Artists Covered:
!!!
Moving Units
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All

And so the yearly pilgrimage to the barren desert began last Thursday, past the big white windmills and Indian casinos, headed eastbound on the I-10 into the night. On Friday, after a short but good night’s sleep in a janky hotel, I made my way to the music festival mecca: Coachella’s Empire Polo Fields.

After enduring lines of cars weaving through cone-made lanes past the sweaty brows of officers unamused, I trampled through dust and dying grass and scooted through security checkpoints until I finally reached the event. The midday sun sat heavily on my shoulders, and I was already drenched in sweat, but I didn’t care. I made it. I trekked further into the waves of heat.

The first set I caught was !!! (pronounced Chick-Chick-Chick) performing on the Outdoor Stage. I had really no idea what to expect coming into this (ah, the eclectic beauty of Coachella), and I was very pleasantly surprised. Frontman Nic Offer brought a crazy energy to the stage, and the music was plain catchy. I was dancing like a fiend, and the rest of the crowd was really into it despite it being only around 2 o’clock (an early set for the event) and hot as hell. Clad in a checkered shirt and short blue swim trunks and looking like a mixture between Ben Lee and Beck, Offer revealed an arsenal of dance moves both ridiculous and fantastic. He jumped on rafters, clambered into the audience, put the entire top of the microphone into his mouth, and crowd-surfed. The crowd was electric, the show was electric, and I was dancing and laughing and wowing. It was then I knew this would be a weekend of epic proportions.

Nic Offer of !!!

Next, I trotted over to the Main Stage to catch Moving Units play (check out my review of their recent EP, Tension War). They had a totally different feel from !!!—more spacey and out there—but I still danced wildly as they powered through their electronic, movement-inducing songs (my personal favorite being “Pink Redemption”). Lead singer Blake Miller dawned a strange, draped white outfit and black sort-of-head-wrap-thing. He appeared bird like and moved like it too. Overall, it was a weird and wonderful performance.

Moving Units performs on the Main Stage

Moving along, I made my way to the Sahara Tent to see the highly anticipated Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. This hip-hop collective has been on my radar for quite a bit now, and they’ve made their name on their feisty lyrics, strange antics, and independent spirit. Their set definitely did not disappoint. They brought the anger and the power they showcase on their recordings, and the fans in the audience were adamant and loyal. For me, personally, I chilled on the outskirts. As eager as I was to see OFWGKTA, I valued staying conscious more, and diving into 5,000 sweaty bodies in 97-degree heat was not the way to go about that. From the sidelines, the music quality didn’t seem as good; I couldn’t hear the beats as much as the loud and gritty voices of the group. I knew what they were getting at, but it didn’t get to me. Regardless, the group is seriously talented, and I may or may not be in love with Tyler, the Creator.

Check back soon for the Day 1, Part 2 of Coachella 2011!