Coachella Music Festival 2013

I went to Coachella this year with low expectations.  Anytime I hear a load of buzz about something, I figure that the sheep are at at it again, baa baa baa about something new.  Aside from getting in and back out (it's a long and difficult process, have patience), it was one of the most fun things that I've ever done.  It's like a combination rock concert, cocktail party, fashion show, and art installation.

For three days (12-hour days), I stood with friends and ate and drank and listened to some of the best live music I've heard in a long time- OMD, New Order, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (my favorite), Rodriguez, Violent Femmes, Youth Lagoon, Stars, Divine Fits, Alt-J, Modest Mouse, La Roux...I think you get the picture.  The light shows with each performance was amazing, lots of space to move around and dance, and the crowds are very friendly.

When you get tired of the music, you can stroll around the Polo Grounds, taking in the major art installations: a midcentury moder-esque house with images projected on it at night, a HUGE lycra snail that creeps about the grounds after dark, a hippo-operated powerplant, and a praying mantis/crane/dj booth. 

The food is pretty great for a large-scale festival (over 80,000 people attend): Taiwanese bao with fried chicken, Pink's hot dogs, paella, french fries with a garlic aioli and crab meat- I spent a lot of time eating!

The best part of this whole thing is that everyone is SO YOUNG.  It's a whole new generation of people coming to Palm Springs to have a great time, and taking all these memories of their fun back home.  It's so great that this next group of really young people have re-discovered the magic of the desert.

I can't wait to get my tickets for next year!