This is the third day recap. Read about Coachella Day 1 and Day 2.
The third and final day of Coachella – too soon! We definitely slept in today because we were exhausted from Saturday’s eight artists. Lunch at KFC (all-you-can-eat buffet) before heading back out to Indio.
Our first set of the day was the Lumineers. We found a good spot near the middle of the Main Stage crowd and enjoyed some folksy songs under the sun. After, we stopped by the Heineken Dome, which was completely air conditioned and had a live DJ spinning some beats. Quick dinner at the food court, and off to our next set.
Aileen and I decided to catch Vampire Weekend’s set – overall very enjoyable and the band played songs from their older albums as well as some songs from their newest album. We caught part of the Pretty Lights set after that while waiting for our group to meet up for Wu-Tang Clan.
It was really exciting to finally see such a legendary rap group. All the living members were present and they didn’t miss a beat as they rapped songs from their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Quite a sight to see upheld “W” signs from the crowd and the random giant “W” beach balls in the middle of the set. My favorite song from the set was definitely “Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber,” where they included the original clip of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard rapping his crazy material.
Dow and I left a bit early to get some decent spots for the headlining act, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Despite a lot of the hate they were getting and accusations of being “washed up,” the band was as amazing and vibrant as ever, and I honestly thought the performance was top-rate. How could it not be when they’re playing a career-spanning set of only their best songs? We danced and reminisced, and I realized during “Californication” that RHCP have definitely gone through a lot over the years and grappled with the issues of fame and jadedness that they sing about in that song. The band ended the night with an encore, playing some crowd favorites like “Give It Away.”
After the last set, we stopped by the motel for a quick break and proceeded to drive the 500+ miles back to Berkeley – our customary all-nighter drive involving multiple shifts and short naps. We made it back in time for class, and even though we were physically sitting in class, our minds were still in the hot deserts of Indio, enjoying music and life.
A crazy end to an amazing three days at Coachella 2013. So glad I got the opportunity to go again this year, and looking forward to future Coachella festivals!
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Coachella 2013 at randomtidbitsofthought.wordpress.com.
