Ciara Surprises, AC/DC, Tame Impala Rock on Coachella Weekend 2, Day 1
Some may wonder why the Southern California’s Coachella Music Festival runs two weekends. The answer is simple – because it can. The festival has such a hot reputation that it sells out even before the lineup is officially announced. God knows it could probably run three weeks if promoter Goldenvoice didn’t already have that date booked for its country cousin, Stagecoach.
You may also wonder why on earth would anyone attend both weekends. Well, go one weekend and you’ll so know why. You’ll find yourself running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to check out all the cool acts. That’s why some make the second visit in the same year so they can catch all the action they missed on the first go-round, or simply to relive the magic one more time.
Naysayers might insist that weekend 2 is merely a repeat of the first, but that’s not the case, as fans catching R3hab’s evening set found out. The Sahara Tent was already overflowing and jumping with the Dutch house DJ’s massive beats when he brought out surprise guest Ciara. The appearance of the Grammy-winning singer – who performed her hit track “I Bet,” which R3Hab remixed for the deluxe edition of Jackie, along with their recent collab “Get Up!” – didn’t so much ratchet up the energy, but increased the number of phones in the air tenfold, as fans tried to click photos and videos of the moment.
Elsewhere, there may not have been guests surprises, but even the artists noticed things were a bit different. “I swear to God, it didn’t look this beautiful last weekend,” Singer/guitarist Kevin Parker, the frontman of Aussie pop-psych masters Tame Impala noted. “I don’t think those balloon things were here,” he added, as he pointed to the arched strings of lighted blue and green balloons that hovered over the polo field. There were other differences as well. Angus Young, the guitar dynamo of fellow Aussie’s and the night’s headliners, AC/DC, traded in his plush red school-boy uniform for a blue one with a matching blue cap, but kept all the energy that earned the band raves last week, with its first full set in six years. The band continued to be an unstoppable force Friday night, despite whatever misfortune might be thrown its way. This reporter first caught AC/DC opening for Aerosmith at the Long Beach Arena in the late ‘70s. In terms of the band’s sound and energy, not much have changed, although the lineup continues to evolve.
Frontman Brian Johnson, back in all black and a knit flat cap, replaced the late Bon Scott in 1980 and continues to shout with strength, while Angus Young roves the stage like the Energizer Bunny on speed, duck-walking like a young Chuck Berry. With guitarist Malcolm Young now retired and battling dementia and longtime drummer Phil Rudd out dealing with legal troubles, the band has had to turn to Malcolm’s nephew Stevie on rhythm guitar, and bring Chris Slade back into the fold in the drum chair for the first time since the mid-'90s. But if anything, the lineup shuffle has brought renewed vigor to the band, which continues to crank out its trademark mix of big riffs and catchy choruses. AC/DC also might be the most literal band on the planet. There’s no big mysteries in the band’s songs or even stage props. For “Hell’s Bells,” a giant bell appeared on stage. “T.N.T.” – as well as the set-closing “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” – was greeted with fireworks, while “Whole Lotta Rosie” featured a giant inflatable woman. Although the band played virtually the same set as weekend 1 – switching out “The Jack” for “High Voltage,” most of the crowd, especially those in their souvenir light-up devil horns, seemed to enjoy it.
During “Shoot to Thrill,” in the area where we were standing, a woman in a wheelchair was hoisted into the air by friends like it was some sort of unholy heavy metal Bat Mitzvah. We’re happy to report, it didn’t end badly.
While AC/DC has made a career out of mining the same groove, second-billed relative newcomers Tame Impala is already switching it up. As its main-stage status suggests, the band has made a name for itself with its trippy mix of dreamy vocals, melodic guitar riffs and big beats. Yet the material previewed from its forthcoming album, Currents, already shows the band is not content to merely rehash its sound. “Let It Happen,” from the new album, began with a false start, but once the band locked into its groove, it delivered a wash of synths along with the other elements and some starts, stops and big beats that would have been right at home in one of the dance tents. Parker was also impressed with the crowd, marveling that “Chicks on guys’ shoulders” makes him happy, although we’re not sure how he feels about airborne wheelchairs.
The intricate jazz-pop stylings of Steely Dan, the other veteran act of the night, had to battle noise bleed from the dance tents for much of its night-time set on the Outdoor Stage, but once that other set ended, fans were treated to such FM staples as “Aja,” “Josie,” and “Reelin’ in the Years,” while singer/keyboardist Donald Fagen looked strangely like Ray Charles.
Swedish singer Lykke Li didn’t bring out any stars, but she once again channeled Sunday’s headliner, Drake, by including a cover of his “Hold On, We’re Going Home” in her set.
We only caught a bit of Alabama Shakes’ evening set on the Outdoor Stage, but saw enough to be convinced that singer/guitarist Brittany Howard, wearing an all-white get-up with a cape, is soul-singing superwoman. Elder statesman Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires also brought tons of soul, along with the unique fashion statements – he was shirtless, save for a vest and sleeves.
Other main-stage highlights included the fiery Azealia Banks, who looked like a sweet school girl in a floral jumper and white hightops, but spit rhymes vicious enough to compete with the most gangsta of rappers.
Bridging the gap between the old-school rockers and the hipsters was Pennsylvania outfit the War on Drugs, whose laid-back '80s rock sound – think the missing link between Bruce Springsteen and Dire Straits and a hint of legendary New York no wavers Suicide – provided the perfect soundtrack for as the desert afternoon faded into evening. Backed by Charlie Hall’s steadfast drumming – which was so spot on it had you questioning if it was man or machine – the band delivered a hypnotic mix of guitar, sax, trumpet and singer/guitarist Adam Granduciel’s road-weary vocals. During the blissful set-closing “Under the Pressure,” all was right with the world.