I took advantage of still being on East coast time to leave early, real early from Hotel Solamar in downtown San Diego. I made it to the camp grounds by 8 AM. At that point, there were only a hundred cars in front me. This was a much better scenario than the twenty miles of traffic to enter Bonnaroo last year. We all gladly waited until 9:30 AM when the gates opened.
I nearly had a stroke at 9:30 AM; my wristband broke. I talked with security, who reassured me it would be okay. Turns out when I was one of hundreds of Coachellans who were online at the wristband customer service line past security with a defective wristband. Sure, it was a high-tech wristband that allowed security to scan you in. But the basic function of the wristband, mainly the part where it should remain banded to your wrist, was highly overlooked. Thank the world for superglue.
It was very organized leading me to my car camping spot: basically, you paid to have a defined area, which included your car and whatever else you could fit into your defined space. I was surprised; they actually spray-painted the defined areas. I parked my SUV (thank you, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, for giving me the SUV rental) and prepped it for sleeping conditions (mainly lowering the back seats and having a larger sleeping area that I've ever had at Bonnaroo).
I entered the grounds at 11:30 AM, at which point it was still pretty empty. I could see the draw of Coachella: the beautiful grounds and views, the rather small grounds (making it easy to run from stage to stage), and good organization. After soaking these things in, I changed modes. Having been to several festivals now, I figured I'd apply lessons learned: memorizing the map at the start, eating at off-peak hours, finding the right balance between dehydration and over-urination, having a basic itinerary, screening all potential music conflicts, identifying all opportunities for shade, strategically urinating before known long-periods of standing (i.e. the big acts at night), and deciding to always sacrifice survival for music (seeking shade, taking naps, etc.). Thankfully, having seen so many bands and acts like, there were only a few acts that I was desperate to see, Mumford & Sons being the biggest one. This afforded a good deal of flexibility.
Miguel - Never heard of him, but with great stage presence, a good singing voice, and good music, he could be a pop-star on the rise. A great start to Coachella.
Hurts - Again, another new band. This one drew a big crowd, with many people towards the front knowing the lyrics inside and out. They seemed to be a cross between The National, LCD Soundsystem, and The Smiths. Except Hurts had an opera singer as a backing vocalist. Enjoyed them greatly.
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - I saw them at ACL before. Great soul, great band, and great fun.
!!! - I caught the end of their act trying to get a good view for Titus Andronicus. Let me just say on initial impression more appropriate band names would be ??? or WTF!!! Puzzling and not so great live.
Titus Andronicus - They put up one of my favorite albums last year in 2010. I had never seen them so I had them marked. They were full of energy. Sounded great and had the full sound I didn't think they'd be able to pull off live. A smaller crowd than I would've liked. I hope they continue to be recognized. "No Future, Pt. 3: Escape from No Future" was an awesome sing-along, with its "You will always be a loser" chant.
The Drums - The band sounds like The Beach Boys and The Smiths combined. Their lead singer looks boyish and slightly psychotic at the same time. My brother has seen them before; his flailing arm dance has not changed. Yet he still is mesmerizing to watch. Fantastic live band, who were the band to beat as of 5 PM.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - I've been wanting to see this band for years. They're a New York band too. They've been to Atlanta a few times, and I missed them every time. A tight and shy band playing polished shoegaze, if such a thing is possible. Young, fun, and modest (their band members seemed to be the most modest and humbled to be at Coachella). Great to see them up close. I think they're better suited for smaller venues though. Playing the Mojave tent suited them perfectly.
YACHT - I decided to see them since The Pains of Being at Pure at Heart recommended them. I only caught a few songs. I couldn't quite figure them out. Energetic, but their music didn't resonate with me.
Lauryn Hill - I caught the end of her act. She was soulful and had the command of the large crowd at the Coachella stage. Rousing cheers for a fun, fun act.
Interpol - I never quite into Interpol. I figured I'd catch them live. I like them better live than on the record. They did a good job. But I still remain unswayed.
Brandon Flowers - Vocally, sounded excellent as I heard a song or two en route to Cut Copy.
Cut Copy - I was hoping this would be a good show, since a sacrifice was made: passing up on The Black Keys, my favorite act at Bonnaroo 2010. Well, the sacrifice was well worth it. As much as I love their records, they sounded even better live. They had the right tent (Mojave) and picked the right songs. This was one of the liveliest crowds at all of Coachella. It was bliss. "Lights & Music" rivaled the energy of "Electric Feel" or "Kids" by MGMT. The girl next to me said, "I lost my friends, but you're here and a Cut Copy fan. Let's dance!" So we danced! I felt even better about my decision when I later heard from neighbors that The Black Keys were disappointing.
Crystal Castles - The masters of electro-Tetris music. In the same way Thievery Corporation was probably one of the best tents at Bonnaroo last year for those stoned or on mild-altering-but-calming drugs, Crystal Castles was the best nighttime act for those under the influence of a psychostimulant or ecstasy. The music was mesmerizing. The lead singer Alice Glass was psychotic, flinging herself about the stage and sometimes off the stage. She appeared injured on several occasions; only not to miss a word or verse. It was a chilling but amazing performance.
Kings of Leon - They sounded great, as they also do. But the better set was at Bonnaroo: I think it was because they were too heavy on their latest album, which isn't their best. That being said, not a bad way to end the first day.
Of note, the sunset at Coachella was gorgeous, with all the stages, palm trees, and mountains in silhouettes.
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