Coachella Festival Discussion Thread

Duff

team_actimel wrote: »

Only looked up tickets there and they're already sold out, sold out in 4 hours. I'm considering other festivals in USA now. Is Coachella THE festival to go to or has anyone been to others in USA and how do they compare?

If you can, get to Lollapalooza in Chicago. Best festival I've ever been to.

bodhrandude

team_actimel wrote: »

Only looked up tickets there and they're already sold out, sold out in 4 hours. I'm considering other festivals in USA now. Is Coachella THE festival to go to or has anyone been to others in USA and how do they compare?

I've heard of other good ones such as Bonnaroo and Sasquatch festivals and of course, Burning Man although I don't really know what kind of line ups Burning Man put on, but its supposed to be pretty unique, just remember to take five gallons of drinking water with you.

BurtMacklin

My friends have been to Sasquatch a few times. The line up is usually good and back drop for the main stage is amazing.

I'd love to go to Bonnaroo. We are going back to Coachella again this year. We got weekend 1 & 2 tickets in the presale. We'll either go both weekends or just Weekend 1 and pass on weekend 2 tickets.

team_actimel

I am considering going to Coachella not just because it looks like a great festival but also it's around Easter so would be handier with time off work! BurtMackin, what makes it so great that you're returning to it? Do you incorporate it into a California trip holiday? Trying to see when the tickets go on sale seeing as presale sold out so quickly.

scruff monkey

bodhrandude wrote: »

I've heard of other good ones such as Bonnaroo and Sasquatch festivals and of course, Burning Man although I don't really know what kind of line ups Burning Man put on, but its supposed to be pretty unique, just remember to take five gallons of drinking water with you.

Burning Man does not have a line up in the traditional sense, it's californian hippedom crossed with desert survival skills.

kinda like extreme sexy sports pottery making having a love child with the Wickerman

davywalsh7

For anyone interested in going to this next year direct flights to lax the weds before and weds after are only €401 return. Just booked them myself

MadYaker

The setup of this festival looks unfathomably dull. Designated drinking areas and it's all over by 12:30 each night? It all seems so regimented. Is it just music or is there anything else? How crowded does it get? They get more people than Glastonbury each weekend but it's a smaller site.

BurtMacklin

Not sure if new thread needed.

Tickets on sale 7pm Irish time. Line up dropped last night.

MadYaker

Looks sh!te tbh.

ghostdancer

looks fukcing great to me.

Radiohead
The xx
Mac Miller
Glass Animals
Mac DeMarco
Banks
Bonobo
Richie Hawtin
DJ Shadow
Dixon
Crystal Castles
Jagwar Ma
Guided By Voices
Sampha
Bicep
Stormzy
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Floorplan
Bon Iver
Schoolboy Q
Nicholas Jaar
Tycho
Royksopp
Local Natives
Majid Jordan
Four Tet
Roisin Murphy
Moderat
The Avalanches
Warpaint
Classixx
Car Seat Headrest
Daphni
Mitski
Floating Points
SURVIVE
Ben UFO
Thundercat
Kendrick Lamar
New Order
Justice
Future Islands
Hans Zimmer
Kaytranada
Real Estate
The Belleville Three
Maya Jane Coles
Marcel Dettmann
Whitney
Preoccupations


no festival bar maybe Glastonbury will get even close to that IMO.

johnpatrick81

the lineup is always epic.

It's the festival itself that's the problem.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

looks unreal to me. i can't wait to watch on youtube.

BurtMacklin

You forgot Banks and Steelz in your line up breakdown.

It's Tom Banks (lead singer of Interpol) and RZA.

BurtMacklin

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

the lineup is always epic.

It's the festival itself that's the problem.

I disagree man but I think the debate was already done a few pages back. People moan about the designated drinking areas but the drinking areas are huge and we only used them when we wanted to check out the main stage and get some shade under the huge canopies. I've always walked around the festival with a pint in my hand. Yeah, if you wave it at the guy at the exit he'll ask you to finish it off inside but you can discreetly walk out with it.

The camp sites are excellently run as well.

I enjoy the atmosphere there. No scumbags either. We always travel over in a big group so we bring our own fun so we don't feel the need to join in on other's fun. That is just a bonus.

But each to their own as anyone can experience a festival differently.

johnpatrick81

BurtMacklin wrote: »

I disagree man but I think the debate was already done a few pages back. People moan about the designated drinking areas but the drinking areas are huge and we only used them when we wanted to check out the main stage and get some shade under the huge canopies. I've always walked around the festival with a pint in my hand. Yeah, if you wave it at the guy at the exit he'll ask you to finish it off inside but you can discreetly walk out with it.

The camp sites are excellently run as well.

I enjoy the atmosphere there. No scumbags either.

But each to their own.

Really? I was there in 09, so unless things have drastically changed, I saw not 1 person with a "pint" in their hand outside of the relatively small and very much away from the stage cage for drinking. You couldn't get pints too, smaller 330 style cups. And only dirty Heineken.

The campsite was totally scum free but the most craic free too. Nobody was drinking or partying there. We eventually found some craic and enjoyed ourselves but it was massively anti alcohol and the rules and regulations strangled the fun out of the place. I heard some silly rules had since been relaxed (we weren't even allowed to go back and forth from campsite, 1 entry per day) but I'd be very very wary of this festival as a newcomer.

BurtMacklin

Sorry, I had a slight edit above.

We go in decent sized groups so we didn't really have to seek out any craic. Bumping into what we (the Irish) would call fun people was a bonus and we did hang out with people up for the craic.

I've car camped the 3 times I've went. A lot easier to store your drink in your car and I noticed a lot of people partying there. I haven't stayed in regular tent camping. I don't expect too much drinking in there because people would have to carry all their drink with them and a lot of people travel a long way for this festival. Car camping allows you transport plenty of alcohol.

As for walking around wit alcohol, not sure if it's drastically changed but I went first in 2012 and I have 100% walked around the festival with pints. We also bring in our own spirits in zip locks bags and drink that walking around to save some cash. You can definitely go back and forth from the campsite.

I would disagree with your advice that newcomers should be very wary of going. I'd actively encourage people to go and anyone can pm me for info. You definitely had a different experience to us. It could be down to the fact just two of ye went. It's a big festival for just two people to wander around and try mix in. I don't know if I'd go over with just one other person but then again the Irish do seem to enjoy travelling in group, ha.

johnpatrick81

We met bunches of others who were first timers, from Ireland, U.K. Australia and even east coast US who all shared the same opinion as us.

I've also read numerous reports in European press detailing the same concerns.

The security checks were insane so kudos on getting booze in!

The main factor too were the stage times. I went to benicassim many times. they start at 6pm til 4am due to the heat. Coachella is as hot or hotter and the gigs start at midday!!!

I really couldn't get over how overhyped it was. Poser central. Zero craic unless you travel in a big group.

BurtMacklin

We travel/traveled in a big group so maybe it explains the difference experiences we had.

If anyone looking for info just give me a shout.

Reggie noble

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

We met bunches of others who were first timers, from Ireland, U.K. Australia and even east coast US who all shared the same opinion as us.

I've also read numerous reports in European press detailing the same concerns.

The security checks were insane so kudos on getting booze in!

The main factor too were the stage times. I went to benicassim many times. they start at 6pm til 4am due to the heat. Coachella is as hot or hotter and the gigs start at midday!!!

I really couldn't get over how overhyped it was. Poser central. Zero craic unless you travel in a big group.

Things must have changed so in recent years , I went for the first time last year , only 2 off us and we had a class time .

Could sneak spirits in very easily , barely patted down , there was tons of beer options in the drinking sections , not just heniken , I was a bit wary of the seperate drinking areas before going but they were fine . As previous poster said , good to get into the shade , have a beer n chat to whoevers in there , loads of space in them .

I'd love to be going back this year , lineup is great but funds are low .

Highly recommend it for anyone that can afford it

davywalsh7

Reggie noble wrote: »

Things must have changed so in recent years , I went for the first time last year , only 2 off us and we had a class time .

Could sneak spirits in very easily , barely patted down , there was tons of beer options in the drinking sections , not just heniken , I was a bit wary of the seperate drinking areas before going but they were fine . As previous poster said , good to get into the shade , have a beer n chat to whoevers in there , loads of space in them .

I'd love to be going back this year , lineup is great but funds are low .

Highly recommend it for anyone that can afford it

Good to hear. Myself and the missus are going this year as part of our honeymoon. Can't wait

Reggie noble

davywalsh7 wrote: »

Good to hear. Myself and the missus are going this year as part of our honeymoon. Can't wait

You'll have a great time , It was just me and my GF last year , if you are doing the hotel package the shuttle bus collects you right at your hotel , comes every 20 mins or so , u can drink on it and it drops you right at an entrance of the gig . Maybe it was a special entrance for hotel package heads that's why security was so lax because they barely searched us . Or we just look really decent

davywalsh7

Reggie noble wrote: »

You'll have a great time , It was just me and my GF last year , if you are doing the hotel package the shuttle bus collects you right at your hotel , comes every 20 mins or so , u can drink on it and it drops you right at an entrance of the gig . Maybe it was a special entrance for hotel package heads that's why security was so lax because they barely searched us . Or we just look really decent

Yea we are doing the hotel package and got the VIP tickets. Don't think I'd handle camping in that heat. Might try sneak in a little spirits too, Capri suns with twisty tops usually do the trick

BurtMacklin

Hotel and VIP?? Well for some.

Edit ; Just spotted it was for your honeymoon.

davywalsh7

BurtMacklin wrote: »

Hotel and VIP?? Well for some.

Who you going with? We'll be having a boards meet up at it next.

Just going with the new wife. We r doing coachella la and Mexico as our honeymoon so we said we'd go all out as it's prob our last big holiday for a while as we are buying a house before the end of the year.
Yea boards meet up sounds good. Are there many travelling over from here?

lc180

davywalsh7 wrote: »

Just going with the new wife. We r doing coachella la and Mexico as our honeymoon

Hat tip to you sir, that's a badass honeymoon! Enjoy

davywalsh7

lc180 wrote: »

Hat tip to you sir, that's a badass honeymoon! Enjoy

Cheers ☺️

BurtMacklin

davywalsh7 wrote: »

Just going with the new wife. We r doing coachella la and Mexico as our honeymoon so we said we'd go all out as it's prob our last big holiday for a while as we are buying a house before the end of the year.
Yea boards meet up sounds good. Are there many travelling over from here?

Not that I know off, but there is a good few of us anyway in our group.

davywalsh7

BurtMacklin wrote: »

Not that I know off, but there is a good few of us anyway in our group.

Cool, sure I'll get in touch before it

johnpatrick81

Hotel definitely. Heat is immense and there's very little craic in campsite anyway.

heebusjeebus

I stayed at the Westin Desert Willow Villas in 2015 and it was great.
The shuttle bus was around 30 mins (90 mins on the first day as the bus driver hadn't a clue where he was going!) to the Polo Grounds so it's not too bad.
Shuttles were very frequent.
It was so nice to wake up in a big bed, go for a swim in pool, get breakfast and still be at the festival for lunchtime.
Added to the fact you drink far less there than at an Irish festival, we had plenty of energy by the last night.