it was a time to bond with campers from near and far, to meet new people, who you were going to catch a few bands with over the next few days, and to get absolutely blind drunk…
Day One: This was ANZAC day for Australia, and we thought it was high time that we kick the festival off with the Midnight Juggernaughts from Melbourne. Their first show in the United States turned into a showcase of what Australia really has to offer in terms of talented musicians, thumping tunes and an energy that wasn’t matched for hours had people all over the festival mentioning these 3 gents from Melbourne for days to come. With hits from their debut Dystopia carefully and pragmatically performed over the Australian summer festival circuit, and their own headlining tours, the set came to an end with a guitar flying into the drum kit, thousands of people roaring and a proud day, on the proudest of days to call yourself an Australian – not only ANZAC day, but the witnessing of an Aussie band tearing up the start of a three day music extravaganza. Rock’n'roll.
To headline day one, the decision was to put in Jack Johnson over The Verve, not a very popular one with many, and I mean MANY of the punters. Very few people actually had planned on seeing Jack Johnson over Fatboy Slim. The Verve will rock the northern summer, with a showcase performance of past great hits including Sonnet, Drugs Don’t Work and Bittersweet Symphony, but get ready for their new album, we were treated to a preview of some new songs, and it’s going to a real treat for old fans and new fans alike.
Fatboy Slim’s light show was only second to one light show I had ever seen, and that was Daft Punks’ Pyramid shows, so there is no shame in that is there? Mixing more tunes than playing his own stuff, Fatboy Slim offered a unique insight that started with Willy Wonker and turned into a mayhem of mixing, finally finishing up with Fatboy Slim is Fucking in Heaven. Nevertheless, its not all about the headliners, there was a whole festival to experience and bands to check out.
Battles played a ripper of a set in front of palm trees that gave an almost surreal experience for the 45 minute set that actually felt as though it was 10 minutes. Time flies when you’re having fun. The Raconteurs blistered through old and new stuff, but never disappointing fans, with a brilliant guitar solo from Jack White in the middle of Steady As She Goes. The Breeders impressed the crowd, but the surprise act would have to be Aphex Twin, getting the crowd pumping. That’s not to say that Vampire Weekend, Mum, The National and Pendulum didn’t do a bad job in their musical pursuits.
Day two: Sweltering heat gets you up at 10 to 8, four hours til you get to get into the festival, so what to do, nothing else but to frolick in the hose, too efemmitite for some, but way awesome for people who didn’t give a shit about their masculinity. Today’s set started with checking out VHS Or Beta snaking through a short set on the main stage whilst we enjoyed watching from the couches of the VIP (200% awesome) and waiting ‘til the end of the set before we entered the main arena. What followed was one hell of a day; personally it was: VHS or Beta, Carbon/Silicon, 120 Days, Man Man, Cold War Kids, Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks, DeVotchKa, MGMT, Kate Nash, Bonde Do Role, Death Cab for Cutie, Kraftwerk, Portishead and Prince… not a bad day at the office.
MGMT managed to bore the shit out of the crowd to the exent that people preferred sunburn and possibly even a bit of skin cancer, although the alternative was to check out DeVotchKa and have a bit of a boogie, so the skin cancer wasn’t as great as one would assume.
Cold War Kids let their enticing voices swoon the ladies, whilst Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks kicked an exciting set that blew the hats off people’s heads, or that could have been the wind, but in any case, there were a lot of hats on the ground. Man Man – a band that I have never heard of before were really really impressive, so much so, that I would probably rank them as my most bestest surprise act of the festival.
The Brazilians from Bonde Do Role had the crowd moving, and even managed to invite Architecture in Helsinki up on stage to have a dance. Mark Friggin Ronson had guests on his set from The Klaxons and which only made me bitter as I didn’t actually get to see him remix some of the modern day classics. He also had special guests from other acts including Sam Sparro and Charles Richard Wilson.
Headline acts was a lot of the fuss today, with the Coachella stage having the Death Cab For Cutie-Kraftwerk-Portishead-Prince run. There was no reason to move, at all. Hydration, urination, defecation, pasteurization could wait, I wasn’t moving (I actually had to move to go and get some water, beers, and mixers for our smuggled booze, and went to the toilets a few times, but only quickly.)
OK Death Cab For Cutie were interesting, emotional, and talented. Classics like Crooked Teeth were left off the bill, but their new tracks had the crowd singing along without really knowing the words… Catchy stuff.
Kraftwerk, being a group with four German dudes on laptops were exactly that, 4 German dudes on Laptops, the tunes were pretty awesome though, with really interesting light show behind them, little stage presence was witnessed, however the techno inspired music was really awesome to watch.
Portishead were touring on the back for their third album, imaginatively called Third. So I was there, razorblade in one hand, tears rolling down my face (hey I had to get into character,) and was pretty surprised that this US 3 piece positively let rip and played a set that included great songs like Glory Box, Numb, and Sour Times. The way the songs was performed, would have you believe that they had endured the most traumatic of lives culminating in the performance that evening… It was very moving and touching nonetheless. A great show, a great talent. If they are playing anywhere near you, sell your dog, buy a ticket and enjoy!
There are not that many times in your life that you know, and I mean you really know that you are in the coolest place in the word at that EXACT time. I had an inkling that I was in the coolest place in the world, but when Prince reminded me of this by saying “Coachella you are in the Coolest Place In The World Right Now!!! You Partying With Prince! COACHELLA Is Now Prince’s House! This is Prince’s house!” Awesome, I mentioned to a friend standing next to me that I agreed with Prince, and then the dancing begun again. OK so the thought that everyone would get nude and start having sex in the middle of the dessert when Cream came on was a bit of a fantasy of mine, but he did play cream contrary to many people saying he wouldn’t. It was great, he is great, he is also short. After a costume change (we had to wait for nearly the whole set) Prince came on stage with a yellow one piece jump suit, sequined and all! What came next was one of the things that will give me goosebumps whenever I think about it: Prince covering Radiohead’s Creep. I know many have covered this track, I know many have made it sound good, I know every single person in that audience were perplexed. I know Prince changed the words slightly to avoid swearing. I know it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. Yes Prince, you are the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life (I don’t think that Prince will be reading this but if you are, Big Ups to you Brother.) SO he ran off stage after this magic, got the crowd rowdy, and what comes next? Purple Rain. Great. Words cannot justify the audience post Prince, everyone was either humming Creep, or screaming out Purple Rain, Purple Rain!
The party continued well into the night with conga lines running through the campsite until well past 5 in the morning, police on horseback had no way of calming people down, it was brilliant. There was even something resembling a marching band barreling out tunes in there, not sure how that came about but it certainly made everyone party.
OK Day 3 and I promise that this is (near) the end of my Coachella experience… Started the day off in the VIP lounge and started sipping on water, it was needed and apparently it has some hydrating qualities, but who’d have guessed it??? Once we’d had a few waters, it was time for music, as we all know it isn’t all about the alcohol… Today’s lineup seemed to be exciting, with Roger then Justice to be the BANG ZOOM PING of the evening, however as announced prior, it is NOT about the headliners at Coachella that makes it much awesome-o. Personally I found Holy Fuck to be the surprise nut jobs of the day, they absolutely had the crowds engines pumping and thumping in time (sorry Cake but it was appropriate).
A quick list of bands I caught today were: Austin TV, Cool Kids, Linton Kweisi Johnson, I’m From Barcelona, Holy Fuck, Kidsista with A-Trak, Manchester Orchestra, Shout Out Louds, Stars, Gogol Bordello, Booka Shade, Swervedriver, My Morning Jacket, Justice and Roger. Yes Roger Waters from Pink Floyd performing Dark Side of The Moon.
I’m From Barcelona decided to turn up with 29 people on stage and positively killed the live set, but honestly if there are 29 people in all states (or so I’m assuming) how could you not get a mid afternoon party started? It also could have had something to do with the massive balloons/balls that they were distributing between the crowd… No shit, these things were as big as elephant condoms blown up and passed through the crowd (didn’t taste too good though).
Gypsy rockers Gogol Bordello had a killer set that everyone was moving to, from young to old, all punters were grooving. I wouldn’t have liked to be in the front row as the front man’s sweat would have been all over the crowd, mmmm old rockers sweat. Stars were pretty cool as well with a mellower set, but came through wit the goods playing – yep, you guessed it, Take Me To The Riot as their last song. Booka Shade broke the mould in the dance tent with a set that left many stunned.
Sean Penn was on the lineup to recruit for his hippy-ish cause, to get on a bus and go to New Orleans to protest about something, I left early when he started preaching, yes preaching to the crowd, not a festival experience that I would like to encounter again, musicians and their derivatives at music festivals only please, not recruiting people for causes!!!
My Morning Jacket rocked the pants off the Coachella stage, I was watching from the VIP area, and who walks in? No one else but David Hasselhoff, I pestered him and had my photo taken before his minders asked me to move on.
So lets get to the main event for the day: Roger. The anticipation grew with every second we were waiting after 8.30, and at 8.30 and 9 seconds, enter Roger! As he came on there seemed to be a large amount of funny sweet smelling smoke emanating from nearly 80% of the crowd, don’t know what that was, but it made everyone a little bit happier. So the man came on stage a performed numerous Pink Floyd classics, including Wish You Were Here and Sheep. Then came a little intermission, then we were ready for the show to REALLY start. The Dark Side Of The Moon is an album widely received as a must have amongst nearly everyone born in the latter half of the 20th century. There could only be two other albums that I would like to see in their entirety and performed by the musicians, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (and that’s not going to happen) and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and I doubt that he’ll get off the kids to do that one…
Let’s just see what songs are on Dark Side: Speak to Me / Breath, On The Run, Time, The Great Gig In The Sky, Money, Us and Them, Any Colour You Like, Brain Damage and Eclipse. WOW.
It was an astonishing set, with a pig 50 meters in the air doing a massive circle around the crowd, I’m not sure who was higher, the crowd or the pig… but in anyway it was the most amazing album played in full that I have witnessed. Truly magical. As was the light show that was set behind Roger. Truly and honestly great! The moment the light passed through the Prism was the peak of the set, and the day. Fireworks finished Roger off, and everyone came together as one to roar him off. I apologise for not doing you justice Roger (presuming you are reading this), I really did have a great time, and everyone around me was singing along with you… ROCK!
Justice wasn’t really that necessary after Roger, as D.A.N.C.E. was killed by other DJ’s over the last three days, from discussions we think it was already spun up to 6 times by other artists, nonetheless it was an amazing performance.
Going home was a sad experience, sad enough for me to secure some free tickets to Cinematic Orchestra (just couldn’t squeeze you guys in at Coachella sorry) and Neil Diamond on the Tuesday evening. This is one festival that draws the names, big or small, nearly every single second of the day there’s an act on that make you feel special. Thanks Coachella, see you soon… If you find yourself drunk on Australia day, with a credit card in your hand, a computer with the internet, I hope you also book yourself a ticket to Coachella. Next year is the 10th installment and I hope it is half as good as this year.
Check out Mick O’s Flickr photostream for more awesome Caochella pics
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