I got the alert today that my Coachella wristbands are on the way.
To prepare for the 2017 edition, here is a playlist of some of the songs I’m looking forward to. This is in no way a complete list.
BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE
I love this band and it was a great performance when they played in 2013. They were actually on against Phoenix, who was the Saturday headliner and that was a tough decision.
But New Order represents my college days and I just love the band. And Bizarre Love Triangle was the soundtrack of those days.
Whenever I hear it, it just makes me happy.
WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE
So anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I love Grouplove. I especially love the song “Shark Attack” because it was written and inspired by their first appearance at Coachella, which I caught.
But they have an impressive catalog of songs that I love, including their latest.
The energy they bring to their performances is infectious. I’ve caught them numerous times and haven’t ever been disappointed.
ON HOLD
I know the XX has been around and I’ve followed them peripherally, but their latest CD, “I See You” has really hooked me in.
“On Hold” isn’t necessarily my favorite song on the CD, but the sampling of Hall and Oates’ “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” that I didn’t recognize immediately … or actually until I Googled it.
HIGH AND LOW
One of the most visually dynamic bands out there. Again, I didn’t follow them closely, but the first song from their newest CD, “High and Low” hooked me in immediately.
These guys are a staple in the Sahara tent, but it will be interesting if they will be back there again, or on a bigger stage, which would also mean a more elaborate stage set.
That would be fun.
CHANGE OF SEASONS
Two Door Cinema Club’s last performance at Coachella was one of my favorites. The band has a dynamic sound, starting with Alex Tremble’s voice.
They’ve changed their sound for their latest CD, so it will be interesting to see how it will play out on stage. But their new stuff is solid, even if it is a bit of a departure.
“Bad Decisions” is my favorite from their latest CD, but since I featured it in a previous blog, I went back a few years for “Change of Seasons,” a really great song.
RIVER
A new voice that is big and bold, I’m really looking forward to seeing Bishop Briggs. She’s low on the lineup sheet, but feels like a chance to see a future star.
I think her song “River” really captures her dynamic range.
SAFE AND SOUND
Great sound and great energy. When I saw Capital Cities at Coachella, there was a moment when I thought this might be the best set I saw that year and was right up there with the best I saw.
That thought same when they played “Safe and Sound.”
I just remember I couldn’t sit still and I don’t think anyone else could.
When Coachella announces it’s lineup, the last few years, it’s been met with disappointment.
As the leading music festival in this country, expectations are high, maybe too high.
I look at this year’s lineup and it’s impressive, yet I still feel disappointed.
Having said that, I’ve been disappointed when Coachella’s lineup has been announced the last few years, but I still go and have a good time.
The headliners are strong with Beyoncé, who will be performing for the first time as an act and not a guest. Radiohead is a longtime Coachella favorite. And Kendrick Lamar is on the brink of surpassing superstar status.
No doubt, Coachella will do well with ticket sales and buzz.
It also didn’t help that BottleRock Napa Valley announced it’s lineup, with Foo Fighters, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Maroon 5 are the headliners. It’s a matter of tastes, but I’m more excited about those headliners.
But for me, I go to Coachella with an open mind. What usually happens, I’ll find bands I didn’t know much about and fall in love with them. And acts I was so-so with, I’ll fall in love with.
The truth of the matter is Coachella has been evolving and expanding it’s reach, having made hip hop and EDM more of a staple over the years. With the broader base, there will be less bands I really love that will fill the line up.
But that’s cool.
There’s still enough bands I love, as well as a few new ones I’m really anxious to see. If I go with an open mind, I’m sure there will be an act I will fall in love with and it might change my tastes yet again.
So here’s a few of my highlights after seeing the 2017 lineup.
HANS ZIMMER?: If Coachella was going to book an act that is famous for scoring movies, I figured it would have been former Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman.
Zimmer has done the score of countless epic movies, including “The Lion King” and “The Dark Knight.” He’s even teaching an online “Masterclass” online for $90.
I always imagine that if Hans Zimmer does something, it would be with a huge orchestra in a venue like the Hollywood Bowl.
But this could be a very cool show.
It reminds me of when producer Mark Ronson performed at Coachella. While he doesn’t sing, he had a great show with tremendous guests.
A WOMAN, FINALLY: Beyoncé becomes just the second woman to headline Coachella, following in the footsteps of Bjork in 2002 and 07. It’s surprising it’s been a decade since Coachella had a female headliner.
But Beyoncé will be a spectacular way to end the drought. She stole the show at last year’s Super Bowl, and “Lemonade” was her latest monster hit.
It won’t be the first time Beyoncé has performed at Coachella, as she’s been a guest for several acts, including husband Jay Z during his 2010 headlining set.
It also brings up this interesting tidbit. Will Beyoncé’s appearance bring out the Obama family as President Obama has bought a home in nearby Rancho Mirage? They have been friends and Beyoncé and Jay Z were at the White House frequently.
Here’s a look back at Beyoncé performing with Jay Z at Coachella, singing “Young Forever.”
CATCHING THOSE I MISSED IN 2012: So at Coachella, be careful what you eat. In 2012, I had something that forced me to leave the evening session, forcing me to miss some much-anticipated acts like Radiohead and Bon Iver.
Luckily, both are here this year.
But I did get one reprieve. Thom York was at the Ace Hotel the following weekend, and he was DJ-ing on a Friday prior to his Weekend 2 performance the next day.
Another band that I wanted to catch but missed was Bastille, as they played a tent that was so overcrowded I couldn’t get in. Hopefully they’ll be on the main stage this time.
WELCOME BACK: Bands who had some of my favorite sets will be returning, particularly New Order, Two Door Cinema Club, Capital Cities, GroupLove, Local Natives and the Head and the Heart.
Living in the Palm Springs area, going to Coachella is fairly easy since I don’t have to make travel arrangements. And thank God I don’t have to camp.
So going to Coachella has become an annual event. This is my look back at 10 of my favorite shows from my first 10 times at Coachella, which runs from 2003, and 2007-15. I did not include any from the 2016 show, but you can find my recap from those shows on the links below.
The first show I ever saw at Coachella and they had me hooked. They have the punk rock spirit I love and it’s just great Rock N Roll.
Their logo was “Your new favorite band,” which has been true since I’ve seen them play.
Lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist at one point yelled to one of the other stages to quiet down or he would kick their asses.
Guitarist Nichoulas Arson might be the most intense guitarist I’ve ever seen and he can really shred. He also brings a lot of charisma to match Almqvist.
They would also play again in 2012, and that was a great show, where they came out in full tuxedos and their roadies were dressed as ninjas. But I got caught in a mosh pit, which I’m too old for. But I’ve seen them several times, and dragged many of my friends to catch them. They never put on a bad show.
A chance to watch a Beatle, and McCartney put on an amazing show that exceeded my expectations.
How McCartney continues to kick ass at his age is really amazing. I wasn’t blown away because he was able to perform so well at an AARP age. I was blown away by the showmanship.
He was on another level.
There were three moments during the show were McCartney dedicated songs to important people in his life: John Lennon, George Harrison and his wife Linda.
The day of the concert marked the 11th anniversary of the passing of Linda.
Later that year, there was the release of the Beatles’ Rock Band video game, and several of the graphics were used during McCartney’s show.
As the years go on, I gain even more appreciation for Paul. He was my favorite Beatle, and someone said he’s the keeper of the band’s music by performing live. I never thought about it that way before, but it’s very true.
I was captivated by Winehouse the moment I saw her sing “Rehab” on David Letterman. She was a lot of fun and had a classic sound.
This was right before Winehouse blew up, so she played in a tent, and she rocked the joint. My friend was tripping out at the male backup singers, who were a lot of fun.
I remember on Letterman, Winehouse was in this little black dress and looked elegant with her beehive. At Coachella, it was cutoff jean shorts and a wife beater, but still the beehive. Kinda awesome.
She was a lot of fun and such a great voice.
Wow, it was just special. I’ve been to Coachella 10 consecutive years, and Winehouse was the first in this run.
On 2010, there was a volcano that forced several European bands to cancel because they couldn’t get a flight.
Luckily, the French band was already in America, but their lighting people didn’t make it.
So before the show, they apologized, but said they will do their best.
Well, we didn’t miss the lights because they put on a fantastic show.
They performed on the Outdoor Stage, so this was before their 2013 headlining set.
I have always said I love energy bands, and they generate it. But it’s not overt. They intrigue me with their certain je ne sais quoi.
VINTAGE TROUBLE (2013)
A rhythm and blues band that shreds so hard, you would think they’re on a mission from God.
Not a lot of people know them, but their music is fun, fast and furious.
They’re a great live band led by Ty Taylor, a force as a front man.
It’s old school and their kind of music is the roots of everything we love.
MARK RONSON (2008)
No one had any idea what this show was going to be line. Mark Ronson was just known as the producer of Amy Winehouse’s breakout CD “Back to Black,” and wasn’t a singer.
What he put together was a stirring show of jazzy, bluesy and soulful numbers
Joining him on stage were a bunch of great singers. One that stuck with me is Sam Sparro, as it was the first time I heard his hit “Black and Gold.”
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (2015)
I saw Florence two times at Coachella, but picked her most recent performance because of her surprising effectiveness.
I had tickets to Weekend 2, and the week before she had broken her foot jumping off the stage.
So Florence did her whole show from a chair, and was a captivating show. It’s also a testament to her voice and songwriting.
One of the surprises was her having Father John Misty as they sang, of course, “Love Hurts.”
One of my favorite bands, this was their debut at Coachella. Playing on the main stage, Fitz and the Tantrums captivated in support of their debut album.
I had caught them several times, and each time, they gave a great performance. I really admired the professionalism of the whole band to insure the put on a great show each time because they toured a lot. But the energy was always high.
This was at the tail end of their touring to support “Pickin’ Up The Pieces,” their debut CD. It was during this show where they gave a sneak peak performance of “Out Of My League,” which would be the first hit from their next CD, “More Than Just A Dream.”
CAPITAL CITIES (2014)
The energy was crazy for this set.
Capital Cities came out in colorful blazers, belted out numerous danceable hits and had a trumpet player that was fantastic.
They were so fun.
Honorable mentions: CAGE THE ELEPHANT (2009), SHE AND HIM (2010), WOLF GANG (2012), TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB (2013), NEW ORDER (2013), GROUPLOVE (2012), MADNESS (2012), HOCKEY (2010), FOSTER THE PEOPLE (2014), AC/DC (2015), JACK WHITE (2015), HAERTS (2015)
Ginn & Topics 