April 26, 2008

Not melted yet

Updates from “the field” (meaning, an air-conditioned AT&T tent with free laptop use at Coachella): Yesterday’s highlights were a terrific set from The Black Kids, an overwhelmingly intense experience with The National, and The Verve sounding just brilliant — better than I could have hoped after ten years apart. Hearing those epic-feeling opening notes of Bittersweet Symphony build and crest under the stars and the light tent, with a few thousand fists pumping in time, was a concert moment I will remember for a very long time.

The set from Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip yesterday evening was thrilling, with their intelligent wordplay and beats that get under my skin. It was difficult to tear myself away from the tail end of their set, but hard choices must be made all the time. Such are the difficulties of trying to line up all the acts on the grid and not miss anyone; there are so many many good choices. I’ve just arrived for day two, and already Saturday is hotter than Friday was, but I am holding my own. It’s not bad at all. Yesterday as a whole was perfect, a rousing success; this is a great great festival.

My camera is charging unattended in the press area while I trust in the basic goodness of other journalists not to steal it; I am hoping to try and pull the pictures off it later. If my little viewfinder is any indication, I am going to have some really amazing pictures to share with you all soon. Today holds Carbon/Silicon, Man Man, DeVotchKa, Cold War Kids, Stephen Malkmus, Cafe Tacvba, Hot Chip, Dwight Yoakam, Rilo Kiley, M.I.A., Islands, Animal Collective, Akron/Family, and, of course, a closing set from the one and only Prince — depending on how motivated I am to run from tent to tent. That’s the game plan for now, though.

Coachella = fantastic!

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7 Comments

  • go see Kraftwerk! I caught them at the Fillmore in Denver on Wednesday. Amazing show, totally different concert experience.

    Slush — April 26, 2008 @ 4:33 pm

  • Tell us more about The National – what was it that was so intense about them? I only ask as someone who’s been astounded by them 4 times live. I just want to see if you can put into words what I felt about seeing them!?!?

    pdh1978 — April 26, 2008 @ 5:20 pm

  • It sounds like you missed last night’s Raconteur’s set. Instead of going out and enjoying my Friday night I recorded their set and posted it over my blog:

    http://mysticchordsofmemory.blogspot.com/2008/04/everybody-sees-and-everyone-agrees.html

    Hope you and your readers enjoy the music. Don’t forget to put on sunscreen on out there. There isn’t enough aloe vera in the word to make any concert enjoyable once you’re sun burnt!

    Honest Abe — April 26, 2008 @ 7:05 pm

  • OH you get to see Stephen Malkmus! I’m so very envious.

    KT — April 26, 2008 @ 9:13 pm

  • RE: “My camera is charging unattended in the press area while I trust in the basic goodness of other journalists not to steal it…” Maybe it was safe that time, but… Ha Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha HaHa Ha Ha. HA.

    Anonymous — April 28, 2008 @ 12:42 pm

  • Can’t wait to hear your take on Rilo Kiley.

    The Station Agent — April 29, 2008 @ 12:13 pm

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Bio Pic Name: Heather Browne
Location: Colorado, originally by way of California
Giving context to the torrent since 2005.

"I love the relationship that anyone has with music: because there's something in us that is beyond the reach of words, something that eludes and defies our best attempts to spit it out. It's the best part of us, probably, the richest and strangest part..."
—Nick Hornby, Songbook
"Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel."
—Hunter S. Thompson

Mp3s are for sampling purposes, kinda like when they give you the cheese cube at Costco, knowing that you'll often go home with having bought the whole 7 lb. spiced Brie log. They are left up for a limited time. If you LIKE the music, go and support these artists, buy their schwag, go to their concerts, purchase their CDs/records and tell all your friends. Rock on.

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