When the sun set, it got cooler, and not just in temperature as Leonard Cohen and his band took the Outdoor Stage. They wore matching suits and hats and started the set with “Dance Me to the End of Love.” The set might have better suited for a small, smoky cabaret, but it worked under a moonless sky as Cohen crooned his deep bass voice. The crowd was unfortunately obnoxious as people couldn’t stop talking around us, making me wonder if they were just grabbing a spot for the next act as people filled in the empty gaps in the audience throughout Cohen’s set. One idiot kept yelling at a guy a few spots in front of him to take off his hat.
Morrissey played the Main Stage and opened with “This Charming Man” and played a few other Smiths songs throughout his set, creating a one-man reunion of the classic ‘80s band that is likely the most fans are ever going to get. His voice sounded in fine form. Before “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others,” Morrissey, the well-known vegetarian, stated, “I can smell burning flesh and I hope to God it's human,” generating a number of “What the?”s from the crowd. He then walked off stage before the song ended, and his band looked perplexed. He returned and informed the audience, “The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I just couldn't bear it.” I was able to smell was he was referring to, but he soldiered on. He took his shirt off to the delight of some men and women, and threw it to the crowd, although he couldn’t make past the security area. The only problem during the set was the bass coming from the Do Lab stages were distractingly loud.
Before Sir Paul McCartney took the stage, at about 9:50 a DJ began spinning remixes of Beatles tunes. McCartney was scheduled for 10pm but came out 20 minutes late. He opened with “Jet” and “Drive My Car.” He then played a couple of songs from his recent albums and then returned to known territory with “Got to Get You Into My Life,” during which very odd-looking CG of The Beatles appeared on the video screens. It didn’t match the pacing of the song, but I believe it was later revealed they were part of the upcoming Beatles Rock Band.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Thanks, Josh
2 - Josh Hathaway
No problem, El Bicho. You got to see and hear some great sights and sounds.
When I read about the poor clown who passed out ahead of time, my first thought was, "Fucking students." That's just not a full-share move. You can't go down before the bell in the first round. You just can't do it.
3 - El Bicho
And there's more on the way.
I hope a friend of the young fella at least grabbed his ticket before he hit the gurney and sold it for him.
4 - Mat Brewster
Sounds like a good time El B. That's a lot of rock for one day, I'm surprised you were alive to make it to day two.
5 - Coachella 2009
One of our writers went to Coachella all three days, and loved every part except for someone breaking his car windows and the extreme heat.