I Wanna Take You Higher: Coachella 2008

By Stuart Myerburg

Justice © Stuart Myerburg

The three-day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, held every April at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA, is always an eclectic blend of extremes. Where else can you choose between the hushed sounds of Iceland’s Múm or the aggressive dance beats of Dan Deacon, all while lounging on lush grass in the middle of the desert? You can also do your fair share of celebrity-spotting over the weekend, as the Hollywood elite make a pilgrimage to Coachella to catch the latest buzz bands. This year, there was even a mini-performance from Sean Penn.

Wandering © Stuart Myerburg

But ultimately, the festival is about the impeccable lineup of artists chosen to play. The Coachella organizers always manage to bring together a healthy mix of DJs, electronic acts, up-and-comers, indie stand-bys, and surprise reunions, and this year was no exception (apart from the inexplicable inclusion of Jack Johnson). The options are almost too bountiful, resulting in difficult scheduling choices. So, you must abandon all hope of seeing every band you want to see and recognize that as soon as you come home, you will discover a band that you should have seen, had you only been in the know at the time. Such is the fleeting beauty of Coachella.

Friday, April 25, 2008:

Jens Lekman © Stuart Myerburg

Battles, the newest purveyors of math rock, ran through a blistering set, highlighted by their breakout hit, “Atlas.” But Sweden’s Jens Lekman was the first real standout of the weekend. Accompanied by horns, strings, and a mostly female band, Jens displayed his jaunty brand of melancholy romanticism. He and the band seemed almost euphoric by the closing “Sipping on the Sweet Nectar,” dancing around the stage while mimicking airplanes in flight.

Immediately following Lekman were Cut Copy. The band has shown enormous growth this year, releasing a sophomore album that far exceeds their already impressive debut. Their live show demonstrated similar maturity. The trio took the stage armed only with their synthesizers, but still managed to perform a muscular set, peaking with the epic “Lights & Music.”

Cut Copy © Stuart Myerburg

Later in the evening, it was time for Goldfrapp. Anyone familiar with Alison Goldfrapp’s perfectionism should not have been surprised that the band took the stage late, amidst Alison’s glares of death directed toward the sound engineers. Despite her initial disappointment, she slid effortlessly into “A & E” and “Utopia,” stunning the audience with her astonishing operatic vocals on the latter.

Goldfrapp © Stuart Myerburg

The setlist was a satisfying mix from all four of their albums. Listening to the albums individually, it is often difficult to hear the linkage between the spare electronics of Felt Mountain, the glam electronica of Black Cherry and Supernature, and the pastoral acoustics of Seventh Tree. But mixing the songs up live, the connections became clear and the songs blended together seamlessly. The disco stomp of “Strict Machine” ended the set on a particularly high note.

One of the random, unexpected reunions of the weekend was The Verve. Richard Ashcroft and crew performed a satisfying set of hits, including the “The Drugs Don’t Work,” “Lucky Man,” and, of course, “Bittersweet Symphony.” They ended with a new song that was one of the most joyously dance-y in their catalog, setting expectations high for their next album.

The Verve © Stuart Myerburg

Click here for more on. . .

Saturday, April 26
Sunday, April 27

Pages: 1 2 3