saturday at coachella

The heat is really crazy.  You need to keep seriously hydrated.  The kids went back and forth to the festival earlier in the day but we opted for the later time period.  We got to the festival around 630 and started off with a little something to eat.  The lines were pretty long even in the VIP area.  I'd love to know how many 3 day VIP passes they sold. 

Here is the caramelized onion mushroom pizza.  Good but not great.  We lounged on the grass, ate our pizza and listened to Broken Social Scene. 


Next out was Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes.  I am a huge fan.  We went backstage but honestly except for the fact that it is not crowded the viewing isn't so great.  You are behind the stage so you really can't see the performances and because the speakers are pointing towards the audience, you can't hear that great either.  Here is my view.  We decided this was not the way to see the rest of the shows for the evening.

Mumford and Sons came out after Bright Eyes and we went up front and a little off to the side where it wasn't ridiculously crowded.  Although people were smashed trying to get into the area we were standing in.  You have to show your different wrist bands which lets the security know where you have access.  Mumford and Sons were fantastic.  Their voices, their songs...love.

Animal Collective was the next out.  We basically stood at the Coachella stage the whole time.  I like Animal Collective but don't love them.  I found my way back to the VIP area and hung out with Josh, Emily and their friends and Fred stayed front and center at the stage.  I saw Jessica back there too.  The texting situation is sub-par because their are so many people on their phones the entire network slows down so it isn't so seamless finding people. 

Arcade Fire was the band of the night coming on at 1120 and playing until 1am.  I had left Fred back in the front where we saw Mumford and Sons.  Josh and his friend finagled their way in there during Animal Collective.  Once Arcade Fire started I decided to get up there too.  Not so easy.  I had to smush myself through a throng of people trying to get past security.  Claustrophic would be the proper definition here.  Then once I got in I had to push my way by weaving and bobbing through the tight crowd all the way to the front.  People don't really love when people push them out of the way to get closer to the front.  I know, it is something I used to do when I was much younger and have not done in years but for some reason I felt compelled last night.  My last bob and weave was where Jessica was standing and when she saw me she laughed out loud.  I ended up spending the entire concert, off center, standing in the front row.  It was pretty damn awesome.  Arcade Fire is so good and they are so appreciative of their fans which puts them even higher up in my book.

They launched the balloons during their last song ( prior to their 3 song encore ), Wake Up, which is one of my faves.

Long day.  On the way back we took our new short cut where there is a ladder against a wall that goes into the development we are staying in.  We all hauled ourselves over the wall and to the ladder on the otherside.  A worthy shortcut taking about 20 minutes off our walk home.