Coachella - A 1 Day Review (in two parts)

Best laid plans... on to the pre-review story.


Finding myself in Southern California on Wednesday for work, imagine my shock when I turn on KROQ and realize that this is Coachella weekend. Luckily I was planning on staying with my friend Nick in San Diego for the weekend enabling me to head out to the desert on Saturday to finally catch the event I've wanted to see since Underworld was listed on the original 1999 line-up.

Unfortunately work obligations has me sidelined Friday and on a plane Sunday but though it was fleeting my first day at Coachella was awesome.

Of course nothing can ever go 100% (or even 75%) smoothly...

Issue #1 - Ticket:

Usual suspects were consulted and I quickly realized that people were rabidly snatching up eBay auctions at crazy high prices. Since this was never planed in the first place and I had a couple days to spare I just scanned the market. Most repytable auctions were hovering just over the $100 mark but I also wanted to see what Nick's price point was.

Issue #2 - Work:

Turns out on Friday that Nick couldn't go so I started earnestly trying to get 1 tix. Sent a dozen or so emails and a couple calls thanks top craigslist and came up with zilch.

Issue #3 - Alcohol:

Being done work and in San D, naturally I wasn't going to let a minor thing like a ticket to a huge desert music festival hinder of a solid night of drinking in Pacific Beach. So a swordfish dinner, a $20 margarita (tasted the same as a $5 one), the worst cover band ever and several rounds later we got back to Nick's place round 3AM. Naturally I wasn't going to let a minor inebriated state hinder the quest for a ticket to a huge desert music festival. So I hopped on every cali craigslist page from the bay to the border and sent out another dozen emails or so and set my alarm for 8:3f....something AM. Woke up to some responses and researched craigslist in a state of partial consciousness. I happened to stumble onto a guy selling a 1 day pass and a VIP wristband for $125 and it was posted 10 minutes or so before: SCORE! Emailed, called, made arrangements to pick up in Palm Springs and hit the road.

Issue #4 - The Tab & Footwear Situation:



Of course, my check card was still in Pac Beach with the tab I had forgotten to settle...D'oh! So back to PB to wait for the place to open to get the car to get back on the - wait... I need a pair of sandals as my feet will be dying in the heat otherwise. And what is right next to the bar but a Sketcher's store with a spring sale. So I get the card, get the shoes, make a sizable withdraw and get out of SD by 11:45 or so putting me way behind. CHiPs must be slaggin' cuz the road was filled with speedy kids headin' to the desert and I only spied 2 cops the whole ride.



So I get to Palm Springs, pick up the tix in 111 degree weather (seriously people live out here?), stop for hydrating and sun-blocking supplies and get onto the show...or at least the line of traffic to get into the show. After all that I'm in Coachella at 4pm and off to catch Hot Chip.

Actual fest review is on the way.

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Hot Hot Heat - "Haircut Economics" - An early track from boys which hints at the great things to come but this is punkier, more dark-wave.

The Desert Fathers - "Pitbulls" - This must be the sound of a bad trip in the Mojave - still has a catchy hook...huh. If you dug the Man Man stuff I posted last year this should also be right up your alley.