Bring a straw hat, sun screen, thick sweatshirt w/ hoody (in case of dust storm, extreme winds, cold nights), bandanas (you will thank me later) chapstick, wear SHOES (Sandals allow for too much to go wrong around 100,000 excited and, more than likely, heavily intoxicated people), snacks, sun glasses, bug spray, a back up plan in case your friend bails on you, and avoid any bbq burritos.
Coachella is always a great time. Outside of the ridiculous heat, clueless locals, and possible wind storms... I have more memories here than anywhere I can think of. Too bad majority of those memories are a blur. I have worked Coachella music festival for two years and love being able to party and make money. The crowd here is young, immature, and free. You will see and interact with the best and worst of human beings bound together by music. It is beautiful to see so many different people from different places all over the world come together to celebrate what makes EVERYONE feel good. If you can afford VIP and renting a cart... DO IT! Next year? Maybe...
I've attended coachella in 2012 and 2013 and had the best time of my life BOTH times! 2012 had an AMAZING lineup with some great headliners--TUPAC? WHAAAA--Swedish House Mafia?!?! dammmmnnnn. I love the venue. So open and free. You see so much greenery everywhere and you can easily find a place to relax or rage. Take your pick.
I decided to Camp in 2013. I have to be honest and say that I was quite hesitant about the idea of camping to begin with. My previous memories of camping has never really been very positive and I thought, it would suck so much to sleep on the ground with no air conditioning and not being able to shower for THREE WHOLE DAYS...
Boy was I wrong. Car Camping was the best decision I ever made. I could come and go as I please. I can drink at the campsite all I want then roam around in the fairgrounds feeling amazing! I can meet amazing new people who share common interests in music and in life. I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU GIVE CAR CAMPING A TRY.
Here are some tips.
-Go with people who has either gone before or are experienced with Camping.
-Get a huge group of people to make a huge FORT inside of Coachella
-BUY your stuff (tent, sleeping bags, any supplies) at COSTCO, then return it after. ;)
-Bring tons of Alcohol.
-Be prepared for wind
-Wake up early (7am) to shower or wait until mid day (noon).
-Do not use the first Porta-Potty when entering the bathroom line. (You'll thank me later)
-YOLO.
I can see myself attending Coachella every year for the foreseeable future and nothing else compares. SERIOUSLY.
My first time at Coachella. Extremely fun to see so many artist in 3 days. My only minor (no pun) complaint is that you can only get an adult beverage in designated areas. I would love to be having a cold one while I enjoy my favorite band. The bars area are somewhat within viewing and acoustic distance if you had binoculars and a hearing aid.
Review Source:Coachella is sort of beyond review at this point. As the premiere American destination music festival, it really does live up to the hype. This was my first visit to the Coachella Valley, and it will definitely not be my last. In fact, I already have tickets and a hotel booked for next year!
I think it's great that there is such a large car/tent camping community at this festival, but it's not for me. We stayed at a hotel in downtown Palm Springs, and I wouldn't do it any other way. After the brutal beating of the desert sun and general festivaling for 12 hours, it's incredibly rewarding to be able to shower and enjoy air conditioning in a real bed with peace and quiet for a little while. We had a rental car; for the most part, the drive and parking was a breeze (40 min to Palm Springs) and Del Taco was an incredibly fulfilling pre- and post-fest cheap food binge.
Though the 2013 headliners left a lot to be desired, the overall lineup was pretty freaking incredible for a true music lover. In just 2 days (we had to head home on Sunday), I was able to see Johnny Marr, Alt-J, Of Monsters & Men, Local Natives, Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Band of Horses, FOALS, Bassnectar, How to Destroy Angels, Savages, Bat for Lashes, Major Lazer, Portugal. The Man, Yeasayer, the Postal Service, the XX, Phoenix, and Sigur Ros. WOW! Almost all of the shows sounded excellent, even on the main stage. I appreciated spending time in tents during the sunny parts of the day for the shade. The cool breeze as night falls reminds you that you're in this desert oasis.
My favorite part about Coachella was how incredibly easy it was to move between stages. I honestly didn't feel like any of the shows at the main stages and smaller tents were very crowded, and it was usually a quick walk up to the front of the sound booth to hang out with other awesome music fans. I guess all the idiots were stuffed into the Sahara. We were right up at the stage for Yeasayer! Most people were very friendly - I accidentally left my camera on the ground, went back 5 minutes later, and it was quickly handed back to me by a fellow Band of Horses fan.
A few gripes: there were absolutely no signs to the parking lots on Friday, and it took over an hour to get out of the parking lot on Saturday night. But hey, at least day parking was free. I also thought the 45 minute wait, in the sun, at will call on Friday was a little ridiculous. Security was invasive and made my friend pour out her natural hand sanitizer because it might be drugs or alcohol but at least we didn't wait long in those lines. Also, Coachella really needs to work out its free water situation. There is no good reason a festival in the desert should a) run out of water at 3pm and b) constantly involve half hour waits, forcing you to buy $2 bottled water. I never have this problem at other festivals. Food was fine but not great. We made a great decision deciding not to drink because the beer areas were usually a huge bottleneck mess.
Pace yourself, wear sunblock, drink water, remember to eat, ride the ferris wheel at least once, strike up conversations in lines, and keep a positive attitude, and Coachella will reward you handsomely.
I've been going since the first year, in 1999. I plan my year around it. It continues to grow and change with the times, offering an amazing combination of musical acts and visual art and experiences. The people watching is fantastic and the opportunity to meet and make new friends. It's now run so smoothly is simply amazing. If you can get tickets, you will never regret going. Make it a unique experience and see acts you have never heard of. Those seem to be the best for  entertainment. If your young, camp out. If your older like me and enjoy a nice shower and soft bed after the show. there are plenty of hotels/motels in the area. Get there a day early and enjoy an evening in downtown Palm Springs and live it like a local.
Review Source:Coachella. What happened to you? I leave you for a year and you're barely recognizable. You can try to hide behind that ferris wheel, but you're not fooling me. You changed. And I don't like it.
I'm not even a hipster and my consistent use of the term "mainstream" to describe what Coachella is now frightens me.
My first year here was fantastic. Beyond fantastic that I don't even have a word for it.
Fast forward two years later and I'm back. Ready to sulk in the gloriousness of Coachella the way I remembered it - cue the audio scratch sound effect.
Maybe I was smoking the wrong stuff, but I was not satisfied with this year's Coachella festival. The crowds were absolutely horrendous, leaving a sea of 100,000 too many at the Sahara tent, in the beer gardens, the porta potties, everywhere. Now I've asked myself this question before, "can a desert ever be too crowded?" It can. Coachella proved that.
My highlights for this year would be Phoenix & Hardwell's performances. The fact I could only think up two highlights makes me depressed. Oh and maybe Postal Service! But that's it.
Eh, see you next year.
First time this year!
I was worried to camp out for my first year, because I pictured myself in a blazing hot tent with no resources around and feeling totally uncomfortable and homesick.
But man, this event is so incredibly organized with almost too many conveniences around.
-porta potties at all major corners, most of them were surprisingly pretty clean
-food tents everywhere
-they had charging stations for your phones/electronics
-there was a tent giving free coffee every day, another giving free ice cream
-THEY HAD SHOWERS! I seriously thought I wasn't gonna be showering the whole weekend since we were camping. But they had huge trucks with private showers in them. Yes you will be waiting 30 minutes to get in, but if you get up a little early before the music starts, a cold shower in the morning in the hot dessert...omg. It's worth the wait.
-there was a dude driving a little golf cart around the camp grounds selling ice. We literally didn't have to step outside of our tent to refill our ice chest.
I'm your typical high maintenance girly princess, and I was totally comfortable the whole weekend. Everything you could have needed was never too far away from you.
Tips:
-keep cash on you every day. I think I spent about $40 or so each day for food and water bottles. Probably spent less since I packed protein bars and apples, and maybe bought a meal a day.
-sunblock. water. water. water. sunblock. (my best friend passed out in the middle of the field from dehydration...dont be her! hahah)
-be nice to everyone, everyone is there to have a good time!
-pack for the trip a week ahead...don't forget the essentials!!! whatever they may be!
-don't over pack either. pack what you NEED and no more.
-don't be dumb, hide your drugs and don't get anything confiscated! or kicked out! Security was fairly on top of the whole "no drugs" thing. We got some stuff confiscated, which could have been avoided if we were a little more careful. But it wasn't like they were searching thru tents and tearing places apart to find stuff.
-have fun, be smart, drink water all day. :)
This will be my 10th and final year at Coachella. The festival continues to get more and more refined and polished as the years go on. My gripe is more with the lineup and the crowd. I feel that the promoters got lazy with the band lineup and just booked a bunch of bands that were already making the circuit. I was bummed that Lou Reed was not there. The headliners were whack this year, no way around that. The crowds continue to be less and less music oriented and more and more of a KROQ crowd, which is okay, just not what I want to be around. The security is inconsistent, so if you are going to try to sneak stuff in it is worth a shot. The food and beverage selection is great every year. Some years, they put bands in tents that they have clearly outgrown, but that makes the festival that much more fun. Haven't camped, but rented a house every year. If you can do this, I recommend it. You literally need to be online searching for it a year in advance as the demand is pretty high now. Make sure to get one with a pool. I recommend coming up a couple of days early and seeing the town. The high desert is pretty cool, and their are some really cool bars in the area that are worth checking out. I will say that tailgating after the show this year was strongly discouraged as the police were rolling up on all kinds of cars in the parking lot and writing tickets.
Tips: It is impossible to get drunk due to the heat, so don't bother. It will save you money.
Bathrooms- Walk all the way to the back or piss under the bleachers in the Sahara beer garden
Water- Just bring money for water, trying to refill it at the fountain will take you a half hour.
Stay in La Quinta, the main drag into the venue is 5 minutes away and the Cove is a great backdrop.
I said I would never go to a music festival because I HATE crowds, heat, stupid teenagers, & porta  potties but somehow Golden Voice created some kind of magic & made me a festival believer!   I heard horror stories about the Coachella Music Festival but they must have worked out all the kinks by 2013. Â
We didn't have any problems driving on to the grounds in the afternoon or getting out late night. Â Parking was pretty easy & FREE!!! Â The festival was pretty crowded but there were always areas that you could escape and not be overwhelmed by people. Â Lucky enough to have VIP passes so had extra areas that I could hang out, outlets to charge phone, & deluxe trailer bathrooms with sinks & everything!! Â HAPPPPPPPPPY girl!! Â Food wasn't too bad, Â not great but hey i was satisfied eating Kogi tacos 3 days in a row. Â I loved the snail moving around the grounds painted by my favorite artists HERAKUT! Â This festival is a visual & sound feast. Â Staff were 99% super courteous & friendly. Â Now if i can only score artist wristbands next year I just might have to come back!!
TIP: Although I loved my VIP perks, I don't think it was really worth the $450 extra $$$ for the extras that you get.
I went to Coachella for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my time there. The line up didn't appeal to me as much as the previous years and I knew how horrible the weather got in the desert. I completely expected to get sunburned and heatstroke all while listening to music that I had a good chance of not liking. Â Well, the heat was manageable, the music was great and I'm definitely coming back every year now!
VENUE: the polo fields are great. very spacious, organized and well kept
FESTIVAL: Â the artists will change from year to year. what you need to take note of is that the rules and layout can also change a bit. There is art everywhere (like that big moving snail)... A pretty cool plus!
PEOPLE: Â A mixed crowd. Overall, pretty friendly. when paying that much for tix, I doubt anyone wants to risk getting thrown out.
PARKING: Â if you opt for regular parking, expect to walk a long distance. VIP parking will cost you some money but is much closer. it's up to you. Traffic can be a nightmare. If you stay until the end of the last set, you will most likely be stuck with everyone else trying to get out of the parking lot. Once you are out, you will be stuck because the cops block so many roads.
HOTEL: Â there are quite a few hotels within reasonable distance from here. you have to be careful though. Coachella is a big event and many people find themselves in a struggle to find a place to stay
Coachella 2013.
My lineup:
Fri
c2c
youth lagoon
stars
metric
of monsters and men
modest mouse
yeah yeah yeahs
foals
Sat
baauer
kill the noise
major lazer
hot chip
the postal service
the xx
phoenix
Sun
the gaslight anthem
the lumineers
la roux
pretty lights
red hot chili peppers
Pros:
-decent lineup
-reasonably clean
-good selection of food options. fried chicken bao and taco truck were pretty good
-tame crowds. managed to get barricade for most of the bands
-water mist cooling areas. Do Lab was awesome
Cons:
-sandstorms
-long lines for water filling
-ridiculous lines for charging station and bad organizational layout
-damn, it's hot
-overpriced food
Tips:
1. Bring your own reusable bottle to refill
2. Bring your mobile charger so you can use the personal charging station outside the charging tent
3. Bring sunglasses and a bandana in case the sandstorms pick up
4. Wear musician earplugs
5. Show up a band early for any band you want to see, and you can probably get barricade. On main stage, barricade behind VIP gives you a great view
6. Sit down and cool off if you're not seeing any bands. You'll need the rest in order to stand up for 3 straight days
I've been to a lot of different festivals and Coachella is definitely one of the best. It's well organized in almost every aspect. It's all the little things like being able to bring in empty plastic bottles to refill at the free refill stations, shuttles on the camp ground that take you to the supermarket, eco-friendliness and recycling awareness, art installations that not only look cool but offer shade to relax, wristband tickets that allow you the scan in and out with ease, efficient cell phone charging areas, food court with a million different options, air conditioned Yuma tent, and GRASS. Yes, grass makes a huge difference in the experience. It's as if you're on one long picnic the entire weekend with all the sunshine and grass.
Another great thing about Coachella is the car camping. I was hesitant at first about car camping but I grew fond of it as the weekend progressed. Why is car camping great?
- You're allowed to bring beer as long as it's not in a glass container
- Convenience! You can walk to and from the venue as often as you'd like
- You save tons of money
- Hanging out and meeting fellow campers
- Being outdoors and being disconnected from the outside world for a few days
- Cool camp ground communal area with activities and games
The sunsets are amazing (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coachella-indio-2?userid=ZNgHbkCzBgH1qyLxtAfu3A#Q743QURXBxHgteg6RPBGPQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>). The ferris wheel in the backdrop is simply perfect. I feel the festival transcends the acts that are booked. It's about the total experience of just being out in the desert for a few days to take in all the sounds, sights and smells. The top notch music lineup is only the cherry on top.
Tips:
- Try not to consume too much alcohol during the day as it really slows you down in conjunction with the heat
- Dry ice is really useful when camping; I'd get about 20 lbs to last you until the last day of the festival
- Pack a light sweater as it gets chilly at night
- Bring a bandana to protect yourself from all the dust in the air
- Bring sunblock (30 spf+) into the venue so you can reapply when necessary
- Bring earplugs
Second year attending Coachella and I seriously think it gets better every year you go! Your prior experience comes in so handy and you're simply better prepared to survive the desert and of course, the festival itself.
There are pros and cons to camping, but after 2 years of car camping.... I cannot imagine doing it any other way. The pros far outweigh the cons. Pros- convenience, price, location, experience. Sure, it's HOT as heck... but think of it this way... it's only one weekend out of the entire year. You'll survive!! I love my 10x30 home for those 3+ days. Don't expect cleanliness and 5 star amenities. Get with nature... and dirt... and porta-a-potties and most importantly, baby wipe showers. Luckily, there are showers if you put the effort into using them. My #1 advice is to pack light. Bring the necessities. All the extra things just means more to pack up at the end of your trip. We took the free shuttle to Ralph's every day to pick up lunch and snacks for the day... and to utilize the free A/C of course. Seriously, Coachella + camping is awesome.
MUSIC. AWESOME MUSIC. ALL DAY LONG.
LIGHTS. BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS. EVERYWHERE.
SUN. AMAZING SUNSETS.
PALM TREES. COLORFUL PALM TREES.
Coachella really is an amazing experience and they truly have the event planned to perfection. I can go ON AND ON about all the good things, but I think everyone just needs to experience it for themselves and please try to make the most out of it when you do! Really try to watch as many shows as you can fit in your day (but take it easy during the day and conserve your energy for nighttime), check out the art installations and all the tents, enjoy the heat by laying out in a shady area, meet new people from all around the world, and so so so much more. Till we meet again Coachella....
Coachella is a tightly run ship and it's pretty impressive all around. Sound quality was loud but not distorted at the venue. Sound quality: Some crosstalk from other stages was audible due to their close proximity. This detracts from the experience when acts who are not just a complete wall of sound are playing. The iPhone App they produced is nice. it'd be cool we we could export our timeline as a Tumblr, FaceBook or Tweet. Â Aside from that I don't see what Coachella could have done better.
The rest of this review is more about Valley Music Travel. By trade, I'm a professional knit-picker so excuse the winging I'm about to put forward:
Valley Music Travel has put a lot of effort into what they do. They are very easy to reach by phone and communication levels are high. Delivery of passengers is another situation. Â As many know, they sent out the wrong bus passes. Luckily, if you arrived early enough, you were able to exchange these passes for the right passes. Some people who arrived late may not have been so lucky (I don't know). Â Fair enough. Mistakes happen and they did their best to resolve it.
Next up is the transit. It was our experience that bus drivers couldn't tell that there was a distortion in the speakers on one of the bus. Â On one ride the driver adjusted the preamp "Gain" instead of just the volume on the stereo. This caused the speakers to distort and he couldn't tell the difference. We had high end distortion grating on our ears for about 40 minutes of bus ride. Â I'm a former sound engineer for film/television so maybe I'm hyper sensitive to this type of thing. Other people on the bus did comment on it too though.
OK, I'm talking to you again Valley Music Travel, if that's your real name: PLEASE advertise the bus schedules and whether the bus will be picking up from more than one hotel on the way. We missed several acts due to buses being randomly diverted to other hotels to pickup two guests. It was hard to gauge when we should leave the resort in order to get to the festival on time. Some bus rides were 40 minutes while others were fully 90 minutes. Â That was aggravating as we missed the first half of the main act we'd bought tickets to see.
Lastly, VMT, please provide Purell antibacterial wipes at the entrance to the bus. My boyfriend and I both came back very ill and it's our thought that we might have picked up colds from sharing seats with others on the bus. Of course, rubbing elbows with 75,000 people at the festival could have had something to do with it too. Antibacterial wipes would be a nice touch and should not be all that expensive. Â Grocery Stores and doctors offices do it today.
Â
I do thank VMT for their efforts. It was a fun weekend and they helped make it happen.
I won free tickets from KROQ. (Joe, if you are out there and you happen to read my Yelps, I learned from you and I can't believe it) Anyhow, everything was fantastic. Super organized, friendly staff, minimal lines, plenty of  free or cheap water, great food at good prices......Coachella 2013 success! The KROQ party house was even better! Â
Hint- Stay at a hotel
**FIRST COACHELLA AND HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST**
First timer so I have nothing to compare it to (from before).
Nearly 200 acts played across six stages over each of the two three-day weekends of this year's event starting on Friday.
Like last year, identical lineups was offered both weekends.
The second weekend of 2013's weather was nice, high 80's, low 90's.
THE GOOD
===========
*People are into recycling, which is awesome.
*Artwork displayed everywhere.
*Clean.
*Friendly and pretty people everywhere.
*Misters and shade provided throughout the grounds.
*Fashion abounds.
THE BAD
========
*At least 3 security check-points (yes, they'll check your crotch, too)
*Walking to and from the fairgrounds is dusty and dirty.
*$300 for a wrist band yo. You better see as many performances as you can.
PERFORMANCES I SAW (second weekend)
====================
PETE TONG
MODEST MOUSE
THE POSTAL SERVICE
FRANZ FERDINAND
PHOENIX
PAUL KALKBRENNER
PAUL OAKENFOLD
O.M.D.
PRETTY LIGHTS
WU-TANG CLAN
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
FOOD
=====
I actually had a decent salad here. No lie. $10.
I had super fun with my friends and yes, I would do it again.
It's all about the love, energy, and the music.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Another year, another memorable experience!
2013 highlights:
- FREE cell phone drop off charging station
- FREE Frutare bars and lounging tent
- liquor is finally allowed on campgrounds (but not in glass bottles)
- Giant roaming snail on festival grounds
- Tegan & Sara
- Bass Nectar
- Bingo Players
- Passion Pit
- Lumineers
- Vampire Weekend
- separate porta pottys for men and women on campgrounds
TIPS:
- get up early for showers if you car camp
- everyone is friendly, sometimes too friendly which becomes creepy so be careful who you party with
- no shame in hanging out at camp grounds all day then enjoy the music on festival grounds at night
- bring heineken to drop off at the heineken dome for free cold storage
- explore the shops/restaurants near the grocery stores
- eat before going into festival grounds, the food is waaaaay too expensive
- 100+ SPF sunscreen is your best friend
- wear close-toe shoes when on festival grounds...unless you dont care about your precious toes
- bring a towel/blanket to festival grounds so you can lay on grass and relax
- EAR PLUGS!
Can't wait for 2014!
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is arguably the most popular [best] annual music festival in the United States. The balance of indie artists, rock stars, DJs, and more recently reunion and hip hop musicians is fantastic catering to the breadth of festival attendees.
The old Empire Polo grounds houses the annual music festival which features two outdoor stages [main and outdoor] and now four tents [Gobi, Mojave, Sahara, and the newly added Yuma], art work, beer gardens and camping area as far as the eye can see. I've never camped on the grounds but can only imagine that it can get pretty miserable since you see a higher number of people taking naps on the ground as the festival rolls on.
Parking can be frustrating as roads are closed to funnel traffic in specific directions, and you can easily spend a lot of time [1-2 hours] getting out of the larger parking areas if you leave when the masses do. However, credit given where credit is due, parking attendants are always around, traffic control and police have a steady presence and attempt to control flow issues as best as they can.
Time for some of the ugly truth, lines to get in can be long, there is no shade for either outdoor stage, food areas can become a huge CF [make sure to update your age check wrist band as they like to rotate colors on them] to get in, and the frustrating inconsistency with allowing people to come in with a bottle of water is intolerable. Pick one and stick with it, c'mon Coachella! The double pat down of men is also a bit much.
Whether you're here for the music or just the experience you'll have a good time.
[Insert Daft Punk rumor here]
Over 100,000 people come from all over the globe to meet in the desert and show a common love for good music and artwork. Â The sky is gorgeous. The desert haze fills the valley and there's nothing quite like it... anywhere. Â The atmosphere at night is mysterious, yet comforting.
If you don't come for the music, come for the art. Â You'll meet wonderful people, and might even reunite with a familiar face from your childhood - like I did. Â
When you're at Coachella, nothing else in the world exists. Â It's the most surreal feeling. Â I left a piece of my heart and soul at Coachella, I'll revisit it, soon again.
I've been attending Coachella since '08 and I look forward to this weekend every year!
What's not to love about a three day music festival in the middle of the desert especially if you are a music lover. Its always a lot of fun and it never disappoints.
This year's line up wasn't the best but I still enjoyed it even during the Sandstorm. With the exception to 2 Chainz who came late to his set, all of the other artists I saw were on time. No Daft Punk this year but R. Kelly during Phoenix was definitely a surprise that no one saw coming.
I recommend:
- Buying your ticket during pre-sale. Even though the line up isn't up, you can take advantage of the layaway plan and not have to worry about paying the $349 all at once.
- Booking a hotel or renting a house instead of camping. I camped my first year and I was miserable. I'm a pretty outdoorsy person but I didn't enjoy this experience at all. Waiting in a two hour line to shower, using the porta potties when they haven't been cleaned, and waking up at 6 am because its just too hot to sleep sucked all of my energy.
- Eating before and after because the food inside is gross.
- Bringing hand sanitizer because there are no sinks outside of the porta potties.
- Bringing some tissue paper incase there aren't any inside the porta potties.
- Bringing an empty camel pack. Instead of paying for water bottles inside, you can use the water station (one located in between the Sahara and Mojave Tents) to fill up your camel pack.
Best thing that ever happened to me!!!
Why did it take so long for me to go, bc I was an iiiiidiot!
The pool parties, to the vip events, and the festival itself....mind-f'en-blowing.
Coachella has changed my life and I want to live in a life within it and be free!!
One love, Peace, and Unity! We all come for the same reasons...
For the Love of Music!
Coachella was never on my to-go-list. Didn't really care to go until my friend sold me his week1 ticket 1-2 weeks before the event for early bird face value. I thought it was a good deal plus my bf was planning on going.
Definately an experience to remember with no regrets at all! Great people, art everywhere, live bands/djs everywhere, light shows, etc. Unfortunately I didn't get the full-on Coachella experience because I stayed in a hotel (next year)! The sandstorm on day3 was uncomfortable but that didn't stop me from enjoying Chili Peppers.
My highlight of week 1:
Puscifer ( I love his voice! Saw Tool and APC live but never Puscifer)
How to Destroy Angels (best show of day 1!!!! Trent Reznor and his wife was amazing and the stage performance was unique)
Major Lazer
Moby
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Blur
Phoenix
R. Kelly (def a random wtf moment to laugh about)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (always wanted to see them live!)
Drop Kick Murphy
etc
I personally didn't make EDM a priority and tried to enjoy the other bands I don't get to see that often. IMO you could see some of those djs at raves/avalon/exla/sutra/etc.
freebies:
- electrig cigs in a tent when you enter beer garden near ferris wheel
- popsicles free all day in a tent near the kroq tent
- sunscreen and coachella schedule booklet at kroq tent
- nail stickers, gif photobooth, water, dry shampoo/sun screen/lotion/charging station: H&M tent between sahara and mojave
havent been but i wish i had:
- speakeasy red bull bar between main and outdoor stage
- campground has silent disco at 9pm all 3 days in that white balloon dome
- playstaion tent (not sure whats going on in there)
Locker is recommended cuz it gets cold at night:
- shoes, jacket, pants...or leave them in the car and walk back for them
- sand storm came, glad i had my glasses. Wish i had a handkerchief for my mouth/nose
note:
if the bracelet is damaged (cut off, glued, stapled) they'll automatically take it away and u won't get to go to coachella.
merchandise:
day 3 was super crowded...heard the good stuff runs out by day 3
As a coachella vet and local, I attend the Coachella music festival every year, and its one of my most anticipated events of the year every year, and never fails to disappoint. Â
This year, the Postal Service blew my mind, and it will be an experience I will never forget, Dinosaur Jr. was also exceptionally memorable, but the act I was more interested in than anything, Phoenix, Was ruined by the teen ravers.
A rumor went around a little before the event that Daft Punk would be performing during Phoenix's set, the rumor really had no basis other than the fact that it had happened at a previous show, so obviously the Sahara people flocked when the Phoenix show started, and from that part on they hindered the greatness of their show.
I heard a group of ravers chanting "Daft Punk Daft Punk!" throughout Phoenix's whole set, making it seem like they were merely the opener for Daft Punk,and not a legitimate headliner themselves, After the show was over and everything, I heard people still chanting "Daft Punk!" like they would appear, and heard such quotes as "I cant believe I sat through that bullshit!" as if Phoenix is a chore to sit through, normally I wouldn't be like this Goldenvoice, because you've pleased me ever since my first attendance 7 years ago, but incorporate an age restriction to attend this festival, it makes me feel uncomfortable seeing 14 year olds on ecstasy to begin with.
What on earth did I get myself into? That was my first initial thought when I arrived...
First off, let me tell you of the horrors of Coachella before I tell the good. The toilets are all porta potties and no there are NO sinks... DISGUSTING! (But there are some porta potties that do have sanitizer... but not all). Not only there being no sinks that make these porta potties disgusting, but the fact that probably 1000's of people have used it before you... so you know it's just a germ filled landmark.... I still shudder just thinking about it (and tried not to think about it while using them....)
The weather was pretty warm this past weekend (90+ degrees) and there was a crazy sand strom. The only shade available are in the tents and also right next to huge speakers (bring ear plugs or risk losing your hearing).
The wait to refill your water is a pretty long. I think I waited at least 45 minutes to refill my 2 bottles (refill more than 1 bottle to make your wait worth all the trouble or pay $2 for a bottle).
Constantly reapply sun block so that you don't get sun burned (and drink water so you don't get dehydrated).
Smelling weed every single time a performance would start just plain ol' sickened me... and that was pretty much every single day. And no I did not get use to it.
Ok so now that I've told you about some of the bad...now for the good....
Yes just as other fellow yelpers have mentioned, this is THE PLACE for music (and all different types that will entertain just about everyone). There are so many performances going on all at once, so I can see why the tickets are so crazy expensive (roughly $700 for 2). In case you haven't found out on line, the guest act for Phoenix is R. Kelly and the guest act for Benny Benassi is John Legend. Seeing a band live is pretty awesome and much better than listening on your computer or in your car on the radio. So this is definitely an experience (not sure if worth repeating for me though...1 is enough)
Just a few tips to share, especially if this will be your 1st time coming like it was for me this past weekend:
-Dust mast would be helpful because there was a sand storm (but not the year before according to a friend who went last year). Sand got into my face and in my hair.
-Hand sanitizer. Although you aren't allowed to bring in liquids, you can bring this in, along with sun block.
-Sun block, and constantly reapply because you will get sun burned.
-Hat would be good to shade your face
-Empty water bottle to hydrate yourself (do it often to prevent dehydration)
-Cash to buy food (yay food trucks... but don't eat anything with your hands, get a fork and spoon!)
-Jacket or sweater for the evening would be great because it's pretty chilly at night.
-Download the official Coachella app so you can check up the line up of all the artists for the event. Play around with it and create a schedule so you know how to plan your day accordingly.
Oh and by the way, if you weren't one of the lucky ones to plan ahead of time, good luck to you if you car camp. Yes there are showers, but they aren't the cleanest, nor the best (but you do feel like a million bucks at the end of the day when you do shower because you will need one). So bring all of your toiletries and such and learn from your mistake and make sure you find accommodations at least 6 months in advance next time (if there is a next time).
All in all, glad I survived and can live to talk about my Coachella experience.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival occurs every year in mid-April. The festival began in 1999 as a one day festival. For several years, it was a 2 day festival. Now, it is a 3 day festival and is held on two weekends in April. An estimated 100,000 people attend the festival every year. Tickets typically sell out in hours on the first day - three day tickets are priced at $349.
It's held at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley and features many genres of music including alternative rock, hip hop, and electronic music as well as large sculptural art. The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the grounds, each playing live music continuously. The main stages are: Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, and the Sahara Tent. This year, there was a Heineken Dome and a Yuma Tent, as well.
I've been to Coachella five times and it's growing resemblance to Burning Man is uncanny. I saw a couple of art cars roaming around and some Burning Man type structures. Generally the dress attire is very casual (shorts and tank tops) and not wild like Burning Man (no fur, very little neon lighting). This year, it was really windy and dusty. I'd never experienced that at Coachella before so was caught out with no bandanna. The music is great. Since I'm an EDM fan, I usually hang out in the Sahara or Mojave tents - this year, the highlights for me were Benny Benassi, Dogblood (Skrillex & Boys Noize), Thomas Gold, Moby, Paul Oakenfold, OMD, Fedde le Grand,Mimosa and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Coachella is a true test of endurance - three days of 12 hours of music, dancing, and partying. Plan on walking many miles between the stages, wear comfortable shoes, and bring warm clothes for the evening. We stayed nearby in the Indian Palms Country Club and rode bikes to the venue. Highly recommend bringing a bike so you can ride up to the entrance.
Lots of food available at the venue (cash only) and you can refill your water bottles (but be prepared for huge lines at the spigots). Alternatively, you can purchase bottled water for $2. A limited amount of lockers are available (I've heard they sold out). There are a couple of beer gardens and a full bar.
Definitely a must-do if you are a music head!!!
I went for the first time in '12, and I am officially a convert.
I absolutely have the greatest time when I come to Coachella. I even tell people I work with that it's not just a music festival -- it's my vacation.
Honestly, I could go on and on why Coachella is awesome FOR ME, but I don't want to waste time on something that I can hardly put into words that others might not relate to. Everyone has a different experience, and goes for different reasons. Personally, I like to relax, drink a lot of beer, people-watch, and dance the night away with my friends by my side. Some people go for the parties, to stalk celebrities, for the art, for the fashion, whatever. Doesn't matter. The point is you should just GO.
Quick tips:
Bring cash
ALWAYS have a jacket, sweater, etc.
Drink lots of water
Wear close-toed shoes (those bathrooms can get nasty)
HAPPY COACHELLA!
Went to Coachella with some friends, we were all virgins/first timers. Â It's a nice venue. Â There was a huge snail with art work and it was lit up. Â Looked really nice. Â It moved very slowly too. Â There's also a place called a Do Lab where music is played and mist is sprayed under it if you needed to be cooled off. Â There were some other cool looking things there as well. Â Lit up shark, insects/butterflies, some that fly around in the air, all remote controlled. Â There was even a robot going around that interacted with people.
There a good number of stages. Â One of them was the stage used at Ultra Music Fest in Florida. Â It was dope. Â My fave was the EDM stage.
There was a lot of smoking...people smoking weed and cigs. Â I got pretty sick from second hand. Â Everywhere I went, smoke smoke smoke.
There was also a good number of food courts. Â Be prepared to spend a lot like you would at a theme park. Â My friend bought a burger for $16. Â Ice cream, $4 per bar. Â There were some buildings with free giveaways like sunglasses, sunblock, ice cream, etc. Â If you want to ride the biggest ferris wheel in the US, it's $8 per ride.
If you want to get drinks and hang out in the beer garden, make sure you don't lose your ID. Â My friend lost her ID and was restricted on the first day!
If you're thinking about bringing kids, I don't recommend it. Â Some people dress scandalous. Â Some don't even dress. Â Some wore nipple pasties. Â Enough said.
But if you do bring children, make sure they wear earplugs. Â The music is very loud, speakers all over. Â Also, bring a jacket for night time. Â It got pretty cold at night, especially the last night I went. Â There was a sand storm that night too. Â Scary experience, especially driving on the road. Â What made it worse was I got a flat that night. Â A huge bolt went into my tire. Â Of all days....
Coachella 2013 week 1, some say that it's modern days Woodstock, where instead of hippies you have hipsters. After hearing so much hype about it from my buddies that went to last years event, I didn't even hesitate to purchase my ticket before the line-up was even presented. To be frank, this years line-up looked meh in comparison to the last couple years, with no disrespect to the artists of course, but they seemed to have over-stacked the last few shows and caused everyone to expect another over-achieving set.
 With that out of the way, I was ecstatic to just even be there. I had to adjust to the sensory overload that was occurring because this place was HUGE, and there where so many people and such a wide variety of music to choose from.
 Every single one of the stages was it's own unique little world that each supported an eclectic selection of artists at anytime, and what made this so awesome was the fact your able to jump from one great show to the next!.With the exception of the Sahara tent, which was it's own little dedicated island for EDM heads, my personal favorite. haha
 As for everything in the non-music category: All the vendors where pricey, as expected, luckily they where kind enough to charge $2 for water bottles but twist ankle off when it comes to $5 Powerade. They did provide free water, but from the stories I heard about people not reacting to well to it, I decided to spend dough towards not catching a virus. The food here ranged from $7-$12, and honestly it was not the bad. They had a large rage of dishes to choose from such as your standard fair grub to gourmet food trucks on hand. As for the restrooms, let's just there are some horror stories out there and I can't deny most of them.......
 Highlights: Despite my lack of intense appreciation for the line-up, I gained so much respect for all the artists I was able to catch. Every single one of them displayed their happiness to just perform there by going all out on every one of their songs. Shout outs to Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Dogblood (Skrillex+BoysNoize), Phoenix, Benny Bennasi, Moby, Two Door Cinema Club, and Wu-tang Clan for each and everyone of their special performances. Plus another special shout out to the stage production teams, for the mind blowing effects, sets/graphics designs and light coordination that simply amplified each respective show.
 As I mentioned earlier, this is a 3 day event of 10-12 hours of music everyday in the middle of the desert, so prepare for it to take a big toll on your body.
Pro tips: Bring your own water bottle (empty), apply plenty of sunscreen BEFORE you arrive (they won't allow it in), bring a light long sleeve (it gets really chilly at night), antibacterial lotion, chapstick, CASH ON HAND, and a SHUTTLE/ PARKING PASS.
I'll the time here right now to emphasize how bad you're going to need this because it's a small price to pay to avoid the grueling 2 hour plus line for taxis on a cold windy night, just buy the friggin thing!
Aside from all the sucky weather that occurred for weekend 1, I have to say this was an experience that I'll never forget, mentally and physically (lack of sleep, extreme climate, walking, dancing, and what not). With music still freshly ringing in my head I'm going to go recover for the next couple days and adjust back to the real world.
To those who've experienced this, Happy Coachella everyone & I'll see you next year!
This is the longest I've taken to write a review.. I went to Coachella in 2006, So i'm 6 or  7 years late? I was 19 (LOL do the math), freshman in college, and it was the weekend before Finals. My friends asked me to come because it was the first time Rage against the Machine was playing together again in a long time. (Ironically after this Rage went on to play a trillion more festivals in the following years) I thought about it and shrugged and was like sure why not? It's just a flight from ATL to LA, Drive down to Indio in a car with no A/C, and camp out and try to survive on the least amount of money possible.
As Ruth C. mentioned, it truly is a bucket list worthy experience. Everyone should try it once. I could hardly contain my excitement as we rolled closer to the park. The sun was setting over the park and cast a beautiful, almost ephemeral haze over us. There was a huge ass line to get in. As you can imagine, the whole 3 days was a hazy experience if you get what I mean. I got to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arcade Fire, Bjork, Decemberists, and a ton of other awesome amazing bands.
Don't make some n00b mistakes like I did: Keep yourself hydrated. I did not on the first day and fell asleep right after the first evening. Apparently I was so exhausted I slept through some kind of drum circle happening right outside our tent. Make some new friends. I sure did (hellooo hot german dudes). When we got back to LA to return the sleeping bags, tent, and car we borrowed, our host asked us, should I just burn these? ;)
Obviously as an adult now I would do some things differently and plan better. However, it's hard not to have a sweaty, heat filled blast and make memories that you will never forget at Coachella.
I Love This Music Festival
SITREP
Always have loved the Coachella music festival since I first came here in 2005. Â Major acts vs. New bands vying for my time. Â Between seven (7) different stages (both inside tents and outside grandstands), there is ALWAYS something going on that you will enjoy.
FRIEND REUNIONS
Once of the greatest aspects of this California music festival is the draw it brings from all major cities in California (and the U.S. AND globally in general. Â Coming down from Sacramento, I can count on hanging out with my friends from L.A., San Francisco, Seattle as well Denver and D.C. Â It's one of the best meet-up points on the West Coast music-wise.
VS. BURNING MAN
As much as I love Burning Man, a weekend trip to Coachella is far far easier to manage logistically than the mega-planning that it takes to make the trek to Black Rock, Nevada happen. Â Highways to and from, hotels, nearby restaurants in Palm Springs, etc. etc., make Coachella much less taxing on the gals you may have with you, just sayin.
STANDOUTS
Performances that I've seen since 2005 that I've loved have included Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Peter Murphy, Madonna, Miss Kitty, Dresden Dolls, M.I.A., and the list just goes on.
"YOU'RE TRAPPED"
And I don't just mean in a "Club That Won't Give You In & Out Privileges". Â I mean in a "You Must Pay For EVERYTHING Inside The Festival And You Can't Bring Much Of Your Own Stuff In With You" sort of way. Â It means that if they want to overcharge and rip you off on a bottle and charge you $4, it means they can and will do that. Â And at a rate of a bottle per every couple of hours, you can see how even just trying to stay HYDRATED for 3 days of festival-going is going to impact your wallet.
Free Water-Fountains should be a Constitutional Right. Â They're not here, so One-Star Deduction.
THE LOWDOWN
A most excellent music festival experience.
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