The Coachella stage continued to present influential acts with Portishead, who have reemerged with a new album after 10 years. The videoscreens presented them in black and white. It was strange to hear the band under the stars with a large group of people because the mood of the music combined with Beth Gibbons hauntingly beautiful vocals usually puts me in the mind of listening to them alone in a darkened room, curled up in a ball reminded that "nobody loves me/It's true." Utley played a great guitar solo on “Wandering Star” with needle-nose pliers. Some of their songs, like “Machine Gun,” are too much noise over music that I don’t find fits Gibbons’ voice well, sounding better suited for Bjork or Sonic Youth.
Flogging Molly closed out Outdoor with their brand of Irish music fused with punk intensity that had plenty of people on their feet dancing the night away.
With a long drive ahead and a full day still to come, I left before Prince took the stage. Thankfully, Caballero Oscuro was able to fill in the details:
Prince rocked the main stage at Coachella Saturday night for what must have been at least 30,000 fans, but not before opening the set by bringing out Morris and Jerome for “Jungle Love” and “The Bird” followed by Sheila E for “Glamorous Life.” Oh, and then he covered Radiohead’s “Creep” and The Beatles’ “Come Together” just for added fun. Many blistering guitar solos, a full two-hour set lasting 'til 1AM, a bit of a lag around costume change in the middle but definitely a memorable event. I couldn't help but notice that he forgot some of his own lyrics a couple of times, so when he called out, “What’s my name?” later on, I was genuinely concerned that the old man may be suffering early stages of Alzheimer's. I could do without his clear stripper heels with blinky lights in them too, but to each his own.
Read Coachella Day One
Read Coachella Day Three
Article comments
1 - Donald Gibson
"With a long drive ahead and a full day still to come, I left before Prince took the stage."
I'm trying to find an apt analogy (leaving an arena before Springsteen plays "Born To Run," perhaps; leaving a theatre before you realize the ending of The Sixth Sense), but nothing seems to fit. Are you not that much of a Prince fan or was the traffic that bad? (I heard Portishead was none too pleased with having their headlining status essentially bumped for the Purple One.)
You didn't leave before Roger Waters' set on Night 3, did you?
2 - Glen Boyd
Gotta echo Gibson here Bicho. Prince is amazing live, and short of my house burning down I wouldn't have missed that. The Musicology shows a few years ago were absolutely incredible. great report otherwise though.
-Glen
3 - El Bicho
I am not much more than a greatest hits fan of Prince at the present time. There were a number of factors in my leaving before he went on that went into my decision.
There was a good 20 minutes to wait before he was scheduled to come on. My legs and feet were already starting to feel sore, and I knew there was a full day ahead of me. I didn't pay for the the ticket so it's not like I lost anything in the transaction and since Oscuro was there, I knew it was going to get covered.
Considering he didn't finish until 1AM, and I still had to pack up from where I stayed in town, I wouldn't have gotten home until after 3 AM regardless of traffic, and I didn't have the youth or drugs to keep me from being wrecked the next day, which I knew we were going to close. [Or did we? Read Day Three to find out.]
4 - Josh Hathaway
Rilo Kiley is amazing, Sir Bicho. I'd suggest The Execution of All Things first, followed by Under the Blacklight.
5 - Glen Boyd
For as good a live representation of MMJ as you are likely to find, I'd point you towards the DVD Okonokos. Yer' welcome.
-Glen
6 - El Bicho
I think you meant this for Day Three, but I will make a note of it