Coachella vs. Bonnaroo. The Friendly Rivalry Continues

With apologies to Lollapalooza, no music festivals in the US generate more wild lineup speculation and irrational emotional attachment from its fans than Coachella and Bonnaroo. I don't understand why that is, since each festival occurs at opposite ends of the country, but many of the die-hard fans feel like they need to put down one in order to praise the other. I guess when you gotta pony up hundreds of dollars to attend either one, it's only natural to justify your ticket purchase with such juvenile exercises.

Petty rivalries aside, these two mega festivals provide a glimpse into what the Summer festival season has in store amidst a terrible economy. While the fans on each festival's message boards fueled unfounded rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion, or the even more improbable scenario of Morrissey and Johnny Marr burying the hatchet to reform The Smiths (will this rumor ever die?), those of us who were realistic knew there wouldn't be any unbelievable headliners to either festival. The fact is nobody has money to spend this year and it wouldn't make fiscal sense for Goldenvoice or Superfly Productions to pony up $10 million to reunite either of those bands. Ticket prices for both events are already expensive as it is, and even though you can now buy tickets using layaway, I wouldn't be surprised if both festivals struggle to sell out.

Still, I got to hand it to both Goldenvoice and Superfly, they managed to put together strong lineups in a horrible economic environment that has caused some festivals to go dark altogether. Of course, Coachella and Bonnaroo are such strong brands that cancellation/postponement are not an option simply because they are viewed as the standard by which all other festivals are measured (at least in this country). So, it's possible (or even probable) that 2009 sees a consolidation in the amount of festivals held as other less established events struggle to attract marketable talent.

But back to the lineups. Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen are certainly smart headliners during a recession year. Baby boomers are more likely than people under 30 to have the disposable income to attend either festival, not to mention that tickets to see either artist on their own tour would cost at least $100 anyway. And if you are familiar with the allegiances of Southern California music fans (especially in San Diego and the Inland Empire), then Morrissey and The Cure should help bring large crowds to the Empire Polo Field. Similarly, the reunited Phish is certainly a big deal to Bonnaroo die hards who were around when the festival was a haven for jam bands.

Looking at the rest of the notable acts, Coachella definitely stays true to its reputation of booking music snob heroes from days of yore. While many people might not realize this, Leonard Cohen playing ANYWHERE (let alone in a massive field in Indio, California) is a big fucking deal. So is the reunification of Throbbing Gristle, who haven't played a show of any kind since 1983 and only played in the US twice before. I'm not saying their performance will go over well amongst the throngs of Robert Smith worshipers, but it should be intriguing nonetheless. And booking My Bloody Valentine, even if it was a year late, finally brings Kevin Shields and friends in front of the audience that's been begging to see them for several years.

Bonnaroo managed to keep things interesting with Wilco (why they rarely play East of the Mississippi makes no sense to me), David Byrne (I'm jealous he's playing there before he's played Coachella), Al Green, Nine Inch Nails, The Beastie Boys (surprisingly not a great live act in large setting), and Elvis Costello. Couple those acts with many of the same artists on the middle and bottom portions of the bill that are playing Coachella and it become quite difficult to say one festival is better than the other. In fact, unlike previous years, I wish I could go to both. Of course, in this economy I'm luck I can afford to attend at least one.

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Coachella Music Festival - Day Three

After almost two weeks have passed, now comes my final installment of my Coachella recap. I would've done it sooner, but I think I am coming down with a cold, so the motivation to post isn't that strong at the moment. Plenty of stuff happened on Sunday that made the day memorable, even if the pure awesomeness of Saturday made the day a little bit of a let down in comparison.

Me and my brother got the day off to another somewhat early start as we eagerly wanted to watch the Cool Kids perform at 2PM. We managed to make it inside by 2:15 and caught a good 30 minutes of their set on the main stage. Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish got the crowd riled up in classic hip hop fashion by pitting one side of the crowd against the other (always a go-to move by any hip hop artist) and shooting water at us with some Super Soaker squirt guns. There was also some football tossing with a couple of audience members and plenty of beats and rhymes to leave the crowd satisfied. The Cool Kids definitely managed to live up to their name in the short time they were given to perform (I mean, just look at how sweet those outfits are!).

Next up was one of my personal favorites of the weekend, dance noise outfit Holy Fuck. These dudes rocked the Gobi tent (the smallest of the three tent stages) as hard anyone I saw, with the exception of Cut Copy. There was tons of button pushing, knob twisting and keyboard mashing, along with heavy drums and guitar noise to keep the crowd moving throughout their 45 minute performance. As for me, I loved watching the band bob up and down like headbangers as they jammed away on their instruments. I hadn't realized it before, but Holy Fuck seriously aren't much different than your standard jam band. The only difference is their songs are shorter and you can dance to them.

After Holy Fuck finished up we ended up having a huge gap in our schedule as The Field's set was canceled due to VISA problems (thank you, Department of Homeland Security) and there wasn't much else that interested me and my brother for about two hours. So, we did what most people would've done, we killed time in the beer garden.

After some beers and food it was time to head to the Mojave tent to catch Spiritualized. This was another act that I was anxious to see, but after about 20 minutes of listening to horrible feedback and sound problems we decided to skip out early. It was pretty lame, but at least it afforded us the opportunity to catch the first 20 minutes of A-Trak and Kid Sister's set in the Gobi tent. While we only got to see the A-Trak warm up the crowd with a funky sauce DJ set (Kid Sister came on later, but we left to see Love and Rockets), it was nice to see how far this dude has come. I remember seeing him at the first Coachella Music Festival performing with the Original Scratch Pickles as a 16 year old kid and now he was moving a crowd of 3000 people any which way he pleased.

Next up was Love and Rockets. This was a band that I've always known I should like, but never did much to listen to their music before. I do like the first couple of Bauhaus records, so it only makes sense that I should listen to this band as well. After their performance at the Outdoor Theater, I think I will pick up a couple of their albums soon. They ended up being much louder than I thought they would be, and a couple of songs into their set I realized that Love and Rockets were indirectly responsible for 80's hair metal bands. They don't sound that similar, but if you add in some outrageous costumes, a lot of drugs and alcohol and remove half the talent, then you get Motley Crue. Sad, but true.

Once Love and Rockets did their thing all eyes pointed towards the main stage as Roger Waters' crew was still making final preparations for their elaborate setup. Elaborate is an understatement as the stage included an enormous video wall, something like 15 performers, pyrotechnics, speakers setup at the back of the field that pointed inward (for that 360 degree sound effect), puppets and, of course, a giant inflatable flying pig. When Waters came on at 8:30 the crowd that had accumulated was massive, but not overwhelming, as most people wanted space to experience Dark Side of the Moon sitting down.

Of course, Waters and his crew were given two and a half hours to perform, which means lots of time was filled with non-Dark Side material. I had heard the first hour was mostly solo material with a couple of Pink Floyd songs thrown in, so I only stayed for the first 20 minutes or so and then headed to the Sahara to watch Simian Mobile Disco.

This turned out to be a great decision as SMD threw it DOWN! For one, the tent was packed and I could only get a spot on the outskirts and secondly, these guys never stop moving around the stage. It's not like they are dancing or anything like that, but instead they are constantly moving from one modular synth to the next, twisting knobs and pressing keys at a rapid fire pace. There's four of them in all and they are arranged in a diamond formation to make it easy for each person to move from one to the other. They sounded great and crowd inside the tent was going absolutely bat shit crazy for them. One of the best acts I saw all weekend (non-Prince division).

Once SMD ended it was time to head back over to the main stage for some Dark Side of the Moon action. I only stayed up through "Money," but holy crap was that a good show! If it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to see Black Mountain really bad, I would've had no problem staying for the rest of Roger Waters' set. The sound and presentation were amazing and everything sounded exactly like Pink Floyd that it was hard to imagine that David Gilmour and the rest of them weren't on stage.

After that it was off to the Mojave for one last time to see prog-rockers Black Mountain. I really enjoyed this set, if for no other reason than to watch their guitarist shred away to create the grinding piercing sound that I love. The songs were loud and precise and that's really all I could ask for.

Once I left the Mojave tent I was tempted to make one last trip inside the Sahara to see Justice, but after being propositioned for mushrooms by a group of 17 year old girls and then noticing how many people around me were obviously on ecstasy (really people, it's 2008), I decided to bail and beat traffic home. I'm sure Justice was awesome, but I will have many opportunities to see them again, so I really can't say I left Coachella with any regrets. Another year, another weekend full of wonderful experiences. I already can't wait until the next one.

Roger Waters - "Time" live @ Coachella 2008 from Ivan Juarez-Mrazek on Vimeo.
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Coachella Music Festival - Day Two

Friday was a good warm-up for the more anticipated moments of the festival. While on the first day I spent most of my time in the the Gobi, Mojave and Saraha tents, Saturday was all about positioning myself in a prime spot for the Kraftwerk-Portishead-Prince trifecta that was to close out the main stage.

Now, in order to convey my experiences of the day accurately it is important to understand one important thing. Each band I saw fell into one of three categories: those who rocked it, those who sucked, and Prince. Yes, Mr. Nelson's performance was so special that it deserved its own special category. If you were there, then you know such hyperbole is totally within reason. If you weren't, then there's some nice videos at the end of this post to give you an idea.

The day got off to a wonderful start with a high energy set from Carbon/Silicon. Mick Jones was the center of everyone's attention as he posed and paraded around the stage with his trademark guitar punk style and gabbed with the crowd in his incomprehensible cockney accent. I was borderline giddy seeing one of my musical heroes (the dude was in THE ONLY BAND THAT MATTERED people!) in the flesh, and even more excited when they closed their performance with a cover of "Police and Theives." Since Mick and the boys refuse to cover Clash songs, covers of songs the Clash covered are good enough for me.

Next up was perennial Coachella favorite Cafe Tacuba. I have seen these guys at least 10 times previously, but I am always game to watch them again. And with Coachella always drawing a significant Latino following, their crowd was sure to be full of enthusiasm. The band played many favorites like "Chica Banda", "Chilanga Banda" and "La Ingrata" while also integrating some material off their newest album Sino. The crowd went wild as they waved flags, danced around, "heckled" the band (a playful show of respect) and sang every word. What surprised me the most was seeing a decent amount of gringos who knew all the words. Thank you very much, KCRW.

From there it was off to the Sahara tent to see nerd dance superstars Hot Chip. While they certainly blew away the crowd with their beats and electronic gizmos, the crowd was so damn big that I could only hang out way in the back. No matter, as there was plenty of entertaining people dancing on the grass to keep me interested (see the picture of the dancing scarf guy).

Afterwards it was time to make my move to the main stage. I knew Kraftwerk would have a sizable, but not enormous, crowd so making my way straight to the front wasn't a problem. I had one goal and it was to get up close photos of German robots, followed by some great shots of Portishead and Prince.

Kraftwerk played a wonderful set, which isn't hard for them since 99% of everything they do on stage is pre-programmed anyway. Nonetheless, the crowd was treated to a history lesson of the origins of modern dance and early hip hop in the form "Trans-Europe Express," "The Model," "Computer Love" and many more favorites. As is to be expected, ze Germans treated us with wonderful video screen visuals and even an appearance by real German robots. As many people who know me can attest, I have a soft spot for robots.

After Kraftwerk's dazzling set, the second most anticipated moment of the weekend was finally here, the first US performance by Portishead in over 10 years. Playing half old material and half selections from their new album Third, the Bristol trio seemed very comfortable on stage and sounded exactly as good as I hoped they would. Beth Gibbons showered us with her amazing voice, all the while looking as if she would cry at any moment(yes, she is every bit as sad in person as her lyrics suggest). Geoff Barrow worked on the Mini Moog, drum machines and turntables like the mad scientist we all think he is; and Adrian Utley strummed away on his guitar creating a lethal combo of understated melodies and metallic noise. The performance proved to me that Portishead deserves every bit of praise that critics bestow upon them.

Speaking of deserving high praise, the Main Event of the Coachella Music Festival came about 50 minutes after Portishead exited the stage in the form of Prince. To say this man is talented performer is and understatement. The man is Sly Stone, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix all rolled into one.

From the large cast of characters that joined him on stage (including Morris Day, Sheila E, a full brass section and backup singers), to the theatrical guitar solos and the epic song medleys, every second of Prince's performance was a spectacle. On top of that, he managed to play well past the festival's curfew (he ended at 1AM, curfew is midnight) and even covered Radiohead's "Creep" and the Beatles' "Come Together." Also, did I mention he played "Purple Rain"? PURPLE FREAKING RAIN!

In the end, after everyones' faces had melted from the memorable performance, it seemed like the consensus was that the night Prince played Coachella was among the seminal moments of the festival's history. For me, it ranks as the best I had ever seen (and I've never missed a Coachella), just ahead of the legendary Daft Punk and Pixies performances.

Kraftwerk "The Robots" - Coachella 2008 from Ivan Juarez-Mrazek on Vimeo.



Portishead "Glory Box" - Coachella 2008 from Ivan Juarez-Mrazek on Vimeo.



Prince covers "Creep" - Coachella 2008 from Ivan Juarez-Mrazek on Vimeo.



Prince "Purple Rain" guitar solo - Coachella 2008 from Ivan Juarez-Mrazek on Vimeo.
>>>Continue reading "Coachella Music Festival - Day Two"

Another HUGE Surprise Added to the Coachella Lineup?

So today I checked the LA Times' website to view the latest news and I was greeted with an earth-shattering headline under Entertainment News that read "Prince to be Added to Coachella." After picking up my jaw from the ground and texting my friends in excitement, I decided to write a post all about how Goldenvoice pulled another rabbit out of their hat and, in a scant 5 days, have revitalized the Coachella lineup into one of their best ever. . .then, I read the revised version of the LA Times story that now includes the following:

Correction: Coachella co-producers AEG Live have responded to this post. Brandon K. Phillips, CEO of AEG Live, writes in an email: “Paul Tollett, the head of our Goldenvoice division and our partner in the festival, just called to tell me that the LA Times put on their blog that Prince was playing Coachella. This is absolutely not true… Regardless of what the Times was told, there is no commitment from Prince to play Coachella.” Stay tuned…. this is the Purple One we’re talking about, so anything could happen.

OK, so now I am slightly pissed. I would be more angry if it wasn't for the fact that the LA Times has a pretty good record not reporting lineup additions unless they are 99% confirmed and that Paul Tollett is pretty sneaky about announcing late additions (remember 2006 when Kanye West was 'announced' when set times were posted?). So, I am choosing to temper my reactions until more news comes forth and take solace in the already-strong portion of the lineup that is confirmed.

>>>Continue reading "Another HUGE Surprise Added to the Coachella Lineup?"

Aphex Twin Added to Coachella. Suck on That Bonnaroo!

As predicted, additions have been made to the lineup for the Coachella Music Festival. Analog synth God Richard D. James, more commonly referred to as Aphex Twin, has decided to come out of hibernation and join the fun in the Desert for his first US appearance in over 6 years.

Along with Goldfrapp (who was also added this week), Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Holy Fuck, Kraftwerk, Justice, Sasha & Digweed and Fatboy Slim, the addition of Aphex Twin makes this one of the strongest years in the festival's history for electronic acts. If you like your live music with tons of button pushing, knob twisting and laptops, then this edition of Coachella is a dream come true.

While Mr. James and Goldfrapp aren't enough a draw to cause a significant uptick in ticket sales, they do add an element of 'must see' appeal to the festival. Especially since James is notoriously so reclusive from live performances. Having him make a triumphant return to the US should go over well with the rabid message board users who request his presence on the lineup every year. Now, all Paul Tollett has to do is coax the even more reclusive Boards of Canada out of exile to cement his God-like status to the message board faithful.

I, for one, would be the first to organize a celebratory parade for Tollett if he could pull off such a feat, but I am realistic enough not to expect such fantasies. For now, Aphex Twin is more than enough to raise my level of excitement through the roof.

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Bonnaroo Lineup Fails to Blow Us Away

Two weeks ago the unveiling of the 2008 Coachella  Music Festival bill was met with much criticism from music fans across the world. Many thought the absence of a long overdue reunion (say, My Bloody Valentine) or a true 'superstar' headliner (namely, Radiohead) indicated the festival had "jumped the shark" or "lost its edge." Nevermind that the quality of the acts is as strong as in year's past (especially among the second and third tier acts), many fans have expectations that are virtually impossible to fill. Call it the price of success or the consequences of an increasingly crowded pool of competing festivals worldwide, but the fact remains that Goldenvoice has set a standard for Coachella that is as high as any festival in the world.

Yesterday the folks at Superfly & AC Entertainment lifted the curtain off the lineup for their Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and quickly learned what backlash feels like. The main headliners Pearl Jam, Metallica and Jack Johnson don't quite carry the importance or must-see factor of the much rumored Led Zeppelin. Furthermore, the inclusion of Metallica is sure to anger Bonnaroo's core base of concertgoers who view the festival as the standard-bearer of freethinking musical happiness (read: hippie jam bands) for festivals across the the country.

Indeed, such criticism is similar to the outcry of die hard fans of the Coachella Message Board, who feel Goldenvoice "owes" them a lineup with far-fetched band reunions (seriously, how many millions does Morrissey need to turn down before people stop spreading the Smiths reunion rumor?) and notoriously reclusive artists (Boards of Canada and Prince come to mind) every single year. While it is always great when these mega-festivals can up the ante each year, such an expectation is simply impossible. Not every legendary band will reunite for the right price (Talking Heads and The Velvet Underground ain't gonna happen. Pink Floyd is a longshot) and not all artists are receptive to the idea of sharing the spotlight with 100 other acts when they could easily cash in with a nationwide tour of their own (U2 and Bruce Springsteen).

Because of the immense success enjoyed by the two festivals over the last few years, a "letdown" was bound to happen sooner or later. Eventually, most of the big time artists would have played one festival or the other at least once, leaving very little room for big surprises. I'm sure Superfly and Goldenvoice tried their damnest to get the likes of Led Zeppelin, My Bloody Valentine, or Outkast to sign on to their events, but sometimes money isn't enough to pull these things off. Instead, we as music fans should focus on who is there rather than who isn't. Any objective look at each festival's complete bill will yield many artists to get excited about, so why can't we just embrace all the good music ahead and stop all the negativity? 

*Photo courtesy of flickr user Fen Branklin

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