The Coachella Experience
My Coachella experience wrapped up last Sunday with an amazing set from California rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers on the Main Stage. A fitting end to a - 3 day festival of the most compelling rock,pop,hip hop and electronic music.
Going into the festival, I pretty much knew who I wanted to see - bands that we play at Jam 88.3, most of whom happened to be some of my favorites. I guess that was a smart choice seeing as there were a total of 190 acts spread out over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The last thing you want is to get flustered and run around like a headless chicken. Preparation is everything, if you plan to get the best Coachella experience.
Arrived and checked in to secure my credentials.
Got ‘em!
Tagged and good to go!
The essentials for covering Coachella.
The essentials for enjoying Coachella.
The Experience
Soon as I walked into the festival grounds, I had to go through a series of security checkpoints. I never felt so safe heading into what clearly was a hipster infested territory haha. Once inside, I was greeted by the sight of a huge car park of 10 lots that housed countless cars camped out on the grassy patch of the Empire Polo Club for the entire duration of the arts and music festival.
The camping grounds. The ‘real’ happening place after the last band each night has played.
After taking in the sight of cars decked out in full Coachella glory, I made my way inside where I saw the various posters of festivals past on display - from 1999 to 2013. Great showcase to prep you for the weekend.
The iconic Le Grande Wheel aka The Ferris Wheel also was a sight to behold.
Like any first-timer, I checked out the festival map so I know which stages me and my friend Young had to cover for photos.
The Stages
There were 6 different stages this year - The Coachella Stage (main), Outdoor Theatre, Gobi, Mojave, Sahara and Yuma. Each one is impressive enough despite the difference in size and location.
For Day 1, Friday 19 April, there were 66 bands lined up at the various stages and I listed down the ff. bands as must-sees: Alt-J, Polica, Stars, Metric, Of Monsters And Men, Passion Pit, Modest Mouse, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Stone Roses, Foals, Blur and Tegan and Sara.
Passion Pit
Of Monsters And Men
The Stone Roses
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I didn’t get to see Tegan and Sara on stage but at least I got to see them up close and personal at the media tent :)
Day 2, Saturday 20 April saw 64 bands playing at the various stages. My must sees included Violent Femmes,The xx, Franz Ferdinand, Two Door Cinema Club, New Order, Phoenix, and Sigur Ros.
Franz Ferdinand
Phoenix
Sigur Ros
Day 3, Sunday 21 April had 60 bands pegged to wrap up the final day of Coachella. As it was the last day, I made a conscious effort to try to see as much as the bands I listed for that day, namely The Airborne Toxic Event, The Gaslight Anthem, The Lumineers, Alex Clare, Tanlines, Social Distortion, Vampire Weekend, Wu Tang Clan and Red Hot Chili Peppers. The People
Much as I’d like to catch all of the bands on my list, I had to work the grounds to get snapshots of the people, who pretty much made up 50% of the Coachella experience. From the hot and sexy, to the cool and hip to the downright silly, I got all of them to embrace the gospel of Jam 88.3!
The Food
If you expect to find some chi chi food atCoachella you will be sorely disappointed. It’s a camping cum music festival. Everything is easy and unhealthy - from pizzas, chicken strips, gyros and the ever popular hotdogs, and the cheap fries that were sold for $4. Everything else were $5 and up. Fresh fruit juices and alcoholic beverages were also available. Beer drinks were sold from $7 up and vodka, $11, if my memory serves me right. One ‘oddity’ : we were not allowed to bring in alcohol beyond the designated areas. Strictly no alcohol around the different stage areas. Fortunately for me, my quick thinking friend bought us a bottle of whiskey that we shared for 3 days in between beers haha.
The Art
This year, there were 20 different art works that were featured around the area. Along with the colorful stage lighting and effects, they gave the festival the visual flare that complemented the hip and happening vibe at Coachella.
Recyclausaurus Rex
Do LaB
Helix Poeticus
PK-107 Mantis
Coachella Power Station
Mirage
The Coachella experience is all encompassing. From the moment you walk into the festival grounds, to the time you go back to the hotel or camping grounds where you meet new friends from around the world - it truly is something worth doing again and again. See you next year?
Look out for the full festival album soon on Jam 88.3’s Official Fansite on Facebook!
PS. A Note On Hipsters (They Flocked Coachella like it’s going out of style)
Read this article that says:
"Hipsters are the worst. Hipsters at the Coachella Music Festival, however, take that designation to a whole other level.
Hipsters journey from all corners of North America to hear obscure bands that nobody else has heard of and pretend as if they are reliving Woodstock during the two weekend-long festival in Indio, Calif.
Obviously, the people at Coachella are ripe for mocking — so that’s exactly what Jimmy Kimmel did over the weekend.”
Watch and laugh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_IzYUJANfk