Trips: Coachella 2011 (Day 3)

I slept much better.  I owe Jessica, my neighbor, thanks.  She wondered why I had come to Coachella with such few items and few rations.  I think she pitied me and gave me a pillow and blanket to get through Saturday night.  So yes, I did sleep better.  Festivals make you appreciate the small things in life: pillows, blankets, mattresses, toilet paper, showers, air conditioning, and soap.  

Sunday was an even lazier morning.  Jessica and I talked about random things in life, including music, while her sister continued to sleep away.  Jessica chanted "Mmm bacon" as we both noticed that glorious odor emanating from a neighboring truck, from a guy making breakfast.  Jessica vowed to bring bacon and avocados to Coachella 2012.

If it was possible, it was even hotter on Sunday.  Though we were initially seated on lawn chairs between our trucks using her truck as shade, the sun's continued ascent put us in a bind.  Despite the struggle and initial failures, we managed to fashion a makeshift "tent" by repositioning our trucks and creating a canopy out of blankets, secured in place by anchoring them via closed windows or doors.  It wasn't pretty but it did the trick.  

I initially had my sights on Phosphorescent at 12:15 PM.  This didn't come to pass as I was still under our makeshift tent at that time.  I eventually went into the site when I could no longer hold my urine and figured I'd stick it out until the end.  

Jack's Mannequin - A new band to me.  Great pop music.  I listened to them from afar since they played at the shadeless Coachella stage.  I was happy to listen from afar underneath my favorite shady palm tree.  

City and Colour - I just listened to them for the first time, I believe, in Hawaii.  The album reminded me of Iron & Wine and Bon Iver when I first listened to them.  Great voice.  Great acoustic guitar player.  In fact, I was most glued when it was only him and his acoustic.  I wasn't alone in this; many men in the crowd professed their love (aloud) for this man.  I hope the success continues.  Such great potential here.  

Health - These guys rocked.  These guys reminded me of Japandroids and The Battles.  Energetic and angry and dissonant, but incredibly likable.  The first post-Coachella music I listened to once back in San Diego was in fact Health's Get Color.  Somehow these guys got it very right live.  Maybe they can teach Animal Collective a thing or two.

Best Coast - I stuck around only for a few songs since I decided to set up camp for the big finish at the Coachella main stage.  Best Coast sounded great, better live than on the album., which sounded a bit too hollow if that makes sense.  They play, they play well, and they're having fun.  Can't ask for more really. 

Death from Above 1979 - I thought The Black Keys were biggest sounding two-man outfit.  I was very wrong.  Enter Death from Above 1979.  Now, just focusing on the music, these guys are heavy, heavy metal and do fucking rock.  Hugely approve on first listen.  Now focusing on everything else: this was the angriest mob pit I had ever seen at a festival.  I was on the front rail but to the side and away from the center of action.  But from my vantage point, I could see the victims that decided to vacate the pit.  I have never seen so many girls in tears, guys with blood noses, guys in tears, and girls with bloody noses in my life.  The band seemed to relish in that fact.  They got louder and angrier as the set moved on.  It ended with such a weird moment.  They urged the crowd to stick around for Duran Duran, as they appeared to be huge fans. 

Duran Duran - To complete the blast from the past, David Hasselhoff entered the VIP area (the VIP entrance was literally five feet away from me). I had never been a huge fan per se and admittedly I was catching them and missing out on The National so I could be in a good position to see Duran Duran's follow-up acts, The Strokes and Kanye West.  But hey, they sounded good and hell, it was fun.  Plus, I got to high-five David Hasselhoff when he left at the end of the set.  The girl to my left didn't know how David Hasselhoff was.

 

The Strokes - Huge anticipation for The Strokes.  They definitely did not let us down.  Julian Casablancas seemed to be the right degree of inebriated: he was funny, he was singing well, and he wasn't stumbling around greatly.  Hammond kept pounding out the licks.  The crowd got rowdy as the hits wouldn't let up.  "Last Night" and "Reptilia" were belted out with more energy and perfection than at ACL.  And as much as I love Punch Brothers' cover, it's The Strokes' song.  They did their job.  They kicked our asses but had us perfectly set up for the final act: Kanye West. 

Kanye West - It's universal: we hate him as a person, but damn he can produce some great fucking music.  And you know what?  He knows how to put on a show.  Arcade Fire put on the perfect close to Saturday.  Kanye West put on a near perfect close to Coachella.  He knows how to build the drama and peak the crowd's excitement.  His entrance was jaw-dropping; with the crowd singing along "Can we get much higher?  So high!  Oh oh oh ..." he appears from the middle of a crowd, up on the air by a huge crane.  Every iPhone, Droid, and camera in Coachella was out. The entire set picked up steam.  With each song, we all realized "Shit, he has a lot of hits!"  Sure, there were the "old" hits but combined with the genius of the latest album, the show nearly had no weak point.  The crowd involvement was unreal for every song.  A particular moving moment, was when he took a moment to recognize the fans despite all his stupidities and how this festival has been the one show he has been looking forward to since his mother passed.  He put a lot into this performance and it showed.  Justin Vernon was a fantastic guest to have throughout the show.  As good as this show was, there was still some universal disappointment: with Usher, Katy Perry, and Rihanna only a few of the stars present at Coachella, it seemed shocking that there were no other guest appearances.  It's hard to pick a favorite moment: the beginning, any song off of the latest album, Power, Stronger, Gold Digger, Flashing Lights ... Ending with Hey Mama was perfect.  If Kanye was sincere, and I hope he was, than this was the perfect ending to his show.  Amazing show. 

Back to the camp site.  More reminiscing.  Many of my neighbors had already left by the time I got to my car.  Jessica and her sister came back so we took town our makeshift canopy tent.  They had to leave.  I decided to turn in.  I woke up early, 6 AM to be exact, and thankfully, made for a quick and painless departure.

When I made my way back to the car, everyone was greeting other with "Happy Coachella!  See you next year!"  Amen to a great Coachella 2011!