Monday, April 20, 2009
Coachella was a fleeting stop for me yesterday. I drove in from LaLa Land and headed straight to the Viceroy Palm Springs for the Good Life Pool Party, sponsored by Vitamin Water and Hornitos Tequila. As I cruised around the sweltering shindig imbibing on my refreshing, handmade Hornitos Margarita, I couldn’t help but notice that the pool had transformed into the The East Village of NYC! Speaking as a former Manhattanite, I looked on as hipsters and skinny boys and girls swarmed the pool and grooved to tunes by Spankrock and The Golden Filter, looking like they had found the best place on Earth.
After making a sojourn to a friends house for more cocktails and poolside, I finally reached my intended destination, Empire Polo Field, aka Coachella. For those who have never been, the site is massive and hiking from your vehicle to centerfield must constitute your daily exercise requirement. After exploring the various lighted sculptures, food vendors, and on premise record store, I settled in and got ready for My Bloody Valentine.
MBV is not your typical alternative rock band-from their endless guitar riffs, to mega distortion and the reverb they dish out. At the conclusion of “You Made Me Realize,” the ending riff alone lasted for 15 minutes with every member of the band coming together and blasting their instruments as hard and as loud as possible, therefore forcing me to address them as “My Bloody Ears!” Many in the audience weren’t too keen on what they were hearing as they clasped their ears and scurried as far away from the stage as their weary legs would take them. It quickly turned from music to noise as the riff wouldn’t end. It was at that point, I made my exit as well. Catch you next time, Robert Smith!
