Since the writing delay has been entirely too long we will jump right into thoughts about Coachella Day 2.
Destroyer: With temperatures reaching 106 degrees, Destroyer breezed through a set of songs mostly from their excellent 2011 album, Kaputt. The lounge-y saxophones and soft rock harmonies were a perfect accompaniment to the oppressive heat, but it seemed strange that Dan Bejar, one of the elder statesmen of literate indie rock, was relegated to a side stage in one of the day's first time slots.
Azealia Banks: Azealia Banks, a highly blog-hyped cross between Lil Kim and M.I.A., was a huge letdown. Only playing slightly over half of her allotted 40 minute stage time, she didn't seem ready or polished enough for a big league Coachella performance. She did bring the energy and got the crowd going with her performance of "212" but as recent post-Coachella single "Jumanji"proves, Banks has a lot more to offer.
tUnE-yArDs: I was excited to see if Merrill Garbus and company's live show sounded more like their low-fi debut Bird-Brains or their more polished 2011 release W H O K I L L. With Garbus' expert usage of a sampler, her voice and instrument were looped and manipulated with the music sounding eerily similar to W H O K I L L's dense, layered sound. Maybe because much of the tUnE-yArDs music already sounds as if it is unraveling and spontaneous, their sound translated amazingly well to the large outdoor environment.
Powa - Tune Yards by CaballeroDeMartin
Jeff Mangum: The reclusive, legendary Jeff Mangum's performance played out the only way a Jeff Mangum show can, perfectly. At the beginning of the show an announcement was made to please refrain from taking any photos or video, and the large video screens on either side of the stage were blacked out, a refreshing break from the sensory overload of most shows. Most of the show was just Mangum accompanied with his guitar and voice (and a brass section on a choice few songs.) The most significant stage banter was Mangum checking in on the well-being of a front row fan who had apparently fainted from the days' oppressive heat. Fans were plentiful, singing along with the man who's strange little songs were so influential to so many, though I heard a few oblivious passerby's turned off by the stage setup and Mangum's voice. But watching the sun set behind the outdoor stage where Mangum sang those strange little songs could only remind all those singing along, that moments like this are what music festivals are all about.
The Shins: With a new lineup in tow, one of the mellowest main stage acts, James Mercer's group played all the old hits (The Shins are stuck playing "New Slang" at every show for the rest of eternity) and almost all of their new album Port of Morrow. The guitar work of new guitarist Jessica Dobson stood out, and Mercer's voice specializes in filling empty space, fitting for the wide expanses of Coachella's main stage. A solid show but as is the problem with many similar indie-rock/pop/folk groups, The Shins live performance, though mellow and enjoyable, doesn't bring anything new to their recorded songs.
Flying Lotus: A virtuoso DJ, Flying Lotus debuted a bunch of new material at Coachella, much of it significantly different from his previous work. Obviously a highly technical electronica musician, Flying Lotus' new cuts were much more hip-hop influenced, sampling Waka Flocka, Wayne, and The Throne before reinventing them beyond recognition.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor: A personal favorite of mine, I was shocked that Godspeed had one of the smallest crowds of any performance I saw the entire weekend. The groups instruments were set up on stage in a large circle, and members individually came onstage and added their instruments to the opening song, "Hope Drone," while videos played on a projector behind the band. Godspeed's calling card has always been the incomprehensible amount of emotion behind their vocal-less post rock, and that emotion comes through in a very epic way when the band performs live. With so much going on at the festival most shows felt right clocking in at 40-50 minutes but, through no fault of the band or schedulers, Godspeed's show felt restricted by time constraints as they were only able to play four (amazing) songs after their intro.
Radiohead: One of the most impressive aspects of Coachella (other than the lineup and atmosphere) is the production quality of the headlining acts. Though not a sensory overload like Swedish House Mafia the night before, Radiohead's setup was almost as impressive, with giant flat screens suspended behind the band. Between song these screens shifted into different positions and during songs would project different artsy videos of the group members playing their instruments. Radiohead played a balanced set of old and new songs (6 King of Limbs, 6 In Rainbows, 2 Hail to Thief, 2 Amnesiac, 2 Kid A, and 3 OK Computer). As the biggest rock band in the world, Radiohead are no stranger to playing such overwhelming crowds, leading to a refreshingly loose and energetic set. While reunion bands work out the kinks in their live show, young bands overcompensate energy for quality, and solid bands are emotionless and tight, Radiohead nailed their performance (despite? partially because of?) Thom Yorke's creepy new pony tail.
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| Azealia Banks |
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| Flying Lotus |
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| Radiohead |
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