Coachella 2011 Festival California

Northernsoul

Although the line-up isn't yet announced (supposed to be any day now) - I'm seriously considering heading over to this. I was at WMC and Ultra Fest in Miami and ADE in Amsterdam last year - so thinking of checking this out in 2011. ( I need my annual festie fix! ;p) Anyone been or thinking of going over this year?

phoebe!

I've been the last 2 years and its a great festival. There is a very laid back vibe and people are very friendly. Our experience was much better in 2009. The camping was very easy and getting to different stages was easy. There were plenty of showers. There were some problems in 2010 with the organisation around the camping but there were plenty of complaints so hopefully they will be sorted this year. Some people queued for 4 hours just to get a shower!! They also seemed to let too many people into the campground and the festival area. It was a nightmare trying to get from one stage to another when there was a short time frame and we ended up missing some bands! The lineup is usually pretty good and you'll find plenty of speculation about who might be announced on their message boards. Thats also a great place to get to know some people! People travel from all over the world! Be warned it is very hot, it is in the middle of the desert!!

scudzilla

Line up just been announced





Damn, i'd slash me wrists if i had to sit through that crap

nxbyveromdwjpg

Yea, not as good as the rumours it has to be said

Jello

DFA 1979 wow!

acquiescefc

Jello wrote: »

DFA 1979 wow!

my thoughts exactly..

davemor

Anyone been before?

Hitting it this year would appreciate any tips

Heard before cans are a no-go so it can be a pricey affair???

thebostoncrab

acquiescefc wrote: »

my thoughts exactly..

And mine! Jesus the line up is bad for once but DFA back in action is brilliant news!!!!

honru

Seems a bit "meh" for Coachella, last year's lineup was more interesting.

Most of the big names are bands that have only been around in the last decade or so. Death from Above are nothing special imo.

Northernsoul

meh is right! was expecting waaaay better line-up. that said i could just about find half a dozen acts on each day that i'd like to check out so i dunno.. havnt booked our flights yet.... will sleep on it ZZZZzzzZZZzzz

lordgoat

This is a crackin line up for me. All i want to see are about 6-7 bands a day so i can enjoy them and go for a wander.

itsjaybud

Crazy excited about this festival, would love to get some feedback, tips & advice from people that attended previous years. Living in New York so flights are cheap!

May Phoebe has some more input?

Thanks in advance

homerun_homer

I think it's a very good line up. I'd be tempted to go.

Sugarlumps

Wow indeed, whats the deals with DFA reforming? Caught them at Oxegen a few years back and they were dynamite, even though we we're dying and it was damn early.

phoebe!

itsjaybud wrote: »

Crazy excited about this festival, would love to get some feedback, tips & advice from people that attended previous years. Living in New York so flights are cheap!

May Phoebe has some more input?

Thanks in advance

what would you like to know? I'd recommend getting your camping pass early as they sold out quicker than festival passes last year.

Davemor
Don't plan on drinking too much cause its VERY hot 40C,. and you'll end up wishing you hadn't. They are very strict about drink, you can only drink in the bar areas and you have to prove you are over 21 to get in and you can't bring any drink out. If you are camping you can bring a case of beer per person to drink in the campsite but you can't bring anything to drink into the festival, not even water.

Its worth buying the Coachella water bottle as it entitles you to free refills. It will save you a fortune as its $2 per bottle of water or about $9 for the coachella one. Like every festival food is expensive for what you get but there is a good variety.

Its a great festival and I'd definitely recommend checking it out! And I'd recommend camping. We heard stories of people waiting hours on taxis back to their hotels while we just got to chillout with some great people in the campgrounds. Last year they had a farmers market and the fruit was gorgeous. They had some stuff organised for the campers on thursday night and had music late the other nights in the campgrounds.
Check out the forums on the Coachella website www.coachella.com Its a very active board where you'll get loads of info or if you have any questions I can try to answer!

paddylonglegs

loving this line up, great array of genres and would be delighted to see 10-12 acts all in the one weekend. flights might be a bit tricky on the wallet

itsjaybud

Phoebe, ok am where to start!

I guess our main concerns now since we have our tickets are whats the best way to get to the venue and where should we fly into?

We will be leaving from New York so LAX, Palm Springs or where?

Is it a good idea to rent a car or is the transport to the venue from the whichever airport good?

I know you can spend as much as you want but any ideas of what we should budget for just the festival itself or what expenses did you have if you had car hire etc.

What was your route to the festival, thanks again!!!

phoebe!

itsjaybud wrote: »

Phoebe, ok am where to start!

I guess our main concerns now since we have our tickets are whats the best way to get to the venue and where should we fly into?

We will be leaving from New York so LAX, Palm Springs or where?

Is it a good idea to rent a car or is the transport to the venue from the whichever airport good?

I know you can spend as much as you want but any ideas of what we should budget for just the festival itself or what expenses did you have if you had car hire etc.

What was your route to the festival, thanks again!!!

We rented a car and traveled from both LA and Phoenix. We had the car for a few weeks so not sure about cost for the weekend. It a straight run from both places (highway 10) and LA is a bit closer, its about 2.5 hour drive. If your gonna have a car make sure you get a car camping pass, that way you just drive to your spot and camp beside your car. If you don't want to rent a car its worth checking the carpooling forum on the coachella boards. I think there are busses from Palm Springs but not 100% sure or you might be able to arrange to meet someone there.

food at the festival is more expensive than normal. There are plenty of options though. The general store on the campsite has lots of stuff. for breakfast you can get a bowl of cereal, a bagel for about $5ish. I can't remember exactly. Dinner options including Pizza, burgers, falafel, pancakes all approx $10. You'll need plenty of drinks because it is HOT and there isn't alot of shade. Like I said I recommend getting the Coachella water bottle which covers free refils. You'll probably need some gatorade to help keep you hydrated too think thats about $5. I reckon the mimimun you'd need is $50 each per day. If you get a car you can stop off and pick up some groceries which may cut your costs a little. The closest place is a place called Ralphs, http://bit.ly/gXOMyu its the one by avenue 50.

Hope this helps, if you have any more questions ask away and hopefully I'll be able to answer.

scudzilla

phoebe! wrote: »

We rented a car and traveled from both LA and Phoenix. We had the car for a few weeks so not sure about cost for the weekend. It a straight run from both places (highway 10) and LA is a bit closer, its about 2.5 hour drive. If your gonna have a car make sure you get a car camping pass, that way you just drive to your spot and camp beside your car. If you don't want to rent a car its worth checking the carpooling forum on the coachella boards. I think there are busses from Palm Springs but not 100% sure or you might be able to arrange to meet someone there.

food at the festival is more expensive than normal. There are plenty of options though. The general store on the campsite has lots of stuff. for breakfast you can get a bowl of cereal, a bagel for about $5ish. I can't remember exactly. Dinner options including Pizza, burgers, falafel, pancakes all approx $10. You'll need plenty of drinks because it is HOT and there isn't alot of shade. Like I said I recommend getting the Coachella water bottle which covers free refils. You'll probably need some gatorade to help keep you hydrated too think thats about $5. I reckon the mimimun you'd need is $50 each per day. If you get a car you can stop off and pick up some groceries which may cut your costs a little. The closest place is a place called Ralphs, http://bit.ly/gXOMyu its the one by avenue 50.

Hope this helps, if you have any more questions ask away and hopefully I'll be able to answer.

I'm not going this year but want to next, here's a question anyway.

Do ya get the same type of pissed up knacker over there or are they more...refined??

phoebe!

scudzilla wrote: »

I'm not going this year but want to next, here's a question anyway.

Do ya get the same type of pissed up knacker over there or are they more...refined??

You get a much more mellow crowd, hash is legalish in CA. Alcohol is quite restricted and can only be consumed in the bar areas so theres no one throwing pints of beer in the air like happens at every gig here! In the campgrounds there are groups that party all night but if your a light sleeper ear plugs are recommended.

So that was a long way of saying its a very different crowd, much more mellow......people go around saying Happy Coachella and offering free hugs!!!

scudzilla

phoebe! wrote: »

You get a much more mellow crowd, hash is legalish in CA. Alcohol is quite restricted and can only be consumed in the bar areas so theres no one throwing pints of beer in the air like happens at every gig here! In the campgrounds there are groups that party all night but if your a light sleeper ear plugs are recommended.

So that was a long way of saying its a very different crowd, much more mellow......people go around saying Happy Coachella and offering free hugs!!!

I fell for that one before :(

nxbyveromdwjpg

phoebe! wrote: »

Alcohol is quite restricted and can only be consumed in the bar areas

Dont like the sound of part that much I have to say.

What time does the music start and finish each day/night ?

phoebe!

nm wrote: »

Dont like the sound of part that much I have to say.

What time does the music start and finish each day/night ?

Music starts about 12 noon and goes on until 12 or 1am. if you are camping you can go in and out of the venue and drink in the campground or in the bar areas in the venue where you can see one of the stages. Its so hot you really cant drink much especially during the day!

phoebe!

Weekend tickets are sold out!! Some tickets with shuttle pass still available so if you wanna go get your ticket asap!!

itsjaybud

Bump!

Many boardies going to this?

Northernsoul

itsjaybud - i'm heading over to this - well i say that, but havent got a ticket.. have my flights booked over for 10days and hoping to pick up some tickets camping etc from gumtree when i get there - satying in hostel in La for a couple of days , driving up to san fran for another couple and (hopefully) capping off my first visit to Calafornia with coachella. you heading over yerself??

itsjaybud

ya we're flying across from New York! Cant wait for it, anyone hear any rumours on who esle will play there? Theres a big gap beside the Kings & Arcade Fire on the line -up list!

revz

Hey guys, for everyone that wasn't able to make it out to this, in case you hadn't seen, it's streaming on youtube for the whole weekend!
Pretty cool idea for a festival, it has the stage times set out and 3 different channels for what will be shown here:

http://www.youtube.com/coachella

Enjoy!

df1985

came here to post the youtube stream, its perfect quality, great for insomniacs like me!

Interpol in an hour!

paddylonglegs

nice one, gonna be great after being out tonight, can in one hand, cheese toastie in the other. will prob only get the very first acts but no worries

RonyPonyBah

Have a recording of CeeLo from yesterday if anyone would like me to upload