Coachella 2007 - What it Was
I had an excellent time. If that's all you needed to know feel free to skip the rest of the post.
I worked on Friday and got back to my place in SD around 7pm. I watched LOST while I packed (I'm still digging the show but I have to admit that while the flash backs are helpful and add depth I just about always find myself sighing when they come back from commercial and go to a flashback). After LOST I double checked all my gear and headed towards Palm Springs.
I made decent time and got to the Hotel around 11:30 or midnight I think. Dave had told me he left me a key under my name but the perky, chunky, southern gal at the desk couldn't find it. She was giving me the "I'm sorry Sir, but there's nothing i can do" line to which i was giving her the "your sorry doesn't mean anything to me - what are my options because I'm not going to stand here 'til 1am" thing back. Yeah, I know - I manage customer service - why wasn't I nicer to her? Well, I was tired and grumpy and frustrated because I knew that Dave left me a key. Anyhow, the gal the says "If you're mean I'm not going to help you but if you're nice I will" to which I said "don't give me an ultimatum when you're the one who has screwed up something very simple". But just then I get a call and it's Dave who is pulling up to the Hotel. He tells me the envelope with the key is in a basket at the front desk. I tell Miss Informed where it is and she hands it to me. This was the most dramatic thing to happen all weekend so I have little to complain about.
Dave and I got to the room and we spent an hour or so just catching up which was nice. He's a good guy and knows a ton about music. By around 1:30 or 2 I got in my pull out bed, put on the plugs and drifted to sleep.
I was up at 11am and we headed for some grub around 12pm before getting to the grounds around 1:30pm. Dave knew a sorta back way into the parking lots so it didn't take too long to get in and we got an excellent spot--only a few hundred yards away from the entrance. It took us about 20 minutes to get through the line which is always the most aggravating part of the process. But easily forgotten once you're inside.
We had about an hour to roam the grounds and check things out before heading over to the main stage for Fountains of Wayne. I had been playing the new album on a loop just days before so I was happy that they played 3 or 4 new tracks along with "Hey Julie" and "Mexican Wine" among others. I thought they sounded great but I think they were a little bummed to be playing so early and at one of the hottest (temp-wise) times of the day.
From FoW we headed over to the Mojave tent (getting water first) and ran into SEA Bob who was with Andy (fakeplasticbear) watching The Fratellis. We caught the last two songs of the Frat set and they were smoking! Oh man, i cannot wait to see them in SD in a few weeks. The Mojave tent was packed and it was F'ing hot in there! I saw thefourthwall from a distance along with Rotten Robbie and we were soon joined by heypyro and thikstache for the Hot Chip set. I hadn't ever heard of 'em before (Hot Chip that is) and ended up enjoying them quite a bit. They looked like a bunch of programmers for IBM just hanging out with keyboards banging out hip electro-pop-dance tunes. The nerdiest lookin' one had this awesome afro-cool-chick voice too. I would have stayed for the whole set but the sauna-factor was hitting me hard and I felt like i was gonna pass out. So knowing that I was the only one heading to see The New Pornographers I went ahead and bailed, grabbed a bunch of water, and found a shady spot to recharge.
Laying down in the shade with water is nice. I started to feel human again so I walked over to the side stage for TNP's. They were just what I needed - happy, buzzy, pop music whilst sitting in the grass. I stayed for their entire set and even ran into my buddies from LA Jeff and John which was a nice surprise. Highlight for TNP's was easily Twin Cinema but the whole set was nifty - they have an awesome sense of humor and a woofy dood on guitar too.
Feeling my poppy buzz I went over to the Main Stage and tried to find Dave and the boys but was unable to do so. I really enjoyed the Kings of Leon set - man, they are awesome. They're so into putting their music out there. By the end of the set I had an idea of where they guys were so I made my way around the crowd break and found Dave, Andy, and Bob who had been joined by ATL Lance and they had a sweet spot all set in front of the breaker. We were joined by Kevin from ATL as well (Kevin, Bob, Andy, and Lance had all gone to the first night of Radiohead with me back in '06 so it was cool to see the ATL guys again). The Aracade Fire were excellent once again. I have to say though, I'm glad I saw them in a smaller venue a few days before because they really do have an insane impact when you see 'em live and up close. The switched their set list up some closing with the big anthemic crowd-pleasers instead of the mellower tunes they did last Thursday. Excellent set though.
The boys (and some of you LJers) had me convinced to go see LCD Soundsystem instead of staying in our awesome spot for the RHCPs so I headed over to Sahara for their set. We met up with keithenator (yaaaay!) and i was all set to get my dance on. Ok, LCD were quality - no doubt, but after about four songs I was thinking in my head "What are the RHCPs up to right now--What am I missing?" I looked over at fakeplasticbear and he had the same look on his face. So we grabbed Kevin and headed back over to the main stage to see the rest of the RHCP set. Oh wow, they were soooo on their game. We caught about six songs and seeing John/Flea/Chad do their thing - literally reinventing each song as they went along was insane. I swear, they don't even need Anthony anymore. Is it often that the players outshine the singer and take the spotlight away for themselves? Epic!
We were pretty much done by then but we decided to meet up for a beer as, well, it just felt like the thing to do. We made good time out of the lot and met up with the guys including Mark - another hot ATL guy, and also special SD surprise guest Rocky who I hadn't seen in ages who just happened to be in town. Was a nice way to come down from the high of the day. Dave and I then went back to the hotel to fall apart.
In the morning I wished Dave luck (he was headed back to the grounds for his third day) and I hopped in the Murano and jammed on back to SD. My third year going - with each year being completely different and yet awesome in its own way from the next. Still bummed I didn't see pharmbear but we did have some good txt exchanges at least!
Props to Coachella for having more art installations, a huge Green Energy area, and just a lot more of all the things that make the fest kick ass!
Thank you Coachella - See you next year!
More pics here!
I worked on Friday and got back to my place in SD around 7pm. I watched LOST while I packed (I'm still digging the show but I have to admit that while the flash backs are helpful and add depth I just about always find myself sighing when they come back from commercial and go to a flashback). After LOST I double checked all my gear and headed towards Palm Springs.
I made decent time and got to the Hotel around 11:30 or midnight I think. Dave had told me he left me a key under my name but the perky, chunky, southern gal at the desk couldn't find it. She was giving me the "I'm sorry Sir, but there's nothing i can do" line to which i was giving her the "your sorry doesn't mean anything to me - what are my options because I'm not going to stand here 'til 1am" thing back. Yeah, I know - I manage customer service - why wasn't I nicer to her? Well, I was tired and grumpy and frustrated because I knew that Dave left me a key. Anyhow, the gal the says "If you're mean I'm not going to help you but if you're nice I will" to which I said "don't give me an ultimatum when you're the one who has screwed up something very simple". But just then I get a call and it's Dave who is pulling up to the Hotel. He tells me the envelope with the key is in a basket at the front desk. I tell Miss Informed where it is and she hands it to me. This was the most dramatic thing to happen all weekend so I have little to complain about.
Dave and I got to the room and we spent an hour or so just catching up which was nice. He's a good guy and knows a ton about music. By around 1:30 or 2 I got in my pull out bed, put on the plugs and drifted to sleep.
I was up at 11am and we headed for some grub around 12pm before getting to the grounds around 1:30pm. Dave knew a sorta back way into the parking lots so it didn't take too long to get in and we got an excellent spot--only a few hundred yards away from the entrance. It took us about 20 minutes to get through the line which is always the most aggravating part of the process. But easily forgotten once you're inside.
We had about an hour to roam the grounds and check things out before heading over to the main stage for Fountains of Wayne. I had been playing the new album on a loop just days before so I was happy that they played 3 or 4 new tracks along with "Hey Julie" and "Mexican Wine" among others. I thought they sounded great but I think they were a little bummed to be playing so early and at one of the hottest (temp-wise) times of the day.
From FoW we headed over to the Mojave tent (getting water first) and ran into SEA Bob who was with Andy (fakeplasticbear) watching The Fratellis. We caught the last two songs of the Frat set and they were smoking! Oh man, i cannot wait to see them in SD in a few weeks. The Mojave tent was packed and it was F'ing hot in there! I saw thefourthwall from a distance along with Rotten Robbie and we were soon joined by heypyro and thikstache for the Hot Chip set. I hadn't ever heard of 'em before (Hot Chip that is) and ended up enjoying them quite a bit. They looked like a bunch of programmers for IBM just hanging out with keyboards banging out hip electro-pop-dance tunes. The nerdiest lookin' one had this awesome afro-cool-chick voice too. I would have stayed for the whole set but the sauna-factor was hitting me hard and I felt like i was gonna pass out. So knowing that I was the only one heading to see The New Pornographers I went ahead and bailed, grabbed a bunch of water, and found a shady spot to recharge.
Laying down in the shade with water is nice. I started to feel human again so I walked over to the side stage for TNP's. They were just what I needed - happy, buzzy, pop music whilst sitting in the grass. I stayed for their entire set and even ran into my buddies from LA Jeff and John which was a nice surprise. Highlight for TNP's was easily Twin Cinema but the whole set was nifty - they have an awesome sense of humor and a woofy dood on guitar too.
Feeling my poppy buzz I went over to the Main Stage and tried to find Dave and the boys but was unable to do so. I really enjoyed the Kings of Leon set - man, they are awesome. They're so into putting their music out there. By the end of the set I had an idea of where they guys were so I made my way around the crowd break and found Dave, Andy, and Bob who had been joined by ATL Lance and they had a sweet spot all set in front of the breaker. We were joined by Kevin from ATL as well (Kevin, Bob, Andy, and Lance had all gone to the first night of Radiohead with me back in '06 so it was cool to see the ATL guys again). The Aracade Fire were excellent once again. I have to say though, I'm glad I saw them in a smaller venue a few days before because they really do have an insane impact when you see 'em live and up close. The switched their set list up some closing with the big anthemic crowd-pleasers instead of the mellower tunes they did last Thursday. Excellent set though.
The boys (and some of you LJers) had me convinced to go see LCD Soundsystem instead of staying in our awesome spot for the RHCPs so I headed over to Sahara for their set. We met up with keithenator (yaaaay!) and i was all set to get my dance on. Ok, LCD were quality - no doubt, but after about four songs I was thinking in my head "What are the RHCPs up to right now--What am I missing?" I looked over at fakeplasticbear and he had the same look on his face. So we grabbed Kevin and headed back over to the main stage to see the rest of the RHCP set. Oh wow, they were soooo on their game. We caught about six songs and seeing John/Flea/Chad do their thing - literally reinventing each song as they went along was insane. I swear, they don't even need Anthony anymore. Is it often that the players outshine the singer and take the spotlight away for themselves? Epic!
We were pretty much done by then but we decided to meet up for a beer as, well, it just felt like the thing to do. We made good time out of the lot and met up with the guys including Mark - another hot ATL guy, and also special SD surprise guest Rocky who I hadn't seen in ages who just happened to be in town. Was a nice way to come down from the high of the day. Dave and I then went back to the hotel to fall apart.
In the morning I wished Dave luck (he was headed back to the grounds for his third day) and I hopped in the Murano and jammed on back to SD. My third year going - with each year being completely different and yet awesome in its own way from the next. Still bummed I didn't see pharmbear but we did have some good txt exchanges at least!
Props to Coachella for having more art installations, a huge Green Energy area, and just a lot more of all the things that make the fest kick ass!
Thank you Coachella - See you next year!
More pics here!