Coachella Valley
Striking the right chord
Whether you prefer rock or country, Coachella offers the best in live music
No matter what your musical tastes may be, Coachella offers up some of the best of today’s rock and country favourites. Coachella is home to two annual music festivals: the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.
NO Hat, No Service: The Stagecoach Country Music Festival draws dedicated country fans.—Vaughn Youtz photo
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival runs from April 25 to 27, 2008. This year’s lineup features performances from indie bands, cult favourites, hard-rock heroes, folk singers, ’80s and punk bands, world music artists and alternative rock up-and-comers.
Hippie favourite Jack Johnson is scheduled to play, as is Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters. Rilo Kiley, with their infectious folk-indie sound, are wonderful to hear performing live. Brett Dennen—a singer and guitar player whose voice has been compared to Billie Holliday because of its almost lazy, lyrical quality—will take the stage on the last day of the festival. I saw Dennen perform live last summer and was moved to tears by his song I Asked When is the Revolution. And if you haven’t had an opportunity to see Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, this is your chance. Jones puts on a high-energy show reminiscent of the Godfather himself, James Brown. Jones will have listeners up shaking their tail feathers like they were attending an old-fashioned soul revival—which of course, they are.
The festival also offers a chance to try a variety of ethnic and vegetarian foods that are available on site. Environmentalism is also a focus of the event; recycling, car-pooling and waste reduction are being encouraged by festival promoters.
Take it to the limit
The Stagecoach Country Music Festival, running May 2 to 4, 2008, will feature several big names in country and western music, including the Eagles. The Eagles—Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmidt—have had a career that spans 30 years, and while they will be playing hits from their award-winning and critically acclaimed new album, Long Road Out of Eden, there’s a part of me that would give my eye teeth to sit near the stage and hear them sing Hotel California, Desperado and Take It To The Limit.
Country music stars such as Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Big & Rich will also be attending the festival, so opportunities for fans to see some of their favourite performers are plentiful.
The event is family-friendly and there are several activities for children; the Stagecoach Festival will include a Half-pint Hootenanny with children’s performers.
Both festivals show a great commitment to the youth within the community. Look for the Indio Youth Task Force, a non-profit group dedicated to collaboration and involvement in order to create and maintain positive opportunities for young people in the Coachella Valley. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit the Indio Youth Task Force, so while you are grooving to Death Cab for Cutie at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival or line dancing at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, you can feel like you’ve made a difference to the community’s youth.
RESOURCES: www.coachella.com
www.stagecoachfestival.com
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