The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is pure entertainment euphoria. It’s a Now generation extravaganza of onstage music, video visuals and lighting effects that continues where Woodstock left off. In another first for this journal with a classical music perspective, the Editor was excited to watch a livestream sampling of artists among numerous acts, most of whom she has never heard of or heard and to offer these impressions. After all, sometimes it’s a good thing to spice up a musical diet. So, to coin an expression often used by festival artists in performance mode, Let’s Go!
Since the inaugural concert of 1999, the Coachella Festival for the first time offers livestream broadcasts via YouTube from the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California on two consecutive weekends; April 14-16 and April 21-23 – with replay options. Over 30,000 visitors a day have been known to hang out and groove to top-notch artists of different genres who perform on different stages and in tents from late afternoon to after the midnight hour. In addition to musical entertainment, the 78-acre grounds transforms into a self-sufficient community where a spread of venues provide mega options such as shopping, car and tent camping sleepovers, art exhibits, on site sculptures, a wellness oasis – that can be enjoyed while chowing down a variety of cuisine by vendors of restaurants such as Broad Street Oyster Co., Prince Street Pizza, Hawkin’s House of Burgers, My Lai, Tacos 1986 and McConnell’s ice creams to chill out in predicted 92 degree weather. By the way, recycling is taken very seriously at the event.
Past Coachella Festival headliners include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish. The lineup for this year boasts an equally impressive roster of Grammy Awards and hit album winners, and I was there virtually from April 14-16.
Friday, April 14
After clicking the Coachella Festival website YouTube link at 4:00 pm Indio time, a livestream of performances began with a schedule of set times for each of the six stages which are Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theater, Sahara, Gobi, Sonora and Mojave – named after deserts. Although there is something to be said for live, in person interaction the feed features crystal clear audio and a convenience of switching from one venue to another with precision speed – something Goldenvoice Productions achieved for off-site viewers. It didn’t take long for my classically trained musical instincts to understand why Coachella Festival is among the premiere venues of its kind. It’s more than an event; it’s musical pandemonium where rap, hip hop, rock, contempo, K-pop and artists of other stylistic inclinations leap, run or shimmy across the stage in acrobatic choreographic movements while belting out tunes accompanied by an elaborate backup of instrumentalists/vocalists and dancers – all dressed in vibrant, often scant attire that would rival any modern opera production.
I browsed a variety of artists like Pusha T, Blondie, Gabriels, Saba and blink-182, the old school hard rock duo (at least that was my approving musical take) and was drawn in by how these performers connect to an audience – of which multitudes packed each of the stage venues waving, clapping, twisting and singing along with the music. Whatever lyrics or expletives were being sung an enormous amount of energy and dazzle was produced not only by performers but also in the choreography, set design and video backdrops that flashed images of everything from ravaged battle fields and natural wonders to feel good messages. For example, the Gorillaz band soared with an electroacoustic soundscape of steely resonance as a cascade of digital scenes lit up the entire stage with illumination that would rival many Fourth of July fireworks displays. And Grammy Awards winning The Chemical Brothers overwhelmed with Flash Gordon inspired visual effects to match an electric laser sonority decibels above anything Boulez or Varese ever wrote.
Settling into a click and listen routine, the Coachella Stage featured Becky G., wearing a metallic turquoise outfit, who thrilled the crowd with a variety of songs, sung in Spanish that seemed a blend of soft rock with Latino-inspired melodies and rhythms – to vocal and instrumental backup. Her onstage demeanor gave off waves of friendly musical vibes. After a set change pause, which occurs as acts play and leave the stage Nigerian-born Burna Boy, in attire fit for the beach, enveloped concert-goers with smooth rounded hip reggae harmonization. The program ending act took place shortly before midnight, giving the crowd a break to do what needed to be done – but Bad Bunny, aka Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio was worth the wait. The rap artist received a Grammy this year for best Musica Urbana Album of which his approach has been described as a mélange of Latin trap and Puerto Rico styled reggaeton.
With backdrop visuals flashing images that included the visage of a neon bunny, Bad Bunny appeared in matching tie-dye puffer style jacket and pants and all that really needs to be said is, Benito is Primo. He delivered quasi-melodies and lyrics with a quality of articulation and lyricism that could have gotten him recruited for a role in a Donizetti opera - although he sang in Spanish. His finesse shows that rapping is not a one dimensional workout but a genre developed by aspects from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. Bad Bunny’s set ended well after the bewitching hour so more to come tomorrow that will include the K-pop female quartet BlackPink, making a festival debut and also representing the first group from South Korea to play the event.
Saturday, April 15
Back on the Coachella Festival YouTube link at 4:00 pm I browsed a variety of venues and continuous performances that included: velvety voiced Ethel Cain, dressed in old school cheerleader garb and enveloped in a surreal plume of smoke; Kenny Beats thumping synthesizer electro knocks; 070 Shake, aka Danielle Balbuena, wearing an urban jeans look stood out for an interpretative ability to meld a kind of rock-country swing which evoked an essence of Janis Joplin; Dinner Party did some awesome funky, soul interludes on keyboard and guitar; the Sofi Tukker duo was definitely avant..
I suppose those unfamiliar with Now generation genres might be a bit shocked when viewing performers like Charli XCX doing her shaking and baking gig in something lacey and racy or Marc Rebillet’s monochromatic electro keyboard performance, wearing hardly anything. But eye popping happenings have been part of a history of classical music for centuries ranging from the once banned Locrian mode tritone interval used by composers (many of Bach’s saddest works end in happy, major keys) to premieres of Afternoon of a Faun presented by Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo with Niginsky and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring which caused an audience riot. In that regard the only new thing under the sun is how music reflects the time in which it was written.
The remainder of evening viewing focused on two artists – Rosalia and BlackPink. While listening to Rosalia, aka Rosalia Vila Tobella the thought occurred that the act might have been fashioned after an operetta by de Falla – influenced by her Catalan/Barcelona roots. She is a multi-talented artist and songwriter who also accompanied herself on the piano while singing a sentimental ballad, then finished the tune standing on top of the instrument. The natural, unassuming way she dresses and connects with an audience was evidenced as she briefly walked into the crowd and hugged adoring fans. But the highlight is the quality of her voice and ability to sing a kind of soft rock/pop style with smooth overtones that range from dramatic to coloratura-like inflections. Rosalia reflects a tradition of Spanish operatic sensations that include Montserrat Caballe, Victoria de los Angeles, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Ainhoa Arteta.
And now a word or two about BlackPink who are receiving international acclaim for their Korean acoustic hip hop. An introduction of fluffy onstage pink vapor signaled the quartet had arrived in tasteful bustier inspired costumes and ankle high boots. Their act, with corps de dancers has the precision of a synchronized or artistic swimming routine and much more. They worked the stage like strutting a catwalk, alternating between solo interludes featuring group members Jennie, Jisoo, Rose and Lisa and choreographic gestures that mimicked the syncopated beats of wolf tone accompaniments. The upbeat tunes they sang contained references to money, whistling and a Ratatata articulation. While this adaptation of hip hop seems different than versions from other groups it also contains a kind of freshness that was presented with wispy vocalizing and gracefulness, which is probably why BlackPink has gained so many awards and Blink fans. More headliners and artists are scheduled for the final day of Coachella Festival. Can’t wait to indulge.
Sunday, April 16
Back online at 4:00 pm, the posted schedule didn’t include famed and elusive rapper Frank Ocean who was not being livestreamed as a show closer. Reports confirmed that he arrived almost an hour late for his performance which was cut short due to festival curfew hours for Sunday events. Nonetheless, viewing began by zoning in on two acts – Noname and the Glorilla group. While listening it occurred that this style of rapping has some roots in a technique called sprechgesang found in the opera Wozzeck - which is a technique that combines speech and singing. How cool that a form of this early 20th century musical breakthrough exists in a different form today. Continuing the sampling, Big Wild, aka Jackson Stell delivered a back then Doo-wop style crooning and Porter Robinson was a standout for a folk rock earthiness he brought to singing/keyboard playing of song arrangements in collaboration with visuals that flashed uplifting messages like “Everything We Need Is Already Here.” An inscription “Music Saved My Life” was also written on the back of his vest. His approach seems to be influenced by a tradition of performers that date back to the 1970’s and include James Taylor and the late, great David Crosby.
Before revisiting the main stage I stumbled into a performance by Dominic Fike who has the look and sound of a rebel with a cause – a really cool kid on the block who became a rocker. His style seems like a convergence of idioms which makes him a fascinating artist capable of drawing out a spectrum of sometimes R&B like vocal intonations and guitar riffs with elliptical flow. No wonder he received a Grammy nomination last year for best album and lots of kudos for one of his hit singles “Chicken Tenders.”
Back at the main stage Kali Uchis, a recent Grammy Awards winner for best Musica Urbana album and R&B performance is blessed with a voice many mezzo-sopranos would dream of having. Her act has a feel of new age theater at its best do to a dynamic onstage presence, a set design resembling something of a The Forum Shops theme at Caesar’s Palace and backup dancers telling a story of the lyrics - sung in Spanish and English to tunes arranged in bossa nova and other stylistic idioms from Latin America. During a brief interlude Uchis hopped offstage to sing and high five fans in the front rows. There was sheer joy among the audience in being up close with a musical idol and knowing they are also appreciated.
As three days of livestream viewing the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival came to an end, the experience was a realization that versatility and talent is not exclusive to classical musicians but also exists in other genres. In that regard, artists of different idioms strive to infuse their own personality into music and their own compositions – oftentimes with amazing results. The Coachella Festival will again be livestreamed April 21-23. Let’s Go!