My First Coachella Festival: Tales from the Hot Pink Super Furry Diary (edited for grammar, and some content... So don't laugh!)
On April 6th, 2002, my love of rock music was renewed when I saw the once L.A.-based band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at Cane's Bar & Grill open for Spiritualized. I was very interested in seeing both bands, but was more unfamiliar w/BRMC (who I was excited about since I saw that they wouldn't be at Coachella). After the show, I was so impressed by their performance that I began reading more about them and really getting into their music. This research has given me some insight into their personalities, but most of it was through interviews or articles written about them. My own theories stretch far beyond what I've read, and I continued thinking up crazy ideas about them in the midst of the hugely impressive Coachella Music & Arts Festival.
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Day 1 - Saturday, April 28, 2002
12:58 PM - Here I am at Coachella! It's hot & I'm waiting on the grass while my brother gets our tickets. He doesn't feel like talking to me, so I've decided sit down and start my Coachella diary. Lots of good acts today. I?m most excited about Pete Yorn, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bjork, the Chemical Brothers, Folk Implosion, Cornershop, the Charlatans UK, the Beta Band, Cirrus, the Vines, Kosheen, and Groove Armada. Hopefully, I'll get to see all of them!
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1:31 PM - Princess Superstar (Coachella Stage)
A white female rapper who sings about babysitting for $6/hour? Totally fly! Really nice atmosphere while the band rocks out on stage. I can sit and enjoy the ambiance of the next song: pretty cool mix of rock & rap, she sounds kind of ghetto for a white girl - like Pink, but harder edged. Next song features some wicked scratching - really cool stuff, maybe I should check out her album...
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3:18 PM - meeting DJ Z-Trip (URB tent) & Beta Band (Virgin Mega Store tent)
Just met DJ Z-Trip and got his autograph, we thought it was Groove Armada. We passed by KRS-One rapping "ring-a-ding-ding" over & over while Citizen Cope doing something less interesting. Folk Implosion just finished - or are they still going? The Beta Band were cool, because they seemed so funny! They read and edited the article I brought about them, while doodling over other people. Right now we're waiting in line for Pete Yorn's autograph, I wonder if we'll see another performance? The tent Cirrus was in seemed too sweaty to enter. We saw Jason Bentley DJ-ing over at the URB tent and got lots of magazines and stuff from them.
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3:30 - 4:06 PM G bands: G Love & Special Sauce and Groove Armada
3:30 PM - G Love & Special Sauce are on the main stage right now, they have a funky sound - a little too funky for me. Another the white rapper - at least the music isn?t metal - the funk makes it a little cooler than that. Sounds like some good rhymes...
4:06 PM - Just met Groove Armada and got their autographs, they were nice. Unfortunately, Pete Yorn?s too popular and the line was cut off for him. There are some huge weird-looking instruments played by 2 (skinny) people called Mass Ensemble, very cool w/an unusual sound.
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4:42 PM - Cornershop (Outdoor Theatre)
Cornershop has started and they're pretty cool. They just started playing "Brimful of Asha" after playing a Hindi version of "Norwegian Wood," which was very nice to hear. I've been reading an article about Bjork & I think it would be cool to be like a rock music version of her. I could do some electronic music too... She's a music geek like me or vice versa, and we share the same birthday (November 21st). I got some nice close-up pictures of Cornershop, and one from the sound stage. It's getting really hot now, I hope the sun sets soon! Back to Bjork, when I first heard "Human Behaviour," I just had to know who she was. She spent time in punk and new wave bands before going solo, so I should also try being in some bands. I think Angel would be a great name for a band, but it most likely is taken. I could find a synonym. BRMC were the Elements before they knew that other bands used the name. This Cornershop song is pretty space-y and Indian-sounding, cool mix of styles. They aren't just singing in English right now!
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Pete Yorn (Coachella Stage) & The Charlatans UK (Outdoor Theatre)
5:41 PM - Pete Yorn just finished his set, pretty good from what I saw - we didn't stay too long. We're waiting for the Charlatans UK, who are tuning up or their roadies are - I can't tell. Jacob's taking a nap, I already had one while Cornershop was doing their long closing song.
5:55 PM - Charlatans UK just started w/"Love Is the Key" - much better live, really loud & cool! This one they just started must be new because Tim Burgess is in falsetto mode - which makes me less interested in getting their Wonderland album, though I'll probably get eventually since I need to complete my collection. It's too bad the Charlies aren't more well-known. Cool, they're playing "Tellin' Stories" from the album of the same name, I believe. I love hearing how prominent the keyboards are in their music - it gives me some hope in becoming a keyboardist. Current song: "A Man Needs to be Told," must be another new song, and probably from the female perspective, given the title and falsetto vocals. Maybe the entire Wonderland album is from the female point of view because of the falsetto. Tim must really love his new singing style. Next songs: "Disco in a Day" and "One to Another," one of my favorites!
6:13 PM - "The Only One I Know" - great to finally hear this song in concert! Alright! Now they're playing "North Country Boy," yet another of their many great songs! Next, is "We're So Pretty" - kind of a darker sound for them, with spooky keys! I see a beach ball being thrown around up there. That song was kind of funky, got some people back here moving. Now, it's "Weirdo," makes me get up and want to be one! Last song, what could it be? "Sproston Green"... excellent! Yet another of my favorites - the Charlatans UK could easily play a show with all their hits alone, but they're always doing something new! How great they are, if only they could play longer. It's now 6:34 PM, they started late. Long closing song, love those keyboards (6:38 PM)!
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