Needing a breather, I went and sat down next to The Quad Cubatron, a 20x20 ft. wide art piece comprised of 5760 computer-controlled color-changing LED lights that presents 30 minutes of 3D graphics. Two dopey gals were either acting like idiots or had taken mushrooms because while it is an amazing piece of work no one else was as ecstatic and orgasmic as they watched and caressed each other.

Pendulum hit the Sahara stage like they had something to prove. They wanted to make you forget everyone else with their musical attack of heavy beats and basslines. They could have been called Pandemonium as their flashing light array combined with their sounds dazzled the senses.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings seemed out of place at the Mojave Tent with their throwback rhythm and blues revue, but damn, if they didn’t have the audience enthralled. Fans of Any Winehouse will be familar with their work, as some of the Dap-Kings played on Back to Black. Variety is the real key to success for festivals like this, and their act was the find of the day on Friday. They sold me an album with their electrifying performance.

Walking past Outdoor, I caught the tail end of Serj Tankain, who sounded no different than when he is working in System of a Down. He got off a blast at the Bush Administration and the apathetic public with “Unthinking Majority.”

Jack Johnson was the headliner who closed out the Coachella Stage. I didn’t think he was that big of an act, but he drew quite a turnout. I stayed for a few songs, but his laid-back rock sound, complete with Johnson’s own lilting guitar work, was too relaxing for someone who still had a mile-plus to walk home.

All in all, a very good day.

Read Coachella Day Two
Read Coachella Day Three