This is not a Coachella Wrap-up

I'm not doing a wrap-up. takes too much work, don't really have anything new to say about all these bands I've all seen and written about two or three times already. Just some thoughts of an overall great weekend.

Really fun week out in Cali, but Coachella the festival was a pretty huge letdown. Way overcrowded, less open space, tents were overflowing, and the sound seemed to bleed in from the other stages much more than last year. That said, there were 6 acts that really made me happy to be there. In order of mindblowness:

Daft Punk
Mogwai
My Morning Jacket
Atmosphere
Walkmen
Minus the Bear

DP was truly amazing. The Dance Tent, while pretty useless most of the time for non dance fans, was a really nice space. Massive, but really well executed. Mogwai was not on my must see list, but I was feeling really lightheaded and woozy waiting for Madonna, so headed to the foodcourt area to grab a snack, ran into some other friends and just stretched out on the grass and stared at the stars. So well executed. I'd like to goto one of those Webster shows, but I feel there's no way they could top that. MMJ was super-tight as well, even from back in the crowd where we were. They sounded perfect.

I usually hate live hip-hop, but I love Atmosphere. Half w/DJ, half full band. He just knows how to keep a show going, get a crowd into it without being overbearing and annoying. Really really impressed. I love seeing the Walkmen live, so they're always a highlight. They handled the daunting main stage very well. The new album is really really good too. Digging every song, but "All Hands and the Cook" might just be be my jam of the year. Finally, Minus the Bear was the first band I saw on Sunday and, while I couldn't stay for the whole thing, what I saw was really great. Looking forward to Friday night at Warsaw.

Everything else was just OK to good. White Rose Movement was really really bad. Off the top of my head, that was it that I couldn't stand. The second outdoor stage was the place to be all weekend, as evidenced that 4 of my 6 favorite acts were on there. The tents were dreadful. The biggest problem was, while there were lots of good bands, few were really must-see. So the tents were packed and the stages were comfortably attended. I don't ever remember not being able to get into a tent during the day last year if I showed up when they went on. If the fest wants the crowd that comes for the whole day back next year, they'd be wise to slash the capacity like some of the other fests have this year to make it a better experience. Last year I was wowed as to how smoothly everything ran. This year was a total mess in comparison.

Aside from the actual fest, it's just so nice to be out there. We had a beautiful house, stayed with some great friends I usually don't get to hang out with for this extended a time, and just forgot about the internet, New York, My day job and all that for one weekend. It was a real vacation, which I haven't gotten to take in a long time. Loved it.

Comments

[Max Power]

I didn't go this year but did go in 04 for the Radiohead/Cure/Pixies/Kraftwerk etc extravaganza. The only crowded tent I found was post Q and Not U > tepid solo Beck. But that was then. Anyway, great photos. I'm really curious what's going on in that photo of the guy on that tall, tall elephant sculpture. How did he get up there? Was that open to the public?

[Jeff]

He just climbed it. No clue who he was or how he didn't die, but it was pretty impressive.

[daniel]

i would love to hear more about daft punk since they havent toured in 4-ever.

[bmk]

sounds like you missed some great sets from sigur ros and deerhoof on saturday...sunday yyy were amped and great on the big stage, and mylo was real solid in the big tent after the madonna madness. i'm in full agreement on the walkmen -- it was the first time i saw them and they blew me away, can't wait for the new record since they played tons of stuff from it out in the desert and i was digging it all.

i caught sunset rubdown here in s.f. last night, they were amazing -- to my surprise they aren't all spencer and every one of them can really play...how were they down in l.a.?

[Jeff]

Caught bits of all those bands. Were all solid, none particularly amazing I didn't think.

Sunset Rubdown WAS really great. Can't wait to see them in a month after they’ve been playing together longer. Thought the same thing...it was a great band, not just Krug.

Re: daft punk...it was incredible to have two people manipulate a 35,000 person crowd like that. They mixed a lot of stuff together, knew how to push the crowds buttons and get them going constantly. Just an amazing experience.

[bmk]

fair enough on deerhoof (i love them so i'm biased) but sigur ros was incredible -- during sunset, silent crowd, so perfect.

agreed s.r. needs some touring under their belts to get more comfortable -- spencer was acting like their older brother on stage and the others were clearly nervous in between songs. but the songs are just so damn good, i haven't stopped listening to that album for three months, and they really nailed them despite being new to the road. i bet by the end of the tour in the northeast they are killing it.

i'm also pissed frog eyes wasn't playing with them for the cali shows -- i would be just as excited to see them. if the swan lake collaboration (krug, mercer, bejar) puts out something quality i will not be afraid to throw around the genius label at spencer. kid is fucking great.

[Dan]

Did anyone catch Massive Attack's set? I've heard nothing about it so far. I guess that means it wasn't very impressive, but I'm still curious to hear about it from someone who was there.

[soc]

I didn't even think of trying to go see Massive Attack, but I read later that Liz Frasier sang with them for a few songs and so I am disappointed that I missed that since she is famously reclusive. I had a great time though. I have a wrap-up on my site; I think other than Mogwai we didn't see any of the same bands. You should try to see them at Webster Hall if Coachella was the first time you saw them - they played a short set for them.

[chrisclark]

sweet pictures dude. I wish i could have went this year.