By Danielle Smith
Executive Arts Editor
Coachella 2017 is officially over, but after the impressive performances, many are already picking out their outfits for next year’s festival.
The two weekends of the festival featured a myriad of musical artists and food stands, catering to all tastes. Despite the sweltering heat of the desert and the overcrowded festival grounds, Coachella 2017 was an enjoyable and lively event.
PHOTOS: Coachella 2017 delighted festival-goers.
Coachella is a yearly music and arts festival located at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The festival which was co-founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen in 1999 is organized by Goldenvoice.
For more information about the music and arts festival visit Coachella’s informative website.
Coachella 2017 featured over five different stages where a variety of musical guests performed including the three headliners: rock band Radiohead, singer-songwriter Lady Gaga and rapper Kendrick Lamar. Various large-scale sculptures were also scattered throughout the festival, along with a variety of food vendors.
Concerts took place in well-designed, expansive tents that allowed for huge crowds to dance along to the music. Large speakers lined the sides of the tent, effectively spreading the sound evenly throughout the audience. The low sides of the tent kept most of the sound inside, making it possible for audiences to enjoy the concert they were attending without hearing those nearby.
Visual effects accompanied all of the performances, enhancing the music with flashing lights, moving images and in some cases, pyrotechnics. These aspects captivated the attention of the audiences, creating an animated ambiance. In addition, stages including the Coachella Stage and Outdoor Theatre featured giant screens projecting images of the performers, allowing large crowds to fully experience the music.
As attendees walked throughout the festival grounds from concert to concert, multiple over-sized, colorful sculptures invited photo opportunities. One such dramatic installation, “Crown Ether,” by Brooklyn/Nigerian artist Olalekan Jeyifous, depicted a tree made of blocks that towered above the crowds, alternating colors throughout the night, creating a playful atmosphere.
The multitude of food vendors present at the festival allowed concert-goers to sample dishes from multiple cultures and experience signature dishes from famous restaurants. After’s Ice Cream, a local Los Angeles dessert shop, brought their signature “Milky Buns” to Coachella, offering customers a delectable and refreshing treat of ice cream sandwiched between two doughnuts.
The only negative aspect of the festival was the immense amount of people in attendance. The overcrowding lead to annoyingly long food lines and uncomfortably crowded tents, which made it difficult to see the performers at times.
Coachella 2017 was an extremely entertaining event that allowed festival-goers to choose between a variety of delicious food and lively music options while enjoying art. The collection of talented musical guests far exceeded expectations, delivering outstanding performances that left a lasting impression.
Passes to the event start at $399 for General Admission and increase with the addition of shuttle passes and VIP tickets. The dates for Coachella 2018 are not released yet, but more information about the festival can be found on coachella.com.
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