Weekend Review: Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

After rumors involving Radiohead and My Bloody Valentine, the announcement of this year’s Coachella lineup came as a bit of a disappointment.

Music bloggers and festival devotees alike flooded the Internet with scathing rants about the one-for-three billing of Jack Johnson, Portishead and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd. And then, out of nowhere, the festival’s main poster featured something almost heavenly: a gigantic Prince symbol.

But even with the addition of the legendary guitarist/entertainer/sex symbol, attendance at this weekend’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival paled in comparison to that of years past.

During the days, dilute crowds lazily shuffled through the grounds of Indio’s Empire Polo Field, seeking shelter from the hundred-degree heat. But concertgoers had to brave the sun, the sweat and the hordes of hipsters in Speedos in order to take advantage of the festival’s two outdoor stages and three tents. It paid off. Daytime performances meant smaller crowds, more intimate sets and better photos. They meant faster set changes and more appearances from diverse, critically acclaimed bands such as Battles, Jens Lekman and Vampire Weekend on Friday; Man Man, Cold War Kids and Steven Malkmus on Saturday; and I’m From Barcelona, The Field and Gogol Bordello on Sunday.

The event’s best performers ““ for the most part ““ waited for sundown. Friday night showcased the talents of Diplo, Aphex Twin, Black Lips, Fatboy Slim and, of course, Jack Johnson, who performed a slew of beachy acoustic songs that motivated half of the crowd to sing along and the other half to go to bed. Saturday night arguably featured the most impressive lineup, with sets by Hot Chip, Islands, Yo! Majesty, Portishead and the phenomenal, over-the-top Prince.

Unfortunately for many concertgoers, though, electronic trailblazers Kraftwerk shared a time slot with two equally appealing artists: crowd-pleasing programmer and vocalist M.I.A. and every blogger’s favorite band, Animal Collective. Tough choice. Sunday’s decisions were easier, though, with evening spots from My Morning Jacket, Black Mountain, Justice and Pink Floyd’s creative mastermind Roger Waters, who drew an audience of all ages with his classic concept album, “Dark Side of the Moon.”

With a lineup like that, the complaints seem unfounded.

One thing that received nothing other than rave reviews, though, was the festival’s collection of unconventional installation art. “The Do Lab,” a ring of brightly colored, organically shaped tents, attracted hundreds of visitors at any given time. It appealed to both the tired and energetic with a combination of dance music, shaded resting spots and misters. Nearby towered a graceful metal treehouse and a massive sculpture of two contorted gasoline tankers, and the festival outskirts featured a variety of interesting light-up and sound-producing pieces.

Whether they spent their time singing along with bands, gazing at installation art or people-watching, Coachella visitors certainly couldn’t complain of boredom. This year’s lineup may not have featured the likes of Radiohead or My Bloody Valentine, but with Prince, Roger Waters and dozens of incredible lesser-known acts, the initial lineup letdown only made the show’s success even more remarkable.

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