I’m pretty sure there was an episode of dosje x about hipsters once upon a time, though I can't quite recall what their final verdict was on the whole lot of them—it makes me wonder if there's even any defense against the subtle, subconscious way they might be messing with the brains of pure music lovers... Do hipsters even watch dosje x? Is my neighbor actually one of them? I really have to wonder what the future holds for humanity if hipsters are just allowed to wander around among us unchecked...
$100 On one hand, it feels like way too much just for New Order, but then again, the DM was always more than that, and we did end up waiting an extra year for them anyway... So yeah, I still haven't really made up my mind... I just hope those hipsters don't manage to snatch all my money before then...
I mean, what are we even doing here? Suddenly, everyone is acting like New Order’s drumming is this massive thing you can't ignore, especially if you're looking at them as a reason to go... But what's the move now? Do we just grab tickets solely because they're on the lineup, or do we skip this one and just cross our fingers that they'll decide to swing back through the States for a solo tour sometime down the road...
Just finished watching it on PBS. It’s definitely a cult classic. I’ve never really been into the goth subculture myself, but I totally get why they weren't the only ones losing their minds when this movie dropped—the story, the set design, the soundtrack, and then you have that whole tragedy during filming... It’s just one of those movies that you just don't see being made anymore these days...
Man, AT&T is doing such a terrible job lately that after laying off 450 people, they actually had to pull out of this festival too... maybe now T-Mobile can finally step up and take over, since they're the only ones left who haven't tarnished their reputation yet.
But honestly, it would be such a shame if we ended up without this festival, no matter how much some people complained about it or how messy things got—like those geniuses handling the gates last year—because even with all that, it's the only reason bands like these ever bother flying out to the States instead of just skipping us entirely...
briskhawk40 said:No, the festival wasn't perfect, but if you can't find anything positive at all from the whole experience (personally, I found great company, an awesome vibe, seeing Grinderman, hanging out in Central Park, and even some great weather along with my own good luck), and if you truly had such a miserable time, then maybe next year you should just stay home...
I'm not going to comment on the rest of those nebulous trolls because it seems like the moderator's hand is a bit heavy-handed lately, stepping in the second it looks like the boring daily grind of this forum might get shaken up even just a little bit, kind of like how I see police cruisers unnecessarily patrolling the highway every five minutes or so...
But how did you jump from me being critical about autographs on covers to concluding that I actually had a bad time this year? I already mentioned that I managed to catch everything I wanted to see, and getting six top-tier bands for $100 an amazing deal is hard to beat, especially compared to when I last went two years ago, and if it weren't for those minor hiccups with the wristbands and the scheduling overlap on the second day, it would have been flawless... So, unlike plenty of people here who were genuinely bashing various parts of the festival, I actually praised it and said I'm already looking forward to next year, so why you want to turn me into some frustrated, angry forum warrior just because I'm not a fan of the autograph situation is really up to you, and instead of handing out advice to everyone else, maybe you should take your own advice...
Hey moderators, I promise I won't disturb the peace and harmony around here anymore...
Look, if you’re going to go ahead and lay all your private business out there for the whole world to see, you really have to expect some feedback, and surprisingly, not everyone is going to be cheering you on... If you aren't prepared to handle the criticism right alongside the praise, then maybe it's just not worth doing at all, it's really that simple...
Nicholas Walker3 said:Oh, everyone does it... but honestly, even a kid doesn't get excited about someone else's jealousy...
Calling negative opinions "jealousy" is easily the most tired, fake argument used on this online forum by people who just don't have the mental bandwidth to build a real point...
And what exactly am I supposed to be jealous of? The fact that his covers are ruined by some messy autographs from a guy I care about so little that I didn't even bother watching the first 45 minutes of his set—and I don't feel bad about missing it either?
I've never been one for idol worship, so getting an autograph from Nick Cave doesn't impress me any more than getting one from Maja Morales...
What’s the deal lately with all these websites making it impossible to actually download images? I noticed they started doing that over at CNN too...
And honestly, it makes me pretty happy to see that every single review I've come across agrees that TV on the Radio put on one of the absolute best sets at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. No joke...
Here’s my breakdown and some thoughts from day two:
1. Elemental - really solid set, the band sounds tight and well-rehearsed, plus they bring way more energy and a different vibe than what you hear on their albums. Even those romantic tracks that I usually can't stand actually sounded great in a live arrangement... It's just a shame they played during the day because it's impossible to get that nighttime atmosphere when the sun is still out. This was my first time seeing them live and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised...
2. TV On The Radio - hands down the best performance of the whole festival, honestly they totally outshined Arcade Fire. They didn't rely on studio tricks or effects, instead they just leaned into this raw energy that translated beautifully to the crowd (which was surprisingly huge considering CH and Mastodon were playing at the exact same time). It was loud, danceable, and creative, topped off with an incredible purple light show. Kyp was absolutely perfect on guitar and with his banter—especially when he said "We want to come back" after the third or fourth song. Their track "Repetition" completely blew the roof off; that gritty sound that isn't even in the studio version (which isn't even in my top five tracks from the new album anyway) just sent the crowd into a frenzy. It’s a bummer they didn't do an encore since the set was only 80 minutes, but overall, no complaints here...
3. The Streets - definitely the most fun set of the bunch. Live rap isn't always a given, especially when the lyrics matter more than the beat, but Mike made up for everything with his stage presence, and the band really worked hard to translate that electronic album sound into a live performance. Between "Go Low," the crowd surfing, and that one guy jumping into the audience, it was priceless. I originally thought about staying for just an hour before heading over to see Grinderman, but once I saw how things were going, I just had to stay until the end. Props to Mike... you might have stopped being "cool" on the records somewhere around 2004, but live, you've still got it...
4. Grinderman - if you miss the first 45 minutes, it's pretty tough to find your groove in the set, especially once most of the heavy hitters have already been played. But it didn't matter too much, the 45 minutes I did catch were loud, noisy, and interesting, particularly watching Nick and Warren messing around on stage. I'm sure the people who watched the whole thing were happy, but coming right after TVOTR and The Streets, Cave and the crew left me feeling a bit lukewarm, mostly regarding the music and the playing itself, even though it was incredibly loud. I'm sure Grinderman will tour the US again, and hopefully next time they won't overlap with such interesting acts so I can get a more objective take...
Despite some organizational hiccups, this has been my favorite festival experience so far, maybe even better than the one back in 2009. I managed to catch everything I wanted to see, and the only real regret is that Grinderman and The Streets overlapped, even though you could technically see bits of both if you moved around (though it's not quite the same thing). It’s nice to see that after a whole year of nothing but pop hits, jewelry ads, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and that kind of nonsense, we can finally get back to our roots. It shows that in a place like Washington, D.C., you can still gather a respectable crowd of people who actually care about current, creative bands and artists. Even though the organization left me a bit frustrated, I'm already looking forward to the next one...
Since we're already talking about Intervention—how did it actually sound to you guys? I was feeling pretty miserable because of those wristbands, so I think that might have made the performance seem way worse than it really was... things definitely seemed to pick up after that set though. Any objective takes out there?
1. Honestly, I’ve got to vent about the organizers because they only set up four measly stations for the wristbands. They knew perfectly well that with such a messy schedule, there was going to be a massive rush right before Arcade Fire hit the stage, yet they did absolutely nothing to prepare... It would have been so much easier if they just handed them out while checking tickets instead of wasting everyone's time with that clicking mechanism. I showed up to the entrance around 9:10 PM and ended up stuck in a miserable half-hour crawl just to get that thing...
2. By the time I finally made it to Sprawl ii, I was about thirty minutes late, and honestly, I was so frazzled that Arcade Fire didn't even sound that special at first. Weirdly enough, the songs from Funeral sounded like their best stuff live, even though that's usually my least favorite album of theirs. Toward the end, though, everything just clicked into place, and if you ignore that one careless and totally unnecessary comment from the American representative, you could really say they lived up to being one of the best rock bands out there today. My only tiny gripe is the lack of an encore; they really could have come back for just one more song, just one... That’s part of the whole concert experience, the thing that separates a live show from a studio album and why people bother showing up in the first place. I get that festival sets don't give a band much room to breathe, but if Jamiroquai could pull off an encore, they could have too...
3. Took a little breather with Burak som sistem before Jamiroquai, but man, what a disaster. We were all listening to their Essential Mix on Stojedinica about a month ago before heading out this Saturday, and they were playing such incredible music back then. This production of theirs wasn't even close; it was just cheap beats and effects with three guys—not being racist, mind you, I'd say the same if they were white—just churning out some random tunes... What a mess.
4. Jamiroquai was surprisingly good, even though they weren't even on my "must-see" list. They're such a huge band, lots of funky improvisations on most tracks, pure funk. Jay Kay was cool as always. It was a great cross-section of their whole career, though I really missed hearing Virtual Insanity. The final track, Deeper Underground, was absolutely killer live, and the same goes for Love Foolosophy. All in all, a pretty awesome set, even though I rarely listen to them outside of the radio. And hey, they actually found it easy enough to come back for an encore. Oh, and it was pretty hilarious watching all those people who clearly have zero sense of rhythm trying to keep up with Jay... Seriously, for every white guy who actually knows how to dance, there are a thousand others who have no clue...
It’s probably just because they're the cheapest tickets available... I honestly feel like it doesn't even matter where you sit for a show like this since he'll be so preoccupied behind his synthesizers anyway (unless he decides to pull out the laser harp)... I'm guessing the acoustics will be at their best somewhere in the middle, so I think I'll just aim for a spot in the center of the floor.
I really hope Madison Square Garden finally gets some use after sitting idle for so long... although, while I’d much rather see a different lineup of electronic legends, having Jean-Michel Jarre show up is definitely a win. It’s just a bit of a bummer that tickets are going on sale so soon when money is tight lately, especially since they might sell out before anyone can grab them... this could easily end up being the second greatest show ever held at the arena, right up there with Depeche Mode.
Sent the email, though it didn't turn out quite as much of a hate rant as I originally intended, since at the end of the day you actually want people to read what you have to say rather than just deleting it after an opening "screw you all"... I’m urging everyone else who’s unhappy to send one too, and while it probably won't lead to anything, it doesn't hurt to try, right?
Jessica Young30 said:Respectfully, I'm not sure if you realize that people were buying tickets specifically for the handful of big international acts, not because they were looking to see someone like Luka Belani or Goribor. Because of that, I really don't understand the criteria used for the set times, since it feels like the local regional artists—who most of us find a bit grating anyway and could easily catch at any club in the country without needing the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to be in town—are getting more favorable slots than the headliners who are visiting Washington, D.C. for the very first time, or maybe even their last... Why force fans to choose between seeing Cypress Hill, TV on The Radio, and Mastodon versus Grinderman and The Streets, when you could just move one of those big names to an earlier slot or even the day before so that everyone gets to enjoy the show...
I haven't really said anything until now because I honestly thought $100 was a pretty solid lineup for seven bands... but this latest scheduling move is just a total mess. How on earth do you manage to have Verizon and the Main stage acts overlap completely for the two final performers on day two? And before that—and all through the day prior—it’s just a complete void. This isn't even about musical taste or what people like; if you're only bringing in a handful of major international acts, the least you could do is give them their own dedicated slots. As it stands, it feels like Luke Skywalker and some random local indie band are getting better treatment than four of the headliners on the second day. So now I'm stuck choosing between The Rolling Stones, who are making their big debut in New York City and have two incredible albums under their belt, or The Killers, who are basically stepping away from the spotlight and this is almost certainly their first and last show here... If it starts raining on top of this, the whole thing is just going to be a disaster...
Do you guys think it would actually do anything if we flooded them with hate mail regarding the set times?
I am honestly so thrilled that Mastodon is the only metal band on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup this year, because it’s going to force all those narrow-minded metalheads who can't handle anything else to either skip the festival entirely—please, let them choose this option—or shell out a ridiculous amount of cash just to see one single act. As for the rest of us, who don't have an issue switching gears from garage rock to listen to some British hip hop (can you imagine the horror of experiencing two different genres in one weekend!?) we are going to have a blast...
