Retro-Garage, Proto-Punk, Rock-Boogie, Glam-Rock, Alternative Hip-Hop ?

May 5, 2002 8:05 PM

Retro-Garage, Proto-Punk, Rock-Boogie, Glam-Rock, Alternative Hip-Hop ? From the NY Times [reg req] review of the third annual Coachella Art and Music Festival in Indio, California "...with music slightly further out on the cutting edge than predecessors like Lollapalooza and the Woodstocks of the 90's." Is so much "new" stuff really going on, or is this just reviewer's fever?
posted by Voyageman (10 comments total)

"and the Woodstocks of the 90's"

hahaha! funny as hell.
posted by jcterminal at 9:10 PM on May 5, 2002

Chemical Brothers? Oasis? Bjork? Foo Fighters? The Prodigy? Where exactly is this "cutting edge" of which the author speaks? (Not to put down said artists, but these are established names with established sounds, not up-and-comers or bands taking their sound in different directions.)

All in all, Coachella sounds mostly like a bigger version of Lollapalooza circa 1991-93. Which is by no means a bad thing, but if you're looking for actual newness, you'd best be looking somewhere else.
posted by monosyllabic at 9:16 PM on May 5, 2002

sounds like the unlimited sunshine tour! modest mouse, the flaming lips, de la soul, and cake :)
posted by kliuless at 6:09 AM on May 6, 2002

I was there for both days, and there were some great acts, albeit not the most cutting-edge.

You have to look a little further down the artist list to find the gems. Blonde Redhead, Folk Implosion, and Belle and Sebastian are college radio staples, and there were some newer interesting bands like Zero 7, Herbert, Elbow, and the Vines.
posted by waxpancake at 7:00 AM on May 6, 2002

Slightly more cutting edge than most over-priced rock festivals, but with enough acts like Queens of the Stone Age and the Mars Volta, I'd have gone to see if it were more conveniently located. The reviewer seams a little over zealous in describing just how amazing everything is. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that this may soon fall into the commercialized stagnation that has been the downfall of so many other rock events.
posted by ddmmyyyy at 7:41 AM on May 6, 2002

I was there both days, and no, this is not a case of reviewer's fever. Sure, there were big names to draw a crowd, but I'm sorry - when was the last time you saw the boundaries pushed in so many different directions? We're not trying to hear P.Diddy and Sting, we're coming strong with Mos Def and Black Jack Johnson. Never heard of 'em? You will. And is there anything remotely mainstream about The (International) Noise Conspiracy? Check the manifesto inside their liner notes.

I saw the line-up, and drove 8 hours from SF just to catch the Rock Steady Crew warm up for Cut Chemist, after I saw him catch a wreck with Jurassic 5ive the night before. Okay, if you want the alt.It band, make sure to pick up the Strokes album (it was pretty much played note for note in their set), and it's not like you'd honestly expect the Foo to come with the new sound, but it's not about Discovery with them, it's about good old-fashioned, air-guitar in your bedroom Rock.

This is about as reliable as it comes for a good festival with plenty of surprises, and isn't that what you came here for? Oh, that's right - I forgot. You weren't there...
posted by birddog at 9:49 AM on May 6, 2002

I was at Coachella last year and it was absolutely amazing. I sincerely doubt the reviewer is over-stepping anything in his praise of the event. Though they took the ridiculous step of confiscating all lighters they could find at the front gate (I somehow got through with mine...making me a very popular person throughout the day and evening) but made no effort to stop anyone from smoking anything, they do run a near perfect show there. I'm not sure I could've handled two whole days of it (which is why I didn't go this year...well, that and I wasn't as fond of the lineup), but all in all, Coachella beats out even the first Lollapalooza.
posted by xochi at 9:59 AM on May 6, 2002

Why does the author keep putting "the" infront of just about every band name. It's not "the Jurassic 5", it's Jurassic 5. He/She did the same thing with Prodigy, Cut Chemist, and Mos Def...

Speaking of which, how many fucking bands in Mos Def in?
posted by SweetJesus at 3:25 PM on May 6, 2002

I also attended Coachella last year (unfortunately I couldn't make the trip down to Palm springs this year), and it was an amazing event. I say this having seen more than a few festival shows -- from the very first Lollapalooza in 1991 to Moby's Area:One in 2001. I've also attended a number of other outdoor festival events like Burning Man, and weekend-long psytrance events like those of GoaGil's

For a large-scale commercial event, Coachella is pretty darn tight. At last year's show Mos Def (hip-hop) and Roni Size (drum'n'bass) were two of the most powerful acts I saw perform, and I didn't even initially plan to see either of them. I think that's the great thing about these types of large-scale festival shows, you will get a chance to see bands you might not otherwise buy a ticket for. I was also impressed to see some cool interactive art projects mingled between tents on the grounds at the Empire Polo Field (where Coachella is held). It's certainly not Burning Man, but there were some neat projects. Finally, the desert location makes a dramatic setting. There are mountains and palm trees in the background and the night sky looks amazing.
posted by popvulture at 3:34 PM on May 6, 2002

Sweet Jesus: Actually, it is "The Prodigy". But I see your point-- Old music "naming" habits die hard.
posted by Down10 at 4:42 PM on May 6, 2002