Where does Prince fall in the spectrum? He headlined last year. Or the Red Hot Chili Peppers who have headlined a few times? I really don't have a big "they don't belong in Coachella" chip on my shoulder. I'd be up for seeing Paul, even if it was just so I could lay eyes on the man and hang around for a few classics.

I'm excited about Fleet Foxes, Crystal Method, Peter Bjorn & John, seeing Ghostland again....but mostly excited about the bands I have never heard and will undoubtedly discover at this event, as I do every time I go.

Hey Madonna came to Coachella - anything is possible

Anything? Even a Yanni/John Tesh set?

No, no, it's not a chip. It's just really Paul McCartney is so fluffy imo, he just sorta stood out as, ya know, like America Sings in Tomorrowland.

Madonna did, too, btw. I'm not knocking that. I'd love seeing either of them. Just a little too PoP for what I consider a more gritty music festival ... with the admitted caveat that I'vE NeVEr BeeN to IT!!!


So Paul doesn't belong at my IMAGINARY Coachella. I leave it to you with vast experience to determine his appropriateness at the real thing.



Just to be clear, I heart Paul McCartney. He's a freaking BEATLE.

It's a rarity, but I wholeheartedly agree with iSm including the post above about loving Paul and wanting to see him.

The Crystal Method are downright nice guys, too.

I thought this was gonna be the year I'd get to Coachella, but I'm probably more likely to get back to Burning Man :D

Dig, iSm. That's pretty much the same way I feel about it.

Sure, it's possible. And if it happened, I'd just go to another stage, or take a food break (far away).

I think what is hard to get unless you go is that there are five stages, 2 of which are gigantic outdoor craziness, and 3 tents, one of which also qualifies as gigantic (2 are merely Huge, I suppose). There are also booths for stuff, booths for food, beer gardens, enormous art installations, water stations, and acres of space in between. It's easy to get away from a certain set and go find something else, and when you get to that destination stage, it's like you've entered another arena, with its own fans, its own style, its own vibe.

Even when the main stage has freaking Roger Waters or Prince and a gajillion people going nuts, you can run to the other side of the fields and not hear that anymore (which is insane considering the loudness of it), and there are still thousands of other people to bump into and dance with to some other completely different scene. It's like going to the other side of the world.

So yeah.

Willie Nelson was there last year (or the year before - they all blend together these days).


As for the heat - it's been as hot at 104 and as cool as 95 - if you consider 95 cool.

Willie was a couple years ago. But that had a specific marketing reason, they were trying to get some crossover between Coachella and the Stage Coach Festival.

We've finally made up our minds, we're going. Found a good deal on a hotel suite w/kitchen. It won't be quite as decadent as the house rental last year, but finances are tighter and the price was right. It's an Extended Stay America. I know the location, seen the hotel driving past, looks like a nice enough place to sleep and cook breakfast in.

I'm hoping that by us covering the cost of accommodations my sister will be able to join us. She's been unemployed for a couple of months and with a 1 year old is obviously watching expenses. Since we'd be staying in the hotel either way, it's no skin off our teeth to let her have the sofa bed, and would be much more fun to have her along.

Now all we have to do is buy tickets. I'm expecting they won't sell out by Sunday, so to save the price of an official Coachella t-shirt, we're probably going to swing by Fingerprints in Long Beach to buy tickets instead of giving TicketFvcker money.

I'm just about through my first pass on Friday's lineup. I'm keeping track of acts I like and don't like with a color-coded spread sheet. I'm already confused.

And you're a geek :D