Vampire Weekend - APunk @ Coachella 2008

This is how our Coachella 2008 weekend started out.
Vampire Weekend was the first band we saw.

MGMT - Time To Pretend @ Coachella 2008

I heard this song on the radio today during my morning commute and it made me think of Coachella. Every year that darn festival goes by WAY too fast. Wishing I was back there again.

Tegan and Sara

Tegan and Sara have a unique sound of of vocals, guitar, keyboard and synthesizer that's perfect for an outdoor Coachella music festival. Of all the bands I saw at Coachella this year, they're the ones I most enjoyed sitting on the grass, listening to, on a beautiful hot day in the desert sun. They've got great songs and I could listen to them for hours. The band consists of Canadian singer-songwriters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Kiersten Quin, who are identical twin sisters.

Below are a couple songs that I really enjoyed live. Today when I heard their music (U. was playing it on his ipod) I had a flashback and I could almost smell the Coachella grass.


Tegan and Sara - "The Con"


Tegan and Sara - "Back in your head"

Day 1 - Coachella

Recap of yesterday (Day 1 of Coachella)

We took an alternate back route to avoid the traffic and it was a life saver getting in and out of Coachella quickly. (Read other accounts that it took 2 hours due to all the mad congestion.) We got there at about 5:30 PM. They did a much better job this year of identifying the tents by posting marques outside each tent listing all the artists and show times. But for some reason this year they didn't use the numbered balloons to identify parking. We were in Lot 4 and luckily there were signs with arrows posted on fences, marking the way, and by using landmarks (and a water bottle on top of our car), we were able to locate our car.

Since we got there late, we didn't have to deal with the heat for that long, as it started cooling down an hour or so after we got there. Although that meant we also missed the two first bands on my pick list. But we did surprisingly well seeing many of the artists on my list (5) , walking by and seeing two others, and a couple extra that I hadn't planned on seeing.

Artists bolded below are the ones we saw

Friday
· Black Kids
· Architecture in Helsinki
· Vampire Weekend
· Tegan and Sara
· Goldfrapp
· The Verve
· Jack Johnson (walked by)
· Fatboy Slim
· Black Lips* (walked by)

The other 2 acts we saw that weren't on my list
· Santogold
· Aphex Twins

2 bands I enjoyed the most

· Teagan and Sara (ditzy but talented twin sisters. I could do without their silly banter that seemed to go on and on and on - but they've got great songs and a distinctive sound that holds up well in an outdoor concert setting.)
· The Verve (It felt like a real mega concert with a polished, seasoned band - and it was great to see the band reunited.)

Everyone was prepared for the heat (or I should say almost everyone), but after the sun went down it got progressively colder, and we saw a lot people who were not prepared for the desert cold. Being a "seasoned Coachella veteran" as U. calls me (although this year I forgot my ID which is required for the beer garden) I came prepared for the heat and cold. It always amazes me how drastic the temperature change is in the desert - going from sweltering hot during the day to freezing cold at night. This year, even with my fleece jacket it was chilly. I felt for those people freezing in their bathing suits.

When we first got there, U. made a comment about people thinking we were old folks with our hats and sunscreen. I replied that I'd rather be old and prepared than young and stupid. Just then I looked up and saw a young guy with a tank top and an awful 3rd degree burn. Even though he was no longer wearing his tank top, with his burn you could see the outline of it on my chest and shoulders. Just nuts. That's cancer time.

By evening's wrap up, we decided to go see Fat Boy Slim. He came on 30 minutes late, which is pretty unusual by Coachella standards. If I had known he was going to be so late, I would have gone and seen a couple other acts playing at the same time. But the tent was packed and it would have been hard to exit and then come back in and find our group of friends again. When Fat Boy Slim finally took the stage, he had a lot of energy and the crowd went crazy so it was a lot of fun.

I'm going to go for a swim now and head out to Coachella this afternoon for Day 2. Going to try and get there a bit earlier today so we can catch Devotchka at 3:35. More updates coming tomorrow.

C-ya @ Coachella 2008!

It's that time of year again - the Coachella Music and Arts Festival at the Indio Polo fields in Coachella. I drove up last night and here I am this morning sitting on a couch in a beautiful home in Palm Springs with wifi, sipping my Chai latte, thinking about all the bands/artists I want to see at Coachella (and the cool art installations)...without any stress. The rat race seems miles away. Yeeessss!

This year we're doing it the right way
House in nearby Palm Springs with a pool for 4 days - check
Babysitter for 3 days (while the baby frolics in the pool we'll be having our own fun) - check
Friends sharing the house and excitement - check

Not only am I super stoked about this year's lineup, but it also feels like a real vacation even though it's only a 2.5 hours from home.

I'm also prepared with my handy dandy spreadsheet - of all the bands/artists I want to see sorted by times and locations. I'm an organized geek fer shizzle.

Dunno how many we will actually see, but here are my picks for Coachella 2008.

Friday

• Black Kids
• Architecture in Helsinki
• Vampire Weekend
• Tegan and Sara
• Goldfrapp
• The Verve
• Jack Johnson
• Fatboy Slim
• Black Lips*
  

Saturday

• Devotchka*
• MGMT
• Cold War Kids
• Kate Nash
• Dwight Yoakam
• Death Cab for Cutie
• MIA
• Portishead
• Prince

Images from Coachella 2007

I Survived Coachella 2007!

Coachella 2007

Who else is going this year?

We'll be there Friday. (Passing on Saturday and Sunday. All day events 2 days in a row was a bit much, but this year the 3 day event just isn't doable for us.)

We've gone to the Coachella outdoor music festival every year since 2001, with the exception of 2005. I had just given birth to my daughter a week prior and although it still crossed our minds, we opted to stay home that year. So this year will be the 6th time for us at Coachella.

One year we saw Bjork up close and personal - we were right in front of the main stage and that year there weren't as many people and it was WAY less crowded. That was one of the best concerts/performances I've ever been to. While singing Cocoon, Bjork stood facing the audience, with her back to a wind machine dressed in a costume that looked like a cocoon with the fabric flowing around her body. At the end of the song, as she stepped away, the fabric flew back into wings. It was enchanting and beautiful. (We also saw Bjork perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Even though that show had pyrotechnics, it was disappointing because the venue was just too big. It's better to see her at smaller, more intimate venues.) I can't wait to see what she has planned for this year.

Last year we thought it might be our last year, because the lines were so long for everything from water, to the restrooms, to the food and bar. We've had VIP access in the past, and in the VIP area it's not so bad, but last year we just had regular admission and had to wait in long lines with the masses. It was pretty painful. I always forget how hot it is out there until I get there, and then we're hoarding water like our lives depend on it. (It feels that way at least.) But the music, the very cool art installations, being outdoors in the huge, grassy, polo area listening to live bands/DJ's with other people who are also having a great day in the sunshine, makes it all worthwhile.

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Then before you know it the new Coachella line up is posted, April rolls around again, and we've forgotten the heat and the misery and just remember how great it was, and hope that this year will be as great or even better than the last.