COACHELLA THIS WEEKEND! (and the next!)
it’s been TEN YEARS (!!!) since i was there. Ranks HIGH in my Wildest Adventures List – literally charting the unknown.
This was 2005, pre-smartphones, before personal GPS, before the now-ubiquitous social media to help you easily plan everything. I had to plan each step – from getting a plane ticket, a car rental when i got there, then secure the hotel room, and then budget for 3 days of food and pocket-money for merch. Little did i know…
I’ll have to do it for two! though i planned on going alone, until my then concert buddy decides to buy a ticket herself within 5 minutes of me telling her on IMs. She saw Coldplay and Keane on the bill, and next IM i get is “got mine”. Whaaa?!?! My partner in crime is on board – The fun level just spiked!
From getting stuck for an hour in a parking lot jam on the freeway, to driving a red convertible Sebring at 102mph (!!!), to taking a quick foot-dip in the Pacific ocean on the beach on Santa Monica Pier, to getting lost on a dusty desert road on the way back the first night from the show (remember, no GPS or smartphones then), to drinking nasty warm vodka and worms in tequila shots, to seeing Peter Murphy sing Bela Lugosi’s Dead upside down the whole song, to finally seeing New Order reunite and play live, to losing each other during the NIN set when the mosh pit started, and not finding each other for almost 2 hours (when i had her cell phone and keys with me in my backpack!). But prior to that, we agreed to meet at a certain spot on the top of the hour if we ever lose each other. Good thing for designated meet-up locations!
Though it’s now a TWO-weekend festival, and with dubious performers headlining, i still believe things are still fun if you make it fun. It’s all up to you, really.
And it’s ok to lose your sense of direction (i always do because i have none!), but ive learned to never lose one’s sense of adventure. That’s how i always find my way back. 🙂
for those of us unable to be there this weekend, here are the 3 Webcast channels to choose from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-g994f5tS8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ImOXSKFpE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC5sCm6Mg40
For more information, head over to the website.
Enjoy!
(images courtesy of Coachella.com)