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Fun in the Sun: The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held for two weekends in April annually under the scorching sun of Indio, California, has yet to fail its fellow music lovers. On a seemingly-infinite plane of grass, the 2014 festival boasted artists that ranged from rap to singer-songwriter and everything in between, while maintaining its trademark free-spirited atmosphere.
TJ Ford
Arts Editor
Every year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival attracts over 90,000 people to be herded into the blazing desert only to have their ears blasted by blaring amplifiers. Attendees are engulfed by crowds of eccentric people in outfits ranging from neon to nipple tape, but in the end have the time of their lives.
Despite the criticism the festival faces for its high prices and popularity among the rich and famous, Coachella remains a weekend to escape into the world of music. Its laid-back atmosphere and wide array of artists solidify the musical journey as an item necessary for any music lover’s bucket list.
Since 1999, Coachella has been a spring-time oasis that features artists ranging from obscure indie bands to Billboard’s top 100, all on the expansive grasses of Indio, California. Performances are held either outdoors or under hangar-sized tents from late morning until midnight. This year’s headlining artist was the group Outkast, which reunited to play at the festival. Other artists who shared Coachella’s stages include Foster the People, Lana Del Rey, MGMT, Skrillex and over 50 more.
The performances were lively, colorful, and impressive across the board. Each act was unique, even those of the same genre, and the varied lineup allowed for music that pleased more than just the few fans of unknown, eclectic groups.
The artistic choices made the festival accessible, without making it just another big-time, radio-sponsored gala. Rather, the selections represented the past year of music and the looks to the future, with rock choices, electronic selections and a multitude of fresh groups, ranging from singer-songwriter to rap. Unlike other years, the lineup did not fall flat and remained a perfect balance of big-brand and unknown artists. Also, at any moment, a group was playing at one of the seven stages. The endless musical choices and non-stop performances made boredom an impossibility on the gated lawns.
The atmosphere and overall mood of the festival lived up to the high expectations of the weekend. Its free-spirited focus on fun and living in the moment was not lost, even despite rumors of amped-up security. Guards and staff were surprisingly mellow and fun-loving, constantly making jokes and encouraging crowds to let loose, striking a balance between professionalism and personality that kept up the liberal theme of the three-day weekend.
Even the food was worth the ghastly prices and mile-long lines. Gourmet booths and food trucks lined the terrace, with options ranging from cream puffs to famously-delicious burritos to all-vegan stands. The food’s variety, paired with its creative, restaurant quality, made the weekend all the better.
The little details, like the freedom of the fair grounds and the hilarious staffers, were the elements that made the festival a music-filled escape.
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