Coachella: An afternoon of Alberta Cross, Aggrolites

Kevin Bronson on April 18th, 2009

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Coachella always starts so innocently. The vast expanse of green that is the Empire Polo Field, a cloudless sky, stately mountains in the distance, yawning stages eager to have their mouths full. Then a trickle of humanity that becomes a flow, then a beat that finds a melody, then banter that turns to shouts that turn to cheers.

My early arrival to Day 1 of the 2009 edition put me in a particularly buoyant mood – not only from the anticipation of seeing two of our greatest living songwriters, Paul McCartney and Leonard Cohen, but because I’d uncomplicated my show-going this year by bicycling to the venue (damn those parking lots). Even the surprisingly long security line didn’t faze me, because I ran into Silver Lake superfan Zoe [bottom photo], who turns up at all the good shows. Seems she got to Coachella early to see the Courteeners.

I was rewarded by a great set by London-founded, New York-based Alberta Cross [right], whose folk rock has grown up big and strong since the last time I saw them about two years ago. Undaunted by the midday sun (as bands that open the festival simply have to be), the quintet quickly won over a modest crowd at the Outdoor Theatre. A nice jam to start the day.

Then it was off to the Mojave Tent for the Aggrolites, one of three Los Angeles acts playing Friday that I’ve known since they were “bandlings” … you know, small, up-and-comers. Through sheer force of will (not to mention grooves so enticing you can’t help but fall into them), this quintet simply commands you to buy into their music, which they call “dirty reggae.” It’s rock-steady with a punk-funk edge, with frontman Jesse Wagner’s white-soul vocals and Roger Rivas’ crazy organ lines giving it a party-or-die feel.

Their new album, “Aggrolites IV,” is coming out June 9, and the band was up for the Coachella challenge, getting bodies bumping up front, arms waving in back and even thanking “Sir Paul for coming to see us today.” Yes, that reggaed-up cover of “Don’t Let Me Down” was already in their repertoire, and on this day it turned into a massive sing-along. In fact, the crowd was still singing the chorus after the band had left the stage.