Coachella, Coachella, finally it was time for the famous Coachella. Thousands of music lovers poured into the desert to attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that is held at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, Calif., from April 17-19. The hustle during the first day of the festival made it no surprise that the festival claims to be the most popular music festival in North America.
The first task upon entering the festival starts with parking. Thousands of people attending the event mean there are thousands of cars needing to park. Every street surrounding the venue was jam packed with cars, and lots were filling quickly. Getting there early was definitely an important part of the plan when attending Coachella.
People of all ages walked in large groups to the festival grounds. The majority of the Coachella crowd tended to be young adults, but there were also a good number of older attendees and even families. Most of the attendees had a hippie-like appearance. Girls sported long flowing dresses or torn jean shorts with a loose cotton top and headband. Boys wore tight jeans, faded t-shirts, retro sunglasses and long shaggy hair. Some people put colorful feathers in the back of their headbands.
Entering the festival took some time, as the lines grew long, but eventually the concertgoers made their way excitedly onto the festival grounds. After stocking up on water and picking up a map of the grounds, attendees ventured out into the main part of the venue. Music was heard from all directions because many bands are performing at the same time. Throughout the day I attended performances by the Ting Tings, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey, Paul McCartney and the Presets.
The Ting Tings and the Presets are modern bands and ultimately attracted a younger crowd. The Ting Tings played earlier in the day and delighted the audience with their latest pop music hits that can be heard on the radio. The Presets played at night, having a spectacular laser light display to match perfectly with their modern electronic dance beats.
Famous folk singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen was a highlight of the festival. At 74 years old, Cohen still impressed the crowd with his deep, subtle voice and back up female vocalists. The crowd was soothed by his presence as he held his microphone close and held his head low in a courteous manner. Between songs he would look at the audience with joy and said, “Thank you, my friends.”
'80s sensation Morrissey was also a headlining act of the event. Set for the main stage, Morrissey gave a dramatic and hysterical performance, tossing his microphone around and ripping off his half-buttoned up shirt during one of his most popular songs. He asked the crowd amusingly, “Are all of you standing uncomfortably? … Good.” Behind him, a large sheet was pulled down during his first song to show a huge screen of a masculine man wearing a white sailor hat and smoking a cigar. The word “refusal” was written under the man.
The final headlining act of the night was no other than the spectacular Sir Paul McCartney himself. The largest crowd of the day collected around the stage and waited patiently for Sir Paul to come out. Eventually he ran out on stage with his band and began performing songs while the crowd cheered with excitement. Huge screens were displayed on the sides of the stage that allowed crowd members from far back to see the joyful face expressions and movements from Sir Paul. He performed well into the night, playing his greatest hits a number of popular Beatles tunes.
The end of Sir Paul's performance was not the close of the first day of Coachella. Bands such as the Crystal Method performed at other stages even after Sir Paul's performance, and some attendees prepared for the campgrounds located on the Polo Field's site. Tents were set up and attendees were ready to call it a night.
For other attendees, the night was not over until they found their cars. As funny as this may sound, one of the most problematic tasks during the festival was concertgoers finding their cars. The festival had several large parking lots located throughout the Polo Fields, and they are all considerable walking distances from each other. Some lots were lit with large lampposts while others were dark and hard to find. Groups of friends jumped and yelled for joy when they found their car.
Two more days of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival are scheduled to rock the Coachella Valley. The Killers, M.I.A., TV on the Radio and other bands are scheduled to headline Day Two.
Be ready for more details on Coachella to come your way.
Friday, April 17, 2009
People of all ages walked in large groups to the festival grounds. The majority of the Coachella crowd tended to be young adults, but there were also a good number of older attendees and even families. Most of the attendees had a hippie-like appearance. Girls sported long flowing dresses or torn jean shorts with a loose cotton top and headband. Boys wore tight jeans, faded t-shirts, retro sunglasses and long shaggy hair. Some people put colorful feathers in the back of their headbands.
Famous folk singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen was a highlight of the festival. At 74 years old, Cohen still impressed the crowd with his deep, subtle voice and back up female vocalists. The crowd was soothed by his presence as he held his microphone close and held his head low in a courteous manner. Between songs he would look at the audience with joy and said, “Thank you, my friends.”
'80s sensation Morrissey was also a headlining act of the event. Set for the main stage, Morrissey gave a dramatic and hysterical performance, tossing his microphone around and ripping off his half-buttoned up shirt during one of his most popular songs. He asked the crowd amusingly, “Are all of you standing uncomfortably? … Good.” Behind him, a large sheet was pulled down during his first song to show a huge screen of a masculine man wearing a white sailor hat and smoking a cigar. The word “refusal” was written under the man.
The final headlining act of the night was no other than the spectacular Sir Paul McCartney himself. The largest crowd of the day collected around the stage and waited patiently for Sir Paul to come out. Eventually he ran out on stage with his band and began performing songs while the crowd cheered with excitement. Huge screens were displayed on the sides of the stage that allowed crowd members from far back to see the joyful face expressions and movements from Sir Paul. He performed well into the night, playing his greatest hits a number of popular Beatles tunes.