Coachella Festival countdown is on

By Christie Genochio

It's that time of year again: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival returns on Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30.

California's annual nouveau-Woodstalk features on-site camping for the 18-and-up set, a host of musical performers, and two days of "family-friendly" (but really rather Bacchanalian) festivities at the Empire Polo Field in the sunny city of Indio.

Musicians on tap this year include Depeche Mode, Daft Punk and Franz Ferdinand, who headline Saturday's show, while the likes of Tool, Massive Attack, Madonna and scores of other bands take the stage on Sunday.

The most hard-core of Coachella-goers will be pitching tents on the grounds in order to mix, mingle and mark their territory for seating during the shows.

Under the scorching heat of the Indio sun, entrenched in a muddy and mucky plot of grass made squishy by the of feet that will walk across the Polo Field, Coachella aficionados will begin their revelry on the evening of Friday, April 28. The "goodies" used to seduce campers include a prize-generous raffle, a screening of "Coachella: The Movie" at 9 p.m. on Friday, the Caliber Cyber Cafe, The Clubhouse (serving breakfast in the mornings and cocktails and karaoke in the evenings) and a cantina for a Mexican Breakfast and Bloody Mary Buffet.

The festival supports local charities and non-profits. This year, the Indio Youth Task Force and Global Inheritance will receive a portion of the ticket sales. Both groups focus on community integration and promoting activism and art in the younger generation.

Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

Contact Christie Genochio at (408) 551-1918 or mgenochio@scu.edu.