COME ON OVER TO COACHELLA 2013
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanFor two magnificent musical weekends, Coachella Music & Arts Festival brings the California desert to life with the sweet and sometimes reverberating sounds of summer. Weekend One begins today, April 12th and continues through April 14, 2013 and Weekend Two runs from April 19th through April 21st, 2013.
This fun festival has become a tradition that has extended to two full weekends with a very impressive entertainment lineup drawing huge crowds to the destination of Indio, California. Temperatures can become extremely steamy but many serious Coachella fans camp out right on the grounds so they don’t miss anything.
The event highlights all kinds of music genre and is also labeled as an arts festival. You might compare it to Woodstock and headliners such as Pearl Jam, Beck, Rage Against The Machine, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Prince and even Scarlett Johansson and Madonna performed in 2007 and 2008 respectively. In 2012, the musical preferences ranged from rap to techno, alternative and everything in between. Frank Ocean, The Black Keys, Kaskade, Afrojack, Gotye and even Eminem, 50 Cent, Rihanna and Usher made guest appearances. You never know who is going to show up.
Art and sculpture featured are some of the finest having also been on display at Burning Man and Art Basel. It is a bit of a diversion and a means to feed your cultural craze.
This year the lineup gives a varied mixture of sound to fit every individual’s tastes. Here are just some of the musical acts in store for excited and anxious fans:
Rodriguez, Paul Oakenfold, Jessie Ware, The Lumineers, The Stone Roses, Savages, Passion Pit, New Order, Benny Benassi, Band Of Horses, BassNectar
The festival is all about sustainability and making a difference, creating rather than destroying. It is a true belief in global inheritance and inspiring the people who will save the world. It is all about betterment. Recycling Centers create pieces of art and for eight empty water bottles brought back to the center, you will receive one full bottle of water to beat the heat. Carpooling rocks as a means to save fuel and get to know your neighbor. Alternative energy is put into play as budding musicians are given a chance by using musical objects to play that require no power cords. Innovation is a way to promote awareness.
Giant sponsors include Heineken, H&M, JBL by Harman, Playstation, Red Bull and Fruttare.
Philanthropy is directly tied in as a portion of the proceeds go to support Indio Teen Center, Indio Senior Center, Silverlake Conservatory of Music, Global Inheritance and many more.
Contributing to the excitement of the two weekends, some of the artists themselves will be doing signings and will be meeting their long-time fans. There is also an area to trade in your old CDs.
If this all sounds like something you would love to be a part of but just happen to be miles away, you can listen to some of the music of your favorite artists and bands live on www.coachella.com (presented on YouTube) as the acts unfold and without the crowds and hands going up behind you. However, with the palm trees swaying, the sun shining in a cloudless sky and then the moon rising above the stars, millions of fans will be clapping and dancing and singing along and what could be better than that to forget all your cares and worries for a couple of days.
PHOTO CREDITS: Google Images
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