Kevin Bronson on April 19th, 2010

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Who: Local Natives at the Gobi Tent.
In 3 or Fewer Words: Joie de pop.
I’ll Remember This a Very Long Time Because: Even as an early admirer of the Silver Lake quintet, I wondered whether their harmony-laden, beat-happy pop would translate to a bigger stage. Their set before an overflow crowd at the Gobi Tent – complete with crowd surfers and fans clambering up the tent supports to get a better view – left no doubt. En masse, it seemed, fans bent forward at the waist, tossed their heads forward and sang along; in a strange sort of way, it was a bow to Local Natives’ winsome optimism. Their supple harmonies in “Camera Talk” were spot-on; the Talking Heads’ cover “Warning Sign” went down like an energy drink; and “Airplanes'” slow build to its yearning chorus of “I want you back” was greeted with arms raised. Their secret weapon – the doubled percussion that injects everything the band does with a sense of urgency – was never tighter, especially on the explosive “Sun Hands.” Local Natives acknowledged that playing Coachella had always been a dream of theirs; judging from the smiles on their young fans’ faces, the crowd saw a dream realized too.
What I’d Tell a Friend Who Was at Owen Pallet or King Khan & the Shrines: Curse the Coachella gods – it was a bummer to have three worthy up-and-comers playing at the same time.
– K.B.