AURAL INTERCOURSE Pharell Williams of N*E*R*D Photo by JASON ROCK

Thursday, May 01, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Aural Intercourse: Another triumph for Coachella

By Mike Prevatt

Talk about your strange mass exoduses. No sooner had the White Stripes walked offstage from their weekend-conquering 60-minute set at Indio, Calif.'s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Sunday than it seemed like half its 10,000-plus watchers started walking briskly across the Empire Polo Field toward the Sahara Tent.

What was the big deal? British techno duo Underworld--one of the evening's headliners, and widely considered the most thrilling live electronic act in the world--had just started its nearly two-hour set.

While alternative music boasts some pretty open-minded fans, it's assumed that most Stripes fans don't feel very passionately about the techno scene, which, if the scenario were flipped, would be apt to ignore its peace-love-unity-respect coda and start hurling glowsticks at any performer leaving the bass out.

But this was Coachella, a festival renowned for its ability to encourage music fans to discover new artists in the flesh. It didn't matter if one was into emo, jam bands, dissonant hip hop, deep house or whatever classification G. Love and Special Sauce reside in. Most of the attendees (35,000 on Saturday, 33,000 on Sunday) looked to be the type of music fan that discriminates only on the basis of quality and sincerity.

This has been part of the reason Coachella has become so beloved among an international community of alternative music followers, industry peeps and journalists. The European-inspired festival has endured--it finally broke even financially with last year's edition--because of the staggering interest in it. This is as fan-friendly a music event as one is likely to find, from the best-of-the-best buffet of featured artists to the post-Woodstock '99 comforts provided (cheap water bottles, ample shaded areas, field cleanliness and pleasant restroom facilities).

Artists from all over the world have sought a slot at Coachella, where organizer Goldenvoice almost always puts an artist's aesthetic appeal above its commercial draw when seeking participants. Some acts, like Bjork in 2001 and the Hives this year, have broken from hiatuses and allowed the event to serve as their sole live American appearance of the year. Some have used it to make a splashy reunion or debut, as was the case with Sigur Ros' first American live show in 2000, the Vines' buzz-worthy introduction last year and Iggy Pop and the Stooges' re-gathering (the first time in 30 years) on Sunday. And others seek yearly or repeat slots, such as the Chemical Brothers, Ben Harper and Perry Farrell (who was the heavily speculated about surprise guest on Sunday, quelling Internet rumors that Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails might appear).

This year's edition boasted a few breakthroughs, particularly in the rock category. The Mars Volta, partially comprised of former At the Drive-In members, followed up last year's sleeper performance with a second word-of-mouth victory Sunday, despite having little by way of familiar material (its debut album is slated to emerge in early summer). Under-the-radar Scottish rock act Idlewild was a surprising lure early Saturday afternoon, in the same tent fellow U.K. up-and-comers the Music and Ladytron would deservingly fill to the point of overflow later that night. And Swedish Grammy nominee the Soundtrack of Our Lives thrilled an unsuspecting throng at the main stage Sunday afternoon, singer Ebbot Lundberg jumping the audience barricade like he was Bono while the band served up one exhilarating song after another.

Other main stage highlights among the Class of 2002 included the Hives, whose Howlin' Pelle Almqvist hilariously hammed it up between each blast of Stones-esque pop; hip-hop/rock act N*E*R*D, performing with the equally versatile band Spymob; and Queens of the Stone Age, the hometown band that received a hero's welcome for their infectious, metallic grooves.

As inferred earlier, the winner among the headliners was the White Stripes, who overcame gusty winds and monitor issues with a set that screamed rock 'n' roll greatness. Jack White and drummer "sister" Meg White exhibited their diversely influenced material with no more than two instruments at a time, yet its mammoth sound resonated louder than any act that had played the main stage before it. Songs were greeted with great enthusiasm, from the charming "Hotel Yorba" and current single "Seven Nation Army," to an inspired go at Dolly Parton's "Jolene" (the Detroit duo's career-advancing 2001 single, "Fell in Love With a Girl," was notably omitted).

Jack had no leadman equal when it came to his forceful and confident execution. Meg was awash with camera flashes and affectionate roars when she took the mic to sing "In the Cold, Cold Night." And their "duel" during "Ball and Biscuit"--the centerpiece of their outstanding new album Elephant--was as memorable a climax as one could have hoped for.

To no one's surprise, Underworld followed that up by delighting a tent full of euphoric admirers. Virtually playing its 2002 tour setlist backward--building toward its joyous summer club hit "Two Months Off"--the duo kept things fresh for the familiar while leaving first-time listeners mouth-agape. Next to the Stripes, its set was the most exciting of the weekend, highlighted by its most familiar song, "Born Slippy (Nuxx)," from the movie Trainspotting.

The Beastie Boys no doubt were the big draw Saturday night. And while it was initially disheartening to see the longtime-absent hip-hop pioneers re-emerge by not playing instruments and only playing two new songs (including their current, Internet-only track "In a World Gone Mad"), the nostalgia trip was worth staying late for. The emcees delivered as well as they ever have (except for a few forgotten lyrics, courtesy of Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz), with turntable maestro Mix Master Mike mixing the backing music with hip-hop anthems such as Missy Elliott's "Work It."

Adam "MCA" Yauch didn't hesitate to assail the president and his warmongering inclinations--he drew some boos when he accused America of acting like a "bully"--but he earns praise for being one of the few brave souls last weekend to say anything regarding the conflict in the Middle East.

The festival was not without its faults. Letdowns, though few and far between, included a shoddy sound system that wreaked havoc on the Mojave stage all weekend; less-than-engaging sets from Blur (ultimately saved by the raucous "Song 2"), chaotic indie act Whirlwind Heat and the overhyped Libertines; and a lack of fresh faces among the electronic dance DJ lineup.

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