Coachella 2011 Coverage: Day 2, Part 1

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Artists Covered:

Foals

The next day—a hot and lovely Saturday morning—I awoke bright-eyed with a smiling face and thrust forth my arms in a wonderful stretch! The birds sung to me and doe-eyed forest critters brought me my dressing gown. We warbled a quick song whilst I brushed my silken hair before the looking glass, and we nibbled on berries and sipped sweet tea to fill our bellies. So what, you ask, incurred such a majestic, Disney morning? Why, it was Foals day, of course! Yes, indeed! Today was finally the day I would see the beloved British quintet before my own two adoring eyes, hear their succulent grooves and bathe in their rhythm-rock glow!

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Foals in a desert that sort of looks like Coachella but is not actually Coachella because it is actually a beach

Ok, but seriously. I was super stoked to see this set—Foals have been my most recent obsession—so when it was finally time to sweat beneath the Mojave tent, I was beyond ready. They kicked off with the infinitely jammable “Blue Blood” from Total Life Forever, and kept the initial electric energy throughout the set. I reveled and danced like a wacky wavy inflatable arm flailing tube woman*, and absorbed every note. My only disappointment was that they didn’t play “2 Trees,” to which I would’ve broken down and cried like a baby. Watching this set, my jaw was constantly dropped, and I was and still am trying to figure out how their sound and style—rock-y yet fluid yet groovy, almost funky—is even possible to achieve (both in recording and live). When it was over, I stood still as the crowd stampeded out around me, jaw still gaping, not ready to believe it was over. It was easily my favorite set thus far, partly because Foals is just plain amazing, and partly because I didn’t think my Total Life Forever experience could get any better…except that it totally did.

*To those who care: I realize the video I linked this to is not the proper reference (that being the Family Guy episode); however, I found this more appropriate to convey my sweet dance moves. Furthermore, I am the author of this article and can do whatever the hell I please. On a side note, I totally saw Mac and Dee from Always Sunny at the DFA 1979 set. But more about that later. Stay tuned.

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A random girl kickin’ it in the front seat

Bright Eyes

Getting ready for Bright Eyes, I plopped down in front of the Main Stage while Broken Social Scene serenaded the crowd. They played a great set, wholly lost on my while I lingered in Foal-land, reluctant to leave.

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Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes; I have nothing witty to say here

As Broken Social Scene ended with a late afternoon sun, I pushed up closer to get a good spot for Bright Eyes. I wanted to see the mystical Conor Oberst, whom I’ve heard so much about but never actually seen or actively considered. And as the sun set there he appeared, straight-haired and bulgy-eyed to perform a tragically happy set filled with his folky, earnest tunes and brooding undertones (A lot of his feeling and sound reminded me of the newer band Creature Colony, whom I featured in a BNBTV Spotlight.). The surrounding crowd was thrilled and dancing, worshipping the man onstage singing the songs that appear to have narrated so many young lives. I was elated and inspired.

Mumford & Sons

As the sunlight finally faded and a bright full moon took the sky, Mumford and Sons’ set was constructed beneath the massive metal monster that surrounded the stage. The British rock-folk group soon appeared and began their set of banjo-infused goodness. I was mildly familiar with this album coming into the performance, and seeing it performed live gave it a new pulse for me. The emotion was much more real, the dramatic pauses felt like sad, beautiful decades, and the insanely impressive banjo plucking prompted many a dosie doe around me. My conclusion? Everyone loves a good hoe down now and then.

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