Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Archive)

The Hold Steady is top tier
!!! = absolute insanity and then some. just pure vibes.

thanks, 'Dena.

Kevin Chavez3 said:The Hold Steady... man, I don't even know where to start with them—just total chaos!

They sounded like absolute garbage when I was catching them from across the crowd... but once I actually moved closer and really locked in on the band, they totally won me over. Honestly, it’s more about their vibe than the actual songs—but who cares, right?

I knew you'd dig this. 😍

I was actually pretty stoked to see you finally show up to hear them—glad you didn't just hang out by the riverbank eating bamboo like a total weirdo. 😉

I've got a gut feeling that The Stooges absolutely loved playing in America—which means getting them back to play some smaller club gigs shouldn't be that hard. If we can pull that off, it would be such a massive win. 🙏

Hey, does anyone know if it's actually true that The Hold Steady got locked out of the Sheraton after kissing the doors?

Adam Moore said:Hey, does anyone know if it's actually true that The Hold Steady got locked out of their rooms at the Sheraton and had to spend the night on the street?

The guy was rambling about it during the set last night—but honestly, knowing his obsession with stand up comedy... I wouldn't bet money on it being true. 🤔

stormyviper11 said:"Nah, before Super Mario..."

Honestly, they're just the same 🤣

I guess !!! is probably the best live band in existence 😍 😍 😍 And Nick is such a great frontman—his dancing is killer 😍 😍 Plus, that Black lady is fierce 😍 I don't really get why anyone would even bother jumping while they play 😍

I don't really get Hold Steady, though I assume it's good if people who get it say so. To me, the guy kind of reminded me of Matthew from afar. 😛

And I watched a bit of Iggy... I don't know, Mike Watt is wonderful, things were pretty loud, and Mick is what he is, and Iggy was jumping and all, but it didn't really do anything for me, I suppose. Not that I have enough info to be sure. 😬

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was nothing like what I expected, and honestly, I feel like my knees have been completely shattered.

If they had actually played an encore, I wouldn't be alive today.😳

Then there’s the rain—goddammit. I started my bike ride home right when the heavens opened up, and I rolled through my front door just as it finally let up. I’m so soaked I could probably start a cabbage patch in my clothes.

Not looking to start any fights, I just love music festivals and get seriously depressed when they wrap up. What am I even supposed to look forward to now?

Hold Steady was a total blast, pure joy. It’s hard to ignore how much positive energy they bring, even if their songs don't totally grab you. Just sweet, upbeat vibes.

Iggy and the crew? Absolute garbage to me. I get why people showed up for the classics, like "I Wanna Be Your Dog" or those weaker, redundant versions of tracks we heard at Lollapalooza, or maybe some stuff from the new record, but hearing "1970" and "TV Eye" actually cleared my head for a second.

I was listening to !!! from a distance, so I won't get too deep into it. They were decent enough, though they leaned way too hard on the recent albums. If they had played "Puppet" 😍 every single night and all day long...

Wok Inn is such a killer name.

Thank God the weather cleared up, because things were looking sketchy, and I absolutely hate it when there's thunder and lightning. 😳

The Hold Steady were actually pretty sweet 😍, and everyone who told me "you're gonna love this" was spot on. They totally pegged me as a total redneck 😬

Later, a buddy of mine—who didn't even bother watching them—asks me:
- So, how were The Hold Steady?
- Great, awesome, blah blah blah...
- What do they even sound like?
- Just, you know, rock and roll
- Oh god, no (he makes a face)
(I'm sitting there trying to think of a way to describe the vibe using a comparison, and I'm just about to say it felt like being at a Garth Brooks concert, when my friend cuts in: )
- Is it some trashy crap like Garth Brooks?

And just like that, we were on the exact same wavelength 🙂

wanderingraven20 said:no way
DJ Dino Banana - Little Kitten🤮

Honestly, I'm bummed I missed him.😳

Sonic Youth was killer... catching the end of Teenage Riot at the start was pure bliss

!!! - absolute trash.... just garbage.....

The Hold Steady - honestly never vibed with their records, but they totally lived up to the hype yesterday. Once you see them rocking that "nerdy underdog" look, you can't help but dig them

Obojeni - alright, I guess

New York Dolls - hilarious

the rest was meh...

Oh yeah, some buddies of mine were heading home on the first day driving through the Potomac area and stopped at that one bagel shop, when suddenly the whole Sonic Youth crew rolls up for bagels... They actually chatted with them, and my friend was so shook he ended up ordering a mini pizza instead of his bagel :-)))

Anyway, that's just one more sign the organization was a total mess, seeing how those guys rushed out for bagels right after their set. And word is The Beach Boys almost pulled out because the promoter wouldn't even give them water for the stage, telling them "stop whining, you're playing with the big stars anyway"

wanderingraven20 said:he actually told us that at the show last night—though, given his penchant for stand up comedy... I have my doubts about the whole thing being true🤔

Still, if you ask me, Zoran Marić’s tendency toward sheer idiocy is much more pronounced—whereas his brother Finn is just naturally witty. But hey, whatever... you have to get a little closer to really tell. And I don't mean getting close to a stage. Stay skeptical, you cynics. I know I will... 🙂

boldscout72 said:Keep cooking, you haters.

And seriously, what's the deal now—is my man actually out on the street or what?

wanderingraven20 said:So, what's the actual truth here—is my brother really out on the street, or is that just talk?

If my own brother—the one with the glasses, no less—is lying to me, then the world is a truly dark and terrible place... and I simply refuse to believe that's the case. 🙂

Good grief :krstise:

Seriously though—the organizers need to get the boot.

Raymond Barrett12 said:..............Asian Dub Foundation isn't even a shadow of their former selves. I’d honestly love to send that gratingly obnoxious frontman to have a little "chat" with some white supremacists down in southern Montana. Let him see how easy it is to swat flies. With a handgun. They didn't play the old stuff, they didn't even have a drummer, and they were just scraping by at Fortress Europe for the first time, but somehow they managed to pull it off through sheer cacophony.........

Wow, you're just so witty and incredibly cool...

Man, day two was way better for me. Seriously. Chk Chk Chk were such a massive discovery—I’d actually never even heard of them before this, but now I’m a huge fan. I was jumping around like crazy, just pure, unadulterated energy...

I don't even know where to start with this one... just feels like we're circling the drain at this point. There’s a certain level of exhaustion that sets in when you realize everyone is just repeating the same tired talking points without actually thinking for a second. It’s all noise, really. Just endless, repetitive noise... kaže:
Wok Inn is basically the gold standard. Period.

Hey. That place actually opened up just a five-minute walk from my place, but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet... 🙂

Robin Rodriguez5 said:Man, I really regret missing him... 😳

Honestly, you've got every reason to be pissed off about this... 😍

NP Kultur Shock - Radio Gitan

gentlepuma20 said:I honestly think !!! is the greatest live band in the entire universe 😍 😍 😍 i Nic is easily the best frontman ever, and man, those dance moves are killer 😍 😍 Plus, that lady is absolutely fierce 😍 I don't get why anyone would even stop jumping while they're playing 😍

Look, I already laid out my own objective reasons for why I stopped jumping... 😬
Mad respect to them for the energy and the show, and yeah, I’d happily catch one of their sets again (wearing something more appropriate, hopefully) and just soak it all in.
But man, I really wish there was a bit more musical depth and variety in what they play, instead of just pure, raw energy. 🙂

I'll admit I'm being a bit of a hype man here, but let's be real—not everyone can pull off being Trans Am, delivering that mix of solid songwriting, insane energy, and making a concert feel like a trip... 😬

stormyviper11 said:I mean, I’d still love it if they brought some actual musical variety to the set—not just pure energy. 🙂

Well, that's mostly because their albums kind of suck. 😈

But once they actually start jamming, I guess all that matters becomes irrelevant. 😳

gentlepuma20 said:Well, that’s just because their albums suck ass. 😈

But once they actually start jamming, I don't even care anymore... 😳

You're spot on. 🙂

Then again, I wouldn't really be me if I wasn't out here hating on the band everyone loves while hyping up the one nobody else bothered to show up for, right? 😈

By the way, the best message on those phone screens was definitely: Flego is a dirty optimist. 😍

Lucky I wasn't too hammered and actually remembered the number... 😳