[Guest contributor Monica Alvarez started her Coachella early too:]
El Gran Silencio, the Monterey, Mexico, quintet that hybridizes reggae, Latin and Afro beats, ska and ranchera music, demanded undivided attention from both la raza and everyone else watching their “Cholo-chella” set. It’s all about the accordions and horns with these guys, and the attitude as well. Their fans don’t mess around, either. Eventually, a mini-mob of Lucha Libre mask-bearing fans started a mosh pit and worked up a healthy early-afternoon sweat. It was an exhilarating way to kick off the day.
