Saturday of a Coachella weekend is a lot like freshman year of college. On the one hand, you’ve gotten into the swing of things, you know the terrain and have even built up a bit of endurance. On the other, you still feel fresh (at least assuming your friend didn’t convince you to take too many photos of Malibu at your campsite after Lana’s set) and hungry, not to mention thirsty, to boot.
More importantly, you haven’t yet begun to feel the impending sadness of the end of the weekend that inevitably arrives on Sunday.
In other words, it’s kind of a perfect venue for a festival (who doesn’t remember junior year fondly?). But even in the best of times, there can be bumps in the road. Like that time you thought it would be easy to learn French (it wasn’t) or you and your friends decided it would be fun to try to eat ghost peppers (it wasn’t). was not the case). But still, good outweighs bad and that was the case here.
So without further ado, here’s a look at our highs and lows from Weekend 1, Day 2.
Coachella day two highlights: No Doubt, Sublime and Blur reunion
The 90s dream was alive this Saturday at Coachella as most of the prime time on the main stage was taken up by not one, not two but three anticipated 90s reunions. Sublime started things off and singer Jakob Newell proved to be a more than capable replacement for his late father (if you closed your eyes, you might even have thought you were listening to KROCK circa 1997).
Next, Blur was fronted by Coachella member Damon Albarn, who continues to show little sign of slowing down a year after performing with his other band “Gorillaz” on that same stage. But the best was saved for last as No Doubt turned back time with an exuberant performance that showcased both the rebellious rocker side of Gwen Stefani that she seemed to keep secret in recent years and the impressive catalog of group successes. .
Coachella Day 2 high: the stands brought it
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone more excited to perform at Coachella than Jack Antonoff, who presided over one of the most energetic sets I’ve ever seen at the festival. But his energy was somehow matched by that of the saxophonists from Bleachers who joined him on stage for much of the show and almost seemed to be fighting for supremacy as they closed the show with “Don’t take the money “. No wonder Taylor Swift can be seen jumping backstage. Turns out Taylor has good taste in collaborators/friends.
Coachella Day 2 high: Vampire Weekend, but make it country
Vampire Weekend’s set brought a few surprises to Coachella this weekend. The first was that they showed up, as the set was a surprise addition announced on Tuesday. But the second came when singer Ezra Koenig joked that he initially wasn’t sure if the band was invited to play Stagecoach or Coachella when festival organizers contacted him, a clever way of introduce a mix of country with decidedly Vampire Weekend sounds. and bluesy songs that closed the show. But while it might not have been what we expected, it was a pretty cool way to end the series. Maybe Goldenvoice should call them about Stagecoach after all.
Coachella Day 2 Lows: A T-Painful Line
For myself and what seemed like a whole bunch of other people, the excitement surrounding the recent addition of a T-Pain set to Heineken House quickly died down as we headed over the stage to see a massive queue stretching to the end. return to the area in front of the outdoor stage.
About half an hour before filming began, word began to circulate in the queue that the room had reached maximum capacity and no one else would be allowed in. Goldenvoice, it seems, had largely underestimated how much interest remained in hearing early 2000s hits like “Up Down” and “Bartender.” Maybe they can bring T-Pain back next weekend (only a Weekend 1 set was initially announced) and put him on a bigger stage where his fans can enjoy “Booty Wurk” without worrying capacity issues.
Coachella Day 2 Lows: Still Too Much Conflict
Coachella may have built its reputation on rock, but there’s now no doubt that the festival’s offerings in that department have become thinner and thinner over the years. So I can’t understand why they scheduled three of the biggest names in rock, not just on Saturday, but the entire festival, to all play within an hour and 45 minutes of each other . Although ambitious (and fast-paced) fans would have been able to see the majority of all three sets, there was simply no way to see all three, which was surely disappointing for those still looking to rock’ n’roll. at the festival.
Coachella Day 2 Lows: No Guest Spot for Taylor Swift
OK, so it was pretty cool that Us Weekly pulled something off for once and the world’s most famous couple actually added the festival to their globetrotting itinerary (like the eagle-eyed fans in the crowd of Bleachers discovered it for themselves). And yes, even pop stars are allowed to enjoy a day at the festival without having to deal with the pressure of performing (although we doubt Taylor will feel much of anything at this point).
But if we’re being honest, we have to be a little disappointed that Taylor didn’t take the stage to join Antonoff or Ice Spice and create what would instantly become the most memorable Coachella moment since at least Beychella. But even though it looks like Taylorchella’s wait will have to continue, we won’t give up so easily: We hope Taylor enjoyed her time in the desert so much that she’ll return next weekend in a singing mood.
Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at [email protected].
