Music lovers unite for Coachella Week 2, Day 2
Fans flocked to the desert for the festival’s electric second day, many celebrating 4/20.
Fans flocked to the desert for the festival’s electric second day, many celebrating 4/20.
It was an atrociously hot day in the Coachella Valley on Saturday, where concertgoers filed onto the festival grounds en masse for the weekend’s second pilgrimage.
But this wasn’t just any Saturday in April. Throughout the day, lighter clicks echoed across the field — marking with plumes of smoke the great day of marijuana: 4/20. Some artists were particularly equipped to celebrate the occasion, ringing in the holiday among its billowing clouds of celebratory smoke.
With a flair for the dramatic, RAYE brought her impressive afternoon set to a grinding halt as the clock struck 4:20 p.m. for a festive performance of her hit, “Mary Jane.” Introducing the track, the singer admitted to having quit her long-running relationship with “Miss Mary Jane,” but she couldn’t deny how much she missed her old friend.
“I can’t lie, I’m feeling jealous of you,” RAYE sang. “So, if it feels right, can you blow some in my direction?”
RAYE’s performance encompassed all the class and suave charisma of old-time club entertainment. Her pure vocal prowess left jaws dropped on the desert floor.
In what may have been Coachella’s best programming decision yet, fans approached the main stage to bear witness to certified stoner classic, Sublime. Jakob Nowell — son of the band’s original lead, Bradley Nowell — sang all the words the crowd knew and loved, including “Doin’ Time,” which headliner Lana Del Rey had covered not even 24 hours prior.
Exhaled chemtrails rose high over the Empire Polo Club as audience members bopped about to the band’s twangy ska, relatively tame with the exception of the occasional mosh. Sublime closed the afternoon by performing “Santeria” as it was meant to be heard: on April 20 at a musical festival in the middle of the desert, palm trees dancing in the distance, the sun hanging low above the nearby mountains.
The weekend was marked by Mexican pride. Following Peso Pluma’s monumental Friday night performance, Mexican hip-hop artist Santa Fe Klan dominated the main stage Saturday afternoon. In an invigorating performance of “Por Mi México,” Santa Fe urged fans to let their pride take hold and let loose. Flags swung through the air as fans struggled to settle on the ground, jumping, dancing and spraying each other with water, giving their all for the country they love.
Mexico City’s queen of cool, Girl Ultra, stunned the Sonora tent with a style that was all her own. On stage, she’s one with every sway in the melody. In a mosaic of her influences, Girl Ultra delivered an intoxicating set comprised of hyperpop, R&B, indie and everything in between.
Some thought Blur would skip Saturday’s set altogether after Damon Albarn’s controversial reaction to the Week 1 crowd. “You’ll never see us again, so you might as well fucking sing it,” he said, disappointed and annoyed by the sea of unresponsive, inanimate attendees.
But there’s a rumor that Coachella Weekend 2 attracts true music lovers, that those who attend the festival’s less-hectic, less-marketable weekend come motivated by an intrinsic passion for the music they travel to appreciate. And indeed, Blur’s second weekend would provide some considerable evidence proving that rumor true.
Blur took to the stage and, energized by the crowd’s enthusiasm, issued an enthralling performance of “Beetlebum” — setting the standard for all that was to follow.
Mid-set, the band welcomed the Torres Martinez Cahuilla Bird Singers to the stage, honoring the origins of their ancestral land, the Coachella Valley. The rest of the set saw hits from each of the band’s most popular albums, drawing to a close with subsequent and equally explosive performances of “Song 2” and “Girls & Boys.” As fans settled to the ground and the band geared up for their final song, Albarn made an announcement that would cement the night in history.
“In the spirit of clarity and truth,” he said, “this is probably our last gig.”
Gasps of shock reverberated through the audience as the band invited the Torres Martinez Cahuilla Bird Singers back onstage for a heartwarming rendition of “Tender.” Thousands of fans waved their flashlights, illuminating the stage in a demonstration of gratuitous adoration. It was a wholehearted send-off as Blur bid the audience what may be its final farewell.
Performing together for the first time in nine years, No Doubt was just as lively as it had been at its prime. The band delivered an electrifying performance that can be perfectly summarized by the title of its opening track: “Hella Good.” Gwen Stefani is as much of a frontwoman at 54 as she ever was before; she didn’t miss a breath as she climbed up light fixtures, dished out high kicks and jogged across the stage throughout the 80-minute set.
No Doubt’s music’s invigoratingly unique medley of reggae, ska, pop and punk influences sent the crowd into a frenzy. The band was having just as much fun, dishing out crowd-pleasing singles and album-defining favorites. A three-song series marked the tremendous conclusion to an already spectacular performance, as No Doubt rang out its night with “Just a Girl,” “Don’t Speak” and “Spiderwebs.”
Tyler, the Creator’s unparalleled creativity and showmanship is nothing new, but the intricacy of detail he pours into each concept makes every show all the more exciting. He was everything to his audience of devotees that night, as he usually is: cracking jokes and making fun of the attendees, telling them he loves them just to flip them all the bird. During a pre-show skit reminiscent of his Odd Future days, Tyler admitted to his newest addition to an already lengthy multi-hyphen: park ranger.
He set the tone for his performance from the moment he erupted from the side of a camper van, flying through the air with a flood of fireworks trailing close behind. In a fervor of excitement, the thousands of fans in attendance produced a human reverb effect, echoing every one of his beloved lyrics right back at him.
From “She” to “Tamale,” Tyler sang a song from every album he’s released, performing an “Eras” tour condensed into a 30-minute medley that left fans in a craze. The crowd produced a symphony to the tune of “See You Again,” and he even brought out Earl Sweatshirt for “AssMilk,”, performing the track live for the first time in 10 years.
Tyler ended the night with “NEW MAGIC WAND,” he and the crowd together stirring up enough collective energy to fuel the rest of the festival.
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