Belated Coachella Highlights

The sun sets over the Coachella Valley

I went to Coachella a few weekends ago. Here is my belated report from the weekend, with categories inspired by the festival report backs on the All Songs Considered podcast.

Biggest Trend: The Power of Two
The Black Keys. The Kills. Death From Above 1979. Lightning Bolt. Over and over again, these bands hammered home the fact that two can make more righteous noise than a stage overloaded with musicians.

Biggest Surprise: The Excitement of the Old
I hadn't even planned on seeing Duran Duran. But then I thought I should at least check out a song or two - they were the required wall decorations of my junior high years after all - and I was really blown away by how good they sounded. And looked. Really, I was a little giddy.

Ditto Big Audio Dynamite: they were a big part of the soundtrack to my latter undergrad years, and it was really great to see them having such fun on stage. I mean, IT'S MICK FUCKING JONES. Bonus: this set was definitely where all the non-teens converged.

Best Discovery: Allison Mosshart is HOT

Main stage with balloon sculpture

As she prowled the stage during The Kills' set, they dropped a massive leopard print scrim over the back of the stage. All I could think was: she shed her skin before the show and now they are using it as a backdrop.

Best Show: Arcade Fire

Gorgeous. Infectious. Uplifting. Not only best show of the festival, but one of the three best of my life.

If I was choosing a best show by day, The Black Keys were hands down Friday's best, while PJ Harvey lived up to a fan's handmade sign that read "PJ Harvey is the REAL closing act" on Sunday.

Bonus: Fashion Report

Why did no one warn me that hippy chic is back?