Ladies and gentlemen, meet Dan. Dan is what you call a wook. Wooks are filthy woodland creatures which originated in the state of Vermont. During the early days of their existence, wooks were almost exclusively found at Phish concerts. As of late, though, the jam band does not tour with the consistency it used to, only playing shows every few years. Because of this, wooks have had to leave their environment, much like the Native Americans did when the white man pillaged their land so long ago (as recent as the 20th century). Unfortunately, wooks have a difficult time adjusting to new environments because of their freeloading and addictive behaviors. It just so happens, though, that a new territory has sprung up and has gained favor among the wooks, much to the dismay of the American public. These new territories are our summer music festivals, and they stretch everywhere from California to Chicago, down south in Tennessee, and way back out to the Pacific Northwest. I'm kicking my festival season off in Live Oak, Florida this week at Wanee Festival at Spirit of Suwannee Park, so in preparation, I'll be writing up on some of the country's largest festivals of 2011. On the other side of the country in Indio, California, the twelth Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is set to take place, and you can bet your ass that the wooks have been there since February.
This year, from April 15-17, all of SoCal's music lovers will get the chance to bask in the glory of some of the best talent the industry has to offer. With headliners, Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, and Kanye West, spectators will get a chance to see two acts that certainly won't fail to please. For those who actually give a shit about music, KoL will be a show that most people will skip. I can say that after seeing them last summer, their show is nothing more than a flashy façade (literally) with a few guys standing in front of it playing their three radio singles and nothing else of interest. On the bright side, the festival also boasts an impressive undercard featuring acts such as Skrillex, the virtuoso DJ whom Rolling Stone Magazine recently "dubbed" the "Prince of Dubstep", as well as the popular British folk band, Mumford & Sons, and the dynamic rap/reggae duo, Damien Marley & Nas.
 |
| No, Nick Lachey! This is not your article! |
While the bands at Coachella this year are hot on the charts, the weather's going to be scorching. One thing to remember at any music festival is to beat the heat, and Coachella is no exception. The California desert shows no mercy to the festival-goers, boasting temperatures in the upper-90s this time of year. Fortunately, the festival counters the sun with a state of the art array of performance tents, shading attendees from dangerous UV rays while still giving an unforgettable concert experience. If you're planning on going, think again;the festival sold out in just FIVE DAYS. Unless you're willing to shell out over a thousand clams for a ticket, you're out of luck. For those of you who are going, bring the water.
THIS YEAR'S SURE THING: Shpongle presents The Shpongletron Experience. Many people who go to Coachella are there for the many DJs that play the festival. Shpongle's Shpongletron Experience is one show that shouldn't be missed by anybody. The elaborate stage setup is most definitely not a mask for the awesomeness that is Shpongle's music, but rather a visual interpretation of the melodies. Gather your party favors and head over to Shpongle, boys and girls, because that's going to be one of the best shows of the weekend.
SKIP IT: Neon Trees. Their song "Animal" may be fun to listen to on Glee, but this band doesn't put out live. They're just at the show to bring in the money. Save your time and check out one of the other acts that are on during their set.
No comments:
Post a Comment