Past INmusic Festival lineups & sets (Archive)

Alexander Cruz32 said:I think I saw on the official site that there's a shuttle running from Hargrove's area to the island for free for anyone 18 and up.

I'm not really sure who you were talking to, but that bus actually was running, and it wasn't a Madison Square Garden vehicle.

Asked my buddy, and he said there were like 5 or 6 security guards at the entrance and people just wandering around near the main gate by the parking lot—even the guy working the ramp—and absolutely nobody had any clue about the shuttle buses. It would’ve been way easier if they’d just put up a sign, a schedule, or even just a basic notice somewhere.
But whatever, I don't want to be that guy complaining—the Pixies totally saved the night, they were legendary. Too bad I never caught a Deal set, but this was still incredible.

Yeah, they really should have posted a schedule or something.
I just happened to stumble upon that bus by complete accident.

The Pixies absolutely crushed it; they left such a massive impression without even saying a single word to the crowd. 😬 I thought MGMT was pretty great too, I guess.

All things considered, I'm satisfied, though I was already expecting the organization to be a bit of a mess. 🤷

And why weren't The Black Keys any good?

So, I finally bit the bullet and made it out to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.. 😍 Honestly, Foals were such a killer live set. I’m already itching to catch them again somewhere. The Black Keys were decent enough in person, I guess, but they just don't really do much for me as a band—kind of hit or miss. Such a bummer I couldn't stick around for the third day to catch MGMT, though. All in all, it was a pretty solid festival! Had a blast 😍

Donna Young66 said:I mean, I wouldn't have even been able to make it out for the third day to see MGMT.

Trust me, you didn't miss a damn thing.

Andrew Gomez40 said:you didn't miss a thing

Honestly, I mostly showed up to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival just to catch Foals—I couldn't make it for all three days, unfortunately—but even with that, the whole thing was pretty killer. 😍

I honestly have no clue what MGMT actually sounds like on their studio albums because I’ve never bothered to sit down and listen to them, but man, seeing them live was a total letdown. It’s like their live shows are just completely missing that spark—kind of like how their name feels like it's missing a few vowels or something. Just feels incomplete, you know? 😁 Honestly, it was totally uninspiring—just bloodless, hollow, and incredibly boring. You can't even use that terrible sound system everyone’s been trashing as an excuse for how lackluster this was. It’s like Dragaš would say: just plain mediocre. Honestly, Jagwar Ma and Digitalism completely blew them out of the water. Sure, those two might be your typical, cliché "druggy" indie DJs, but at least they cranked the volume high enough to make the windows rattle on buildings a mile down the road.

The Pixies were incredible. I honestly thought Frank would be totally winded after thirty minutes, but they completely caught me off guard.

The Black Keys were decent enough. I hadn’t actually heard much of them before this Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival set, so my expectations were pretty low. They definitely need to work on their stage presence and atmosphere, but as far as the music goes, I’ll certainly be revisiting a few of their albums.

MGMT was solid; since I didn't have high hopes going in, they didn't disappoint. On the other hand, The Fratellis were just boring—they don't have any real hits, and that scruffy frontman lacks the charisma needed to make up for it. Honestly, festivals should stop giving prime slots to mediocre relics from the 2000s alt-rock scene. They aren't all that great, and let's face it, indie and alt-rock have mostly fallen out of fashion.

The logistics were hit or miss, the food selection was subpar, and the price of a single beer was absolutely ridiculous. I suppose asking them to provide an adequate supply of hot dogs and rain boots would be asking too much.

Look, people are all different, and who am I to tell anyone how to enjoy something they paid good money for? But those idiots drinking out on the lawn—there’s a trash can literally two feet away from them, yet they're just sitting there surrounded by plastic waste. I truly don't get it. Obviously, you aren't going to go hunting for a bin in the middle of a concert, but if you're a mile from the stage and you don't give a damn about being polite, you can at least toss your cup toward the trash. By Wednesday, it felt like I was hanging out in a landfill.

So, how were Wolfmother and Flogging Molly? Now that I’m actually looking at the setlists for the bands I was planning on seeing, I'm starting to have some serious second thoughts... might be a bit of a letdown.

Donna Young66 said:I finally made the leap and headed to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Foals 😍 put on a great live set. I can't wait to catch them again somewhere. The Black Keys were good live, but they just don't grab me as a band.

I actually went for The Black Keys—it was my first time seeing them, and while everyone else was complaining about how mediocre they were, I had a blast. In the end, I discovered Foalse instead. 😍 I haven't stopped playing "Holy fire" since I got back from Washington, D.C.

Andrew Roberts3 said:How were Wolfmother and Flogging Molly? Now that I’ve seen the setlists for the bands I actually wanted to see, I’m feeling a bit of regret.

Flogging Molly was their usual self—solid and fun. Dave was even tossing Guinness to the front rows. 😁
I really wish they had played "The Likes of You" again; from what I can tell, they hardly ever touch it anymore.

Wolfmother is a disaster. Personally, my biggest disappointment on the main stage (and you have to be truly desperate to let management let that happen). I wasn't expecting much, but being such a blatant Zeppelin and Deep Purple carbon copy without adding a single shred of their own identity is exhausting. At least the lineup from Airbourne last year actually went wild and tried to make an impact. These guys just seemed content sounding like a 70s tribute act and calling it a day. Pathetic. 🙄

crimsonangler77 said:I originally went just to see Keys—it was my first time seeing them live, and honestly, everyone kept complaining about how mediocre they were, but I actually had a blast before ending up discovering Foalse instead. 😍 I've had "Holy Fire" on repeat ever since I got back from Washington, D.C.

Right... 😉everyone else was there for B.K., but I was all about Foals🙂... I've been playing them nonstop too... can't wait for them to play somewhere nearby again. I'm still kind of reeling from it!😍😍😍

B.K. put on an amazing live show, but, you know, they’re just one of those bands that doesn't really leave an impression—just your standard overhyped, mainstream group. I mean, I'll say it again, their live set was great, though the sound system could've used a bit more punch.

Donna Young66 said:Haha.. 😉 I mean, everyone was there for TBK, but honestly? I was totally there for Foals 🙂.. I’ve been playing them on loop constantly... I am seriously dying for them to play a show near us again. I'm still kind of in a trance from it!😍😍😍

TBK had an awesome live set, but, you know, they're just one of those bands that doesn't really move the needle for me, I guess. They're just that standard, super hyped-up popular group. Like, I'll say it again, their live energy was great, though maybe if the sound system hadn't been such a mess, it would've been even better.

Yeah, the biggest issue with TBK was definitely the sound quality, and then, well, the band itself, I suppose. They're a killer band otherwise, though maybe they've just peaked and are past their prime now.

The organization is, as always, absolutely flawless. 🙄

That whole situation with the credit card receipts was basically an attempt to play people for fools. I actually took the time to read through the fine print on the first day, and it explicitly states in tiny lettering that you need to hold onto your receipt if you want a refund. That was it—no other warnings anywhere else. Now, once a group has had a few drinks, they start panicking about where their receipts went, only to realize the next day that if they don't present the original, they’re out of luck. One guy in my group almost... $167 The card was sitting there with zero balance, yet everyone somehow managed to spend themselves into a frenzy trying to drain it—I’m pretty sure that was exactly what the organizers were banking on. By the following day, even though it's the fifth day of the festival, they're acting like we don't all need every single receipt; just one will do. They’re playing the merciful card now, but honestly, if you've lost your receipts, you might as well grab one more round of drinks just to squeeze out a little extra profit for yourself. On the final day, of course, the generous souls in charge announced they'd reimburse everyone regardless of missing paperwork. How noble of them.

The cost of food and drinks has become absolutely ridiculous. $6.00I won't even get started on the food.
A bowl of noodles for about four bucks. A cocktail for five.

They couldn't even provide rain ponchos with the tickets, so now everyone's stuck buying them from scalpers at the venue. What a total disaster.

They actually confiscated my umbrella at the entrance, even though it’s barely four inches wide. It’s hilarious because people are literally stumbling off the pedestrian bridge into the water while intoxicated, yet they think a tiny umbrella is the real security threat. Luckily, the staff wasn't paying much attention, so I just tossed it into the grass and snatched it back the second the attendant turned her head before making my escape.

The staff is completely clueless about their own surroundings. I asked four different people where the press center was located—since it wasn't even marked on the event map—and not a single one of them had an answer, not even the folks at the information desk.

People’s selective outrage and the way they cherry-pick what matters is honestly exhausting. One day they’re obsessing over some high-end Rolling Stone camera gear, and the next, they’re refusing to let a friend hang out with an idiot. It makes no sense.

🙄

electricgull20 said:The organization, just like every year, was a total 🙄
masterpiece.
1. That whole thing with the cards? Just a blatant attempt to play people for fools. On the first day, I actually bothered to skim the booklet—and sure enough, buried in the fine print, it says you need your receipt if you want any money back. That’s it. It wasn’t mentioned anywhere else. Now, once a crowd has had a few drinks, nobody's exactly thinking about their paper trail, and then by day two, everyone realizes they’re screwed because they didn't save those receipts. One guy in my group had almost $167 left on his card and zero receipts, so he ended up treating us all until we were absolutely wiped out. (I’m convinced the organizers were counting on that, honestly.) By the next day, even though there are five of us, we don't all need individual receipts—just one works. So they act all merciful, but maybe instead of being "generous," they should just buy us another round with the money they'd save from our lost receipts. Then we’d actually be getting ahead for once. Of course, on the last day, the benevolent organizers announce they'll refund everyone regardless of receipts—how incredibly noble of them.

2. The food and booze prices are offensively high (Jay-Z $6.00, and don't even get me started on the food)
A tiny wok of noodles for thirty bucks. A cocktail for forty.

3. They couldn't even provide ponchos with the tickets, so people end up buying them from street vendors. A complete disaster.

4. They tried to confiscate my umbrella at the entrance, even though it’s barely 10cm wide. People are literally falling off construction scaffolding drunk into the water, and these guys are worried about an umbrella. Luckily, the staff at the gate weren't paying much attention, so I just tossed it into the grass and snatched it back the second the lady turned her head and we could make our escape.

5. The staff is completely clueless about where anything is. I asked four different people where the press center was—which isn't even marked on the printed map in the booklet—and not a single soul knew, not even the info booth.

6. The selective nonsense with security and how they pick and choose what to grab is just petty. One day I walk in with a Walmart camera, the next day they won't let my friend in because of some idiot.

🙄

Regarding the cards, I did see a notice saying you can actually withdraw money without a receipt after all.

As for the prices, they're festival prices. I don't get why everyone is acting so shocked. 🤷

They didn't take my umbrella; it was in my bag. It’s a little foldable one, even though I saw a massive pile of umbrellas being taken at the entrance.

And regarding the staff, everyone I talked to was perfectly polite.

My only real gripe would be that a huge crowd ended up stuck on that dead-end peninsula and had to backtrack because there wasn't a single sign pointing them toward the walking path. It's not like everyone knows Central Park like the back of their hand. They could have at least marked the shortcut to the bus stop, so people wouldn't have to trek all the way to the main station.

5. The staff is completely clueless about where anything is. I asked four different people where the press center was—which isn't even marked on the map in the booklet—and not a single soul knew, not even the folks at the info booth.

Look, hand on heart here, this kind of mess happens everywhere, even outside of America. Honestly, I think the press operations are always secondary to Live Nation.

6. The selective bullshit with people and just picking and choosing who gets what based on whoever they feel like is totally pointless. One day I'm allowed to bring my Walmart camera, then the next day they won't let my friend in because she's hanging out with some idiot.

The security guards are just thugs, there's no debating it. They should be dealt with one by one. Though, I guess if you're a journalist you might get a pass while she doesn't, so there's some twisted logic to it, I suppose.

electricgull20 said:one guy had almost $167 on his card but didn't have any receiptsdiv>

And who exactly told him to pad his card using someone else's pension instead of actually keeping track of his receipts? 🤣
But yeah, they're jerks, no doubt about it. The beer is definitely overpriced, too. If they weren't such morons, the crowd would probably spend twice as much instead of just loitering around the entrance like a bunch of losers.

They didn't have to give away the rain ponchos for free; they could have at least sold them. $1.75, they would have sold like hotcakes. Same goes for the boots. And don't even get me started on how they could have fixed that whole mud disaster. It wouldn't have needed to be everywhere; just fixing up the party tent area would've been plenty. Someone mentioned sand and straw, but when I was over in Austria once, they used sawdust. And huge rugs! Meanwhile, the main stage setup at Sziget uses those plastic interlocking tiles—honeycomb structure, honestly a brilliant solution.

Total amateurs after nine years in the game. Maybe that's their "surprise" for the tenth anniversary—acquiring zero-brainpower staff instead of booking a heavy-hitting headliner.

Well, at least they brought back the cards this year. And they finally brought back the program booklets; last year they acted like they'd never heard of them.

If people are complaining about the prices, they clearly haven't attended any major events in other European Union countries—or any big US festival designed specifically to attract international tourists. $6.00It’s actually quite reasonable; it’s easily half of what you'd be paying for something similar abroad.

The decision to ban umbrellas is a perfectly logical move—because I, along with everyone else, have zero interest in staring at someone's umbrella (or a thousand of them) right in front of my face. You wear rain ponchos to festivals. That's just how it works.

Most of the other criticisms are valid, though.

A smart, agile organizer would have stocked up on poncho sales since the weather forecast was known at least a week in advance—plus, they should have handled the cleanup of strategic areas better by looking at how others failed (it was a mess). As for the whole drama surrounding whether or not to ask for receipts when refunding cards? That was a predictable headache the moment I read their initial plan. Still, using cards is definitely a massive step up from vouchers or that absolute disaster we dealt with last year.

All things considered, both in terms of logistics and the lineup, this was one of the best Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festivals yet. Compared to some of the old issues we used to deal with, things actually functioned pretty smoothly this year. 🙂

My biggest gripe remains the "mother hen" treatment given to local acts. A regional legend like The Rolling Stones and Rivers Cuomo were given slots more suited for demo-tape beginners. When it comes to American bands, they mostly invited young, unproven groups—there wasn't a single heavyweight name that’s actually relevant this year (like The Pixies, for example). Everyone on the main stage got stuck with those early 5 PM slots where you're basically performing to an empty field. And that includes Gattuso, a band with three albums under their belt and actual reputation.

As for the music, Tame Impala absolutely crushed it and fit the vibe of the Secret Tent perfectly. The Black Keys were okay. For a headliner, anyway.

Did the notice about being able to withdraw cash without an account only pop up on the very last day?
They certainly had enough opportunities to squeeze out some extra profit from us.
I’m telling you, I read the fine print, but most people just don't pay attention to the small details. They should have used Walmart-sized signs at the reload stations and given a heads-up to the staff at the counters. IMHO 😉

If they aren't allowing Kanye West umbrellas inside, fine, but that's if they apply it to everyone. They can't just pick and choose based on who they feel like; it's just like the camera policy—I'm not a journalist, yet I strolled right in with a massive DSLR while my friend was stopped for her tiny point-and-shoot.

Selective enforcement isn't a great look. It's either everyone follows the rules, or no one does.

I wouldn't bother using an umbrella during a concert anyway; I'll need it for the ride home from the venue. Hopefully, we have enough common courtesy to not bother the people around us.🙂

The prices are laughably high; festivals abroad are wild, but people there tend to have higher salaries. I didn't find my money lying on the sidewalk; I work my tail off for every paycheck, so I value every single dollar. We all know what the standard of living is like here in America, so let's not try to sell watered-down Jay-Z for gold prices.

The staff might be polite, but they aren't particularly helpful.

Placebo has been announced! 👏🎉

https://www.coachella.com/lineup

https://www.facebook.com/LiveNation?fref=ts

I actually treated myself to a little early Christmas gift today, and honestly, things can only look up from here. With these new band announcements rolling in, I'm feeling pretty optimistic—especially since I’d gladly pay even more than the current ticket prices just to see $110 Placebo $77 perform live.