Coachella: Day 3

• Author: Mike
• Filed under: Music, Travel
• Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2007

One day into Coachella and I was ready for another week of it - way too much fun. Two days into Coachella and I wondered how much more of it I could take - the desert sun was beating this pasty faced fat man like an early-90s Drederick Tatum in ‘The Bout To Knock The Other Guy Out’. With Sunday being the most loaded day of the Coachella Festival, I figured that all the negatives had passed and I was in for an incredible day of music.

It makes it so hard to think that everything that follows is the 100% truth.

Juan advised for an early start and told me to be ready at about 11am, so I made sure to set up a wake up call in time to get breakfast. I got up at about 8:30 and tossed on the previous day’s clothes before heading downstairs for cinnamon rolls and juice. I grabbed a couple of bagels, being careful not to get them suck in the toaster and took the stuff back to my room. After eating I had a shower and worked out what to wear. I figured most people would be wearing RATM gear so I decided against it and rocked up in my ‘Legendary’ The Roots shirt.

After eating I headed to Ralph’s to get some more bottled water and a disposable camera. While waiting in line to pay I overheard a great conversation between an older women complaining about all the out-of-towners at some local cafe with their tattoos and piercings. I kept to myself not wanting to laugh before getting out of there.

At about 10:45 I went downstairs to wait for Juan. 10:50 came around.. no Juan. 11am and with Juan still not around so I got on the phone only to get his message bank. Shit! I decided to go upstairs since I could sit in the air conditioned comfort and call him. Juan continued not to pick up hone phone for the next two and a half hours, allowing me to watch a hockey game and realise I’d be missing out on Lupe Fiasco (and Tapes’n'Tapes, as it turned out). When Juan was still MIA I called a local taxi firm only to find out that it would be at least 50-60 minutes for a taxi to come my way, just what I’m after. Juan eventually is contactable and says that he left his phone in his card, and from the sounds of it he didn’t really didn’t want to go, but after insisting he said he’d be around in about 45 minutes.

True to his word, Juan was sitting in the back passenger seat and looked pretty out of his mind. Up front were friends Dan and Ray. Juan looked super trashed and explained that Javier and him fought all the way home, before Juan kicked him out (and took his third day ticket). I’m guessing that the whole bottle of Bacardi was finished that night as well. Juan attempted to sell his ticket at any stop off, almost doing so with a cop car nearby which would of been bad news for everyone involved. After parking Juan attempted to sell his ticket without success, and we all walked towards the gate where Juan continued. After about fifteen minutes I told him that I wanted to go inside and left him to sell his ticket (he ended up getting rid of it about half an hour later).

Walking towards the main stage post-rock outfit Explosions In The Sky had just started their set and I took a patch of grass to lie down and enjoy the tunes. If there was any band more fitting to the festival at 3:30 in the afternoon, it was EITS. The only thing odd about their set was that they played song into song into song, with no interruption from band members to chat or applause from the audience, just like listening to a cd (but in better conditions).

Afterwards I headed to the lockers to grab some sunscreen and took some time to check out Rodrigo Y Gabriela. They sounded quite good, but the lack of finding a decent spot for them meant that I left, heading back to the main stage for a group I was really looking forward to seeing - The Roots. I’ve heard plenty of Roots bootlegs in the past but they really don’t do this band justice, forget about them just being a hip-hop band, they are a great band full stop, taking the time to play a mixture of hits from previous albums along with a few covers in a medley including MIMS’ This Is Why I’m Hot and Rich Boy’s Throw Some D’s On it, along with Black Thought singing Bob Dylan’s Masters of Wars over Star Spangled Banner. It also featured what seemed like the world’s longest jam clocking in at around ten minutes. The only downside to the show was that I fell asleep/blacked out for at least ten minutes, between The Next Movement and another song. I checked my wallet, checked my phone and was off to the next act.

Not wanting to be with the hipsters in the Mojave seeing CSS, I headed to the Outdoor Theatre and caught British rock act the Kaiser Chiefs. The band were fairly good, but it was obvious that the heat were affecting the band members. It was a shame that the crowd didn’t take to them any better as well, as hearing them singing along with I Predict A Riot might have fired the band up.

Afterwards, I had the choice of seeing either Jose Gonzalez or Klaxons - two acts I wanted to see, so I decided to go back and fourth between the two. I caught the first three or four songs of Klaxons right up to their first single Golden Skans and was shocked how well they went down with the Americans - an informed crowd for UK dance but not for UK rock? I tried to see Jose Gonzalez, but the lack of a good viewing spot combined with the sound bleed from other stages caused me to leave pretty quickly.

I took a break to grab a very average Philly Cheesesteak (should of had pizza) and then walked over to see the end of Placebo playing in the Outdoor Theater. I was quite upset - the band were great and I should of caught their entire set. I couldn’t be bothered standing for Air and decided to grab a spot on the grass to the right hand side of the stage. The wait for Air was longer then expected, I was able to listen to Crowded House play a best-of set from the main stage. Air started over half an hour late and in the process lost half their fanbase, playing a very short five song set finishing with Sexy Boy (and not announcing that the song was their last), which upset me to no end. All I wanted was All I Need! Hopefully I get to see them play a longer set in the future.

I walked over to the main stage, grabbing a drink and decided to empty out my locker before Rage Against The Machine. I figured that there were going to be plenty of people going to their lockers post concert and I wanted to make a quick get-away post-RATM. Plenty of people were surging towards the Coachella Stage and it was clear that most of the audience was here for this reunion. I decided to hang back near the exit figuring I wouldn’t have a chance of getting to the front this late.

After visiting the merch stand and picking up a very cheap poster pack from the previous festivals. Then Rage came on stage, and the sound.. it was just crazy. The crowd blew up with Zack’s simple words “We are Rage Against the Machine from Los Angeles, California” before jumping straight into Testify. Rage Against the Machine’ set for the most part was identical to their final concert in Los Angeles. The band sounded incredible, you wouldn’t of known they had broken up. Zack only spoke once more, saying that the current administration should be trialled, strung up and executed. Powerful stuff in what was a powerful show.

With Rage ending, I made a break for the car figuring everyone else would meet me there. The crowd were rushing out following their set but many people had already left while RATM were performing. Ray made it first back, and we had a chat about Rage and Teddybears, who from the sounds of it were even better then Rage. The other two guys finally got back to the car and it was time for the long trip back to the hotel room. Juan managed to be even more out of it then earlier with the weather and crowds taking a toll on him. We stopped at a Jack In The Box for food, before getting dropped off at my hotel. I said my goodbyes and thank-you’s, and headed upstairs for a few hours of sleep.

All over. Despite all the dramas, Coachella 2007 was an incredible expierence that I soon won’t forget and one that I want to re-live in 2008. It was 2am and given I was getting picked up at 7:15, I had to head straight to sleep. I set a wake-up call for 6am so I had enough time to pack my gear up, shower and eat. Nothing bad can happen from here.

Or can it..