Coachella is one of the premier music festivals in the world. 100s of bands pack the stages over three blistering hot days in the Mojave Desert outside of Indio, CA. In 2007, I camped here for the festival which featured Arcade Fire, Bjork, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Kings of Leon, The Arctic Monkeys, and many other great bands. This year we're renting a house to beat the heat and sleep past 7 a.m. Here's the bands I'm most looking forward to seeing....
Radiohead
Legends. Known for their amazing live shows, this is the main reason why I'm packing my bags and heading out to the desert. I've seen them only once live, and it will be cool to see them at a festival with 70,000 other fans.
Bon Iver
Fresh off their Grammy for Best New Artist (the Grammy's really need to do their research, 2008 anyone?), Justin Vernon and company are setting out for another extensive tour this year in support of their amazing self-titled, sophomore album. They've proven they can handle the big stage with a blistering set at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. Can't wait.
m83
After a huge 2011, m83 is back for another tour in support of their album of the year, Hurry Up We're Dreaming. I've never seen them live, although I've heard they don't disappoint.
Frank Ocean
This guy proved he has some serious star potential in 2011 with the release of a great mix-tape. He's slated to provide us with his debut album in the spring, and I'm eager to hear how he performs live. If this video is any indication, it should be spectacular minus the singing fans in the background.
The Weeknd
Looking forward to seeing this sensational R&B artist. He took the Internet by storm, releasing 3 mix-tapes without the assistance of a major label. The one thing that makes me apprehensive about his performance is that his music is heavily sampled and beat oriented which probably won't translate well to a live setting.
Dr. Dre and Snoop
They aren't the main reason why I'm going because rappers aren't known for their live performances (with the exception of Jay-Z). But I can't help being just a little excited for the legendary gangsta rap duo. It'll bring back many memories of the middle/high school days.
The Black Keys
While I've seen them many times, they never get old. The Friday headliners will not disappoint with their arsenal of amazing tracks. In 2007, they played a small tent and I didn't get a chance to see them. Now their headlining. It's what makes these festivals so great.
Feist
I've never seen her live, so this will be a real treat. She's one of my favorite female vocalists and musicians, so it will be nice to see her in person.
Explosions in the Sky
Unbelievable. Easily one of my favorite sets of Coachella 2007. They played in the middle afternoon on the main stage, and it was nice to just chill on the grass and listen to these masters of post-rock perform. Hopefully they'll play the main stage again as the sun sets, as a warm up for the highly energetic sets of m83, Arctic Monkeys, and the Black Keys.
Miike Snow
Caught the end of Miike Snow's set at Bonnaroo in 2010 and wished I was there for the whole thing. They really had the crowd rolling, and I'm anxious to hear their new material.
Girl Talk
By the time Sunday comes around, I hope I'll have enough energy to keep up with this guy. He's a master at mixing and sampling while putting on a fantastic live show.
The Arctic Monkeys
This is another band I saw when I went to Coachella in 2007. It was an amazing set, and these guys are no strangers to the main stage. While they've expanded their sound since then, to my disliking, they'll still pack a mean punch on Friday night.
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