Who:Â Clean Bandit on the Main Stage In 3 or Fewer Words:Â With strings attached. Memorable Because:Â Clean Bandit’s fun electro-pop, laced with intricate string arrangements (Grace Chatto on cello and Neil Amin-Smith on violin), made way for an afternoon dance party. With a slew of successful songs, including the worldwide hit “Rather Be,” the quartet featuring vocalist […]
Who: Parquet Courts in the Gobi Tent. In 3 or Fewer Words: Snot-nosed satisfaction. Memorable Because: “Real sorry about your water supply, just keep partying and you’ll forget about it. Until next year,†Parquet Courts’ guitarist Austin Brown astutely deadpanned early in a set reminiscent of the best DIY throwdowns you might have witnessed in […]
Who: PHOX at the Outdoor Theatre. In 3 or Fewer Words: Kinda folking great. Memorable Because: Keep an eye on Wisconsin’s alt-folk underdog heroes, who released their debut album last year and on Saturday played a noon-hour set on the Outdoor Stage. Singer-songwriter Monica Martin gave Coachella’s indie-bro frontmen a run for their money in […]
The good stuff at Coachella on Saturday started early (bonus points if you were there before noon for Until the Ribbon Breaks) and ran late (a gold star if you carried on with Swans after midnight). In between on a warmer Day 2, there were: Jack White shredding the Main Stage; coming-out performances from the […]
Photographer David Brendan Hall takes you on short tour around Friday’s first day of Coachella, starting with Alabama Shakes (top photo). Our Coachella mini-reviews
Who: AC/DC at the Outdoor Stage In 3 or Fewer Words: Rock or bust! Memorable Because: “I hope you guys like rock ’n’ roll, because that’s all we do!†singer Brian Johnson squealed as legendary hard rock band AC/DC took the Main Stage. He wasn’t lying. AC/DC’s electrifying set felt like a middle-finger to the […]
Who: Flying Lotus in the Mojave Tent In 3 or Fewer Words: Are we dead? Memorable Because: Steven Ellison, who performs under the moniker Flying Lotus, brought a cerebral experience to the Mojave Tent. Wearing a mask that had two circles of light (actually making look like a fly in the dark), Flying Lotus performed within a cubed […]
Who: Steely Dan at the Outdoor Theatre. In 3 or Fewer Words: Doing it again. Memorable Because: Eyebrows were raised, snark was dispensed and questions were asked when Steely Dan was booked for Indio, but the veteran jazz-rock fusionists made it look like a genius move. They brought their A game to a hit-laden set, […]
A very happy Tuesday to you: â–º Brandon Flowers, who has a new solo album titled “The Desired Effect” coming May 19, visits the Troubadour. Above, director Warren Fu’s new video for “Still Want You.” â–º Fleetwood Mac [see our review and photos from Friday’s show] return for another night at the Forum. â–º It’s […]
Who: Interpol on the Main Stage. In 3 or Fewer Words: Old reliable. Memorable Because: Interpol have become festival staples, worthy of no lower than second-line status on any flyer, because their exceptional noirish dance-punk never ages and they appeal to both rock and dance audiences. And as last summer at FYF Fest, they rocked […]