Unrivaled music festival heats it up in Indio
By Eli Glad
Coachella was perhaps the best three days of my entire life. It was like a mirage in the middle of the desert, but better. Comprised of the biggest acts from the past year, Coachella represents all that is best and beautiful in music. It is simply unrivaled.
I had wanted to go to Coachella since I was a freshman, but finances and other reasons prevented me from doing so. I am graduating soon, so I knew that this was my chance. I let my credit card take the $300 hit.
On the first day, which was extra special for me because it was my birthday, I lathered up in SPF 45 and dressed in the shortest yellow shorts I could find.
We established the "Sahara Tent," the Mecca of electronic music, as our main venue. It was a great place to get away from the hectic atmosphere of the other stages and tents and just dance with friends.
I was able to catch at least parts of Tokyo Police Club, Digitalism, Peaches, Felix Da Housecat, Benny Benassi, Brazilian Girls and Interpol. A sleeper hit of the festival was the "DJ Dome," where we danced to great DJs such as Jacob from The Faint and Cut Chemist.
The day culminated with the best performance I have ever seen: Bjork. Occupying the main stage and playing to crowds of thousands of people, backed by several musicians and a choir/horn section of cute girls, Bjork produced superhuman vocals one couldn't imagine coming from such a small woman. It was simply amazing.
The second day was the hottest, as it peaked around 105 degrees. The acts I saw that day were Hot Chip, MSTRKRFT, Peter Bjorn and John, Busy P & DJ Mehdi, Justice, Girl Talk, LCD Soundstystem and The Rapture.
Between Busy P, Mehdi, Justice and Girl Talk, I danced so hard I thought my legs might fall off. It was the best several hours of the whole weekend. I couldn't get over how much incredible music was concentrated into one place.
The third day, we made a concerted effort to really take advantage of the "bring in 10 empty water bottles and get a free water bottle" promotion that the event was holding in order to cut down on litter and recycle more. We ended up saving over $80 between the five of us on water (each small bottle cost $2) as we scurried between recycling bins and filled massive bags of water bottles.
The acts that I saw on this day included Grizzly Bear, Junior Boys, Soulwax, CSS, Air and Ratatat. As the venue inevitably cleared out for Rage Against the Machine, it opened up lots of room for intimate shows with VNV Nation and Spank Rock, both of which were really amazing.
The night came to a close and we baby-stepped toward the exit as the massive sea of people from Rage exited at the same time. A sense of overwhelming happiness and exhaustion swept over us as we made the trek back toward the car and geared up for the eight- hour trip home, which we did all through the night in order to try to get to classes the next day.
Overall, the best performances came from Bjork and Ratatat. Despite the heat, ridiculous prices of food, water and drinks, the high cost of entry and the distance, Coachella truly did end up being the best three days of my life. Never had I experienced such great music with such great friends. I will make an effort to come every year from now on, no matter who is playing, because Coachella is not simply a concert, but an experience that will be with me for years to come.
Contact Eli Glad at eglad@scu.edu.