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Photo provided by artist
As mentioned late Friday, Portishead, who seldom comes to the U.S. these days to perform, is holding an exclusive rehearsal on Thursday, April 24th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. before they hit Coachella... and LAist is giving away five pairs of tickets, compliments of the good people at FILTER. It's at a location we cannot disclose yet, but it is in the Los Angeles area.
In the past, we've run contests where to enter, you had to give us a tip in the comments section about Downtown. Well, since Coachella is coming up, we want your best tips about partying, sleeping, eating, traveling, etc in regards to Coachella. If you've never been, it's called the internet and we're sure you have some friends who have been before, so bleed them for info.
We have five pairs of tickets to give away to this special intimate rehearsal, so chances are higher than usual than with other LAist contests. Here are the rules:
- You must comment once (double commenting will disqualify you) with a tip about Coachella on this post (see above for ideas, make your comment below).
- You must be able to provide your own transportation to the secret unannounced location (seriously, people from Texas better stop entering these contests if they are not going to be in town).
- Contest ends Thursday, April 17th at 11:59:59 p.m. All comments must be posted before then.
- Winners will be e-mailed at the e-mail address attached to their LAist profile. If you win, you must be able to confirm on Friday, April 18th, on or before 11:59:59 p.m., by an e-mail reply stating that you are able to go to the Portishead rehearsal. Otherwise, the tickets will be released to another winner.
Good luck everyone!
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As far as surviving Coachella goes, pace yourself (it's a long day/weekend) and bring sunscreen. Oh, and pace yourself.
My friend and I rented a minivan for the weekend and basically made it our home, the back seats folded into the floor so we set up beds back there and had a little hang out area. Before the gates would open we just sat in the parking lot with the van on and air conditioning going, it didn't use up that much gas and the van was practically brand new so it didn't overheat or anything. It was pretty cheap compared to a hotel and we'd just park at a Dennys or something and sleep in the van, it got a little hot in the mornings but it wasn't unbearable.
Water, sunscreen, and patience. And a friend with a house in the area helps too ;)
MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEER: WHERE TO PEE. There are good number of port-o-potties grouped throughout the festival grounds, but for whatever reason, people seem to want to use the bathroom immediately after entering the park. So, the bathrooms near the entrance gates are almost always the dirtiest and have the longest lines. If you walk past this group and walk a little further (usually near the theater or the two tents, but I recall one year where they were located elsewhere), you'll find other groups of porto-o-potties that hopefully will have shorter lines. In any case, these will be closer to the action, so you can at least hear something while you're waiting. Of course, the bathrooms at the park will become nastier as the days go on no matter what bathroom you use, so definitely bring some Purell and/or travel-sized wet wipes.
Wear light-colored clothing.
You can trade 10 used plastic bottles you find on the ground for a fresh bottle of water. Good for you body, and good for the earth!
oh, bring portable fridge!!
Refill your empty water bottle at water fountains inside the grounds. Buying water over and over is unnecessary and can get spendy.
Print out the set schedule and throw it on a lanyard, then you'll always know what's going on and won't have to go looking for the lineup.
Oh yeah, and recycle water bottles too. 10 empties will get you one free bottle of water.
Refill water bottles with water. You know, actual water. Not beer. Beer is for later, when you're not going to pass out from heatstroke.
show up on the last day around 8pm. park 4 miles away. walk. catch the last couple bands. go home. no dehydration!
The biggest tip I can give is have all your friend bring Walkie Talkies... Honestly as many temporary towers as Sprint, Verizon, and ATT put up it still won't be enough and you will be dropping calls left and right. So hit up best buy and spend the $40 on a pair of them, you'll be glad you did.
Don't eat the brown acid.
get an ice cooling vest. numerous stores in K-town carry them. you slip icepacks in the vest and wear it under your shirt. it keeps your core temperature cool so you won't get the beloved heatstroke...
Stay hydrated, don't drink liquor until the sun goes down, remember where you parked. And, embrace the dirty, hot, exhausting experience for what it is. You will miss bands you want to see because of scheduling conflicts. You will wonder why you came, but there will be, at least, one performance that makes it all worthwhile.
Don't get too overloaded with caffeine - it will dehydrate you and you'll pass out. Bring a safely-refillable water bottle (like a Klean Kanteen) and drink as much as possible. Be patient in the traffic and save your energy for your favorite bands.
...I'm a huge Portishead fan who can't go to Coachella so this would be amazing. Thanks.
Well, the biggest issue is losing communication with comrads. I think one very important tip would be to establish a good meeting place that is very visble and obvious. Sometimes cells and texting don't work and/or are inconvenient. Worked really well for me and my friends last year.
Take a rally towel (or one similar in size) with you. When it's really hot, you can go over to the water booth and ask to dunk them into the melted ice. Then you can take a little shower, or toss the towel over your head, around your neck, etc. It's a life saver.
1. Show up to the venue late. Sleep in, hang by the pool at your hotel/rental house, take cold showers, eat a big meal in an air conditioned restaurant, and show up to the venue at 3 or 4pm. This gives you time to enjoy the sunshine without getting heat stroke and you will have energy to enjoy the headliners. Sure, you will miss some bands. But you will actually enjoy and remember the bands you do see, which you won't if you've passed out from the heat.
2. A crappy motel closer to the venue is better than any lodging further away. Staying in Palm Springs proper means you have to drive ~2 hours a day, lots of it late at night when you desperately want to be in bed.
3. If the traffic out of the parking lot is hideously bad, it's worth taking a nap in your car and waiting for it to clear out. Plus the Coachella parking lot at 4am with swirling dust and no people feels like you're on the planet Tatouine.
If you're driving from LA take the 60 (not the 10), and use the third Coachella exit (Jackson, I think). It seems counterintuitive to drive to the farthest exit, but it's saved us every time we've done it. Sadly, I can't go this year...
Turkey legs may seem like a good idea (they remind of your high school years dressing in crushed velvet and going to ren fair) but absolutely avoid them at all cost. Its like buying a red, meaty salt lick... you will become so dehydrated you may end up passing out on the lawn and missing the one band you went there to see.
Camping! Is the best way to go! Not only was it super convenient, I met people from all over the country and at least 7 different countries. Such a good time and not expensive at all! You can leave food/water in your car and its a really close walk!
Do not smoke pot before seeing M83.
1) Prior to arriving to the grounds, stop off at the Viceroy for some poolside cocktails, snacks. Yes, you'll be incredibly grateful you did and it'll give you perspective and a feel for the Coachella vibe. You also might be able to hitch a ride to the grounds with ???: VICEROY PALM SPRINGS 415 South Belardo Road Palm Springs. Alternatively, you're tailgating with people who started drinking at 10 a.m. which is probably not your crowd.
2) Cocktails for the VIPless-It's Portishead and if you're not enjoying a cocktail during their set it's not the Portishead live experience!!! Afterall, do you think they'll be performing without a drip? Bring a few airplane size Grey Goose or other vodka bottles and stick 'em in your bra, tighty whiteys or elsewhere. There are plenty of stands that sell perfectly mixable fluids to go with these. Purpose, you will HATE drinking bad $7 8 oz cups of beer all day/night. Nobody ever gets caught at the gate and if you do, you just have to forfeit them.
You can also try and hit people up who are wearing VIP bracelets for extra bracelets as they often have them. This gives you access to full bar. I'm four for seven here and not particularly overtly attractive or charming.
-Have fun, drive safely.
Don't try and bring an empty thermos/jug/any kind of container with the intention of filling it up with water once you get inside, they won't let you in with it. The FAQ on their website only says no camelbacks, but last year they wouldn't let me bring in my little 1/2 gallon thermos. God forbid you should have free water in the desert.
as someone who's been 7 of 8 years, i have a little experience...
get there early. i know, i know. it's hot. but if you show up at 4 thinking you've outsmarted the sweaty masses already inside, you'll likely be stuck in line for an hour or more in the same heat, sans music and mist tents. trust.
and one more thing which may garner much hatred from other Coachella vets, but because i REALLY want to see this Portishead show...
stay off of Monroe when driving in AT ALL COSTS. i won't go so far as to give you the preferred "secret" routes that aren't nearly as clogged, but do the research and you'll be better off for it.
don't hate, congratulate.
eat as much fettucine alfredo as possible. drinking water will only slow you down. and make you have to pee.
For people getting tickets at the last minute, there's no way you'll find a hotel at this point, unless you know someone with a room who's willing to let you crash on the floor. If you have an SUV, you're pretty much set, provided it's only 2 or 3 of you (more than that will be crowded and smelly). Pack an ice chest or two with lots of ice for drinking water and food (lunch meat is best) to last the weekend, bring extra gallon containers of water and some handsoap (you will be thankful for the handsoap) so you can clean up at the end of the day (bring wash cloths). Now, the venue states that there will be no parking overnight, but at the end of each night, getting out of the parking lot is a flustercuck and generally takes a few hours to empty out. Many people that are just too tired from a long day in the heat, or too drunk or high to drive, usually pass out in the car anyway. No one is going to tow your car, at least they haven't in the past. I've done this twice now with no repercussions so I guess the risk is yours to take. Of course, if you do try this, don't draw attention to yourself. Don't tailgate, don't have the lights on, don't blare you music or hang out with the doors all open, etc. Once most of the cars have emptied, move your car to a darker part of the lot with less foot traffic, as not to draw attention to yourself. Park in a different spot each night. If you need to use the bathroom, walk to the campgrounds and use the outhouses there. On Saturday night or Sunday morning, park close to the exit to ensure a quick exit as you will be quite sick of spending any more time in that parking lot. If the venue gets their game together and hires all-night security to hassle all stragglers to leave, the next best option is not try and find a motel with some place to park and just camp there (good idea to google some maps/addresses before hand, just in case). Don't try this in any random parking lot though, because it's not safe, and I've been told that the Indio police sweep all parking lots regularly during the evenings for Coachella weekend.
Place a couple 12 hour glowsticks in the windows of your car so you can find the damn thing late at night. Nothing sucks more than being tired and not finding your ride to get you back to your hotel.
Bring a small "first-aid" kit with a few doses of over-the-counter drugs like antacid (store brand Pepcid/Zantac/etc,) Immodium, and ibuprofin or asprin. Put it somewhere where the security folks won't find it and mistake it for under-the-counter drugs.
Like the Boy Scouts say, "Why are you touching me there, Scoutmaster Bob?" Wait . . . no, it's "Be Prepared." Yeah . . . that's the one.
Coachella is for hippies. Go to BurningMan.
Don't tell people to meet you at the car and then move the car.
Seriously.
If you're normally a couch potato, get some exercise in the week or two beforehand. You’ll have more energy to rock and your body will thank you.
Protip: Be safe and have fun!
Obviously, stay hydrated (especially if you're drinking booze). About 12 oz of water every 90 min or so should keep you in good shape.
Also, accept the fact that you won't see EVERY band you want to see. It's much better to see all or most of a set than to try and catch one or two songs of a bunch of different sets.
Don't worry, you'll still get your fill of great music.
WET WIPES Thick Moist Towelettes... for a clean freak with OCD, these are essential!
be patient.
play well with others.
open your ears and your mind and check out some bands you've never heard of.
sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.
I wouldn't recommend trying to drive back to LA on Sunday night after spending the weekend rocking out in the blazing hot sun. Splurge and rest up another night - even a couple of hours of sleep will help for that drive back on Monday (screw your job!). Safety first :-)
Find or make shade. Most tents turn into ovens in the AM, so you're probably not gonna want to sleep in.
- Bring a portable dvd with the Wizard of Oz for proper enjoyment of Sunday night
It sounds common-sense, but trust me, remember where you park your car. There's nothing worse than getting out at the end of the night and wandering the grounds for a couple hours trying to remember which lot you parked in. I'd recommend a breadcrumb trail.
Oh, and I always leave before the first encore of the last band. That extra 15 minutes you save by leaving before everyone else will save you a couple hours of traffic gridlock. Of course in the case of Portishead, forget this strategy.
Wear a hat! The heat sucks, andsomething with a brim really helps.
Take lots of Emergen-C to put in your water to save you from dehydration and/or hangovers!!!
oh my god, something tells me god is on my side for this. I'm meant to be there, it's true.
Bring a kite or a weird pirate flag or something you can hoist up in the air so you and your friends can find each other. You'll still need to pick meeting places, but it makes it much easier to find each other.
Wear light, natural fibers. A hat and comfy sandles are great. Turmeric is great natural muscle pain reliever and bring moist wipes!
Look at them in the eyes, if you have no desire to look like them...don't buy what they're selling.
Parking is always a clusterf**k on day one. nobody really knows what they are doing or how to handle the huge influx of people that bombard their town. so be sure and come early.
by day two, the staff has learned the errors of their early ways and figured out how to make things easier.
day three should be a piece of caking coming and going.
Toilet paper, water, sunscreen and almonds.
Make sure to tell Prince that he needs to play "When Doves Cry," and if he doesn't, pelt him with pee filled water bottles and mud.
Instead of cotton, wear something breathable like a mountain biking jersey. Also, ignore Jack Johnson, but you already knew that.
Wear light clothing, like the work out clothes that wick away sweat. Nothing worse than standing next to some sweaty douchebag.
Don't drink so much beer.
Remember where you parked your car.
bring a pair of sunglasses that not only look cool but are protective. your eyes will otherwise fatigue quickly and could become damaged. blindness the movie.
Sorry, Coachella has seriously jumped the shark. Spend your money at the Echo, the Smell, the Glass House, etc.
Bring lots of Purell and baby wipes...
Driving from L.A. to Indio and back, shelling out for gas & parking fees is a major buzz kill -so don't do it!
If you're staying all three days and are going to camp, take the Coachella Express! Amtrak is offering a free - that's right - FREE train ride for 500 festival campers from Los Angeles' Union Station on April 24. Then you head back to L.A. on April 28.
Save money, ease congestion, and rest up on the trip down so you can rock out. THAT's a good tip!
Reservations can ONLY be made at www.coachella.com and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you're going to Coachella just to see Portishead, try to come up with an awesome comment here so you don't have to throw down the cash for a three day pass.
Let this trip be worth it :)
As tempting as it may be, don't feel like you've gotta spend the whole day running between the artists you want to see! If you spend the day staring at your watch and thinking about your next move, you'll totally miss out on the amazingness you're currently in, so plan a loose schedule, but let yourself wander - the unplanned ends up being the most memorable of experiences!
Don't try to catch every band you think you want to see by making a schedule.
Find a stage you like and get comfy.
Bring cash.
Spend time with your friends so they don't have to go see a band by themselves.
Most importantly, don't be an asshole to strangers.
Various TIPS:
Ladies, don't waste too much time lookin' fly, you will be sweat drenched and worn out after an hour.
Next year (too late now) the cheapest hotel I've found is PalmSpringsTravelodge but book a month or two ahead of time. Best part - NO CANCELLATION FEE if you cancel by 24 hours ahead...
Have a good time and don't try to see everyone or you'll go crazy (or at least drive your friends / lover crazy)
Don't feed girls pot brownies before hand, even if they beg... My homie couldn't take it in the heat and kept passing out...
1. it's great to hit up the festival, but if you miss any of the smaller bands, you can see them throughout the year at smaller clubs. smaller clubs have air-conditioning!
2. water water water!
good wicking clothing layers help keep you fresh in the desert heat and you won't get chilled when the sun sets.
buy gold bond.
apply between the legs.
smile because you don't have a bad case of swamp ass.
Remember: The guy who says, "I wouldn't rip you off," will.
It is going to be hot and it's going to be crowded, most likely with a lot of people you will find annoying. Pointing out these things to your friends every five minutes will be the most annoying thing of all to everyone... especially yourself.
Remember for what you signed up, go with the flow and enjoy the music.
In the morning make sure you have a tall cup of hot coffee or hot tea. Then show up to the venue wearing a hat, sweater and pants. At around 1:00PM, take off your pants (please have shorts on so you don't get arrested) and top (same goes with a t-shirt) and hat. The rest of the 115 degree day will feel positively chilly, I promise.
If you want VIP access, pool some money with your friends and rent a golf cart. Seriously, it doesn't matter if you have a VIP badge or not, if you are rolling around in a golf cart people will just assume you are important. Also a good way to pick up the opposite sex.
SMALL DAMP TOWEL RAGS!
Last year we bought those "pill towels" (the ones that are shaped like a disc in a package, and then fold out into normal small towels once wet) from REI and kept them wet constantly and then draped them across our necks. It kept us very cool in the burning heat and saved our necks from serious sunburn!
As a shoe "expert", I definitely recommend a lightweight, waterproof and closed toe style shoe, saves you from getting stepped on or stubbed. There are some excellent hiking-style sandals, some even with closed toes, and lots of very lightweight but protective hiking style shoes. This helps as you will constantly be stepping on garbage, human waste, water, etc. If you must wear sandals, make 'em comfortable for lots of walking.
Coachella Rocks but you will be facing three great nemesis during music filled weekend:
The Heat - It's going to be really hot so skip the beers and load up on the water during the hottest portion of the day. Sunglasses and a high SPF are recommended and you can bring a small back pack so put those items in it.
The Port-a-Potties - Suck! they do have a few real toilets in mobile home type facilities but it's not worth the wait. Suck it up and use the portables. If you go to your local beauty supply store you can pick up these little towels that are shrunken down to quarter size and come in a tube, they're great for drying your hands and laying over a hot forehead. Also you will find tiny strips of Soap (think listerine breath strips) Great for washing up after a trip to the "sh@t hole".
Parking: I hate to give this secret away...so love me because I'm about to do it. The lots are huge. You can easily lose your car so last year I tied a large helium balloon to the top of mine. Much easier to find as long as it doesn't get stolen. Also park as far from the venue entrance as you can. While the long walk in the hot sun may seem atrocious at first you will thank me at the end of the evening when all the "close-up" parkers are stuck in traffic. Find what looks like an exit and park your bootie there.
Bring small hand towels so you can use it to wipe yourself throughout the day. Also wet wipes are great to use to wipe yourself down when your a sweaty hot mess. Also stay away from the Jack In The Box at the end of the night because you will literally have to have 45 minutes in the drive thru because they are not equipped to handle the crowds that flock to them at one in the morning.
best best strategy might be to avoid the place at all costs.
Take the Coachella Express
http://www.coachella.com/visitors/amtrak
On your way to or from Coachella, be sure to hit up Don & Sweet Sue's place in Cathedral City... Best breakfast in the area!
There are lots of creepy crawlies in the desert.
Be aware if you are off-the-beaten-path, that the numbers of rattlesnakes in the Coachella Valley are increasing. If camping, shake out sleeping bags and clothes before using them and check your shoes in the morning for scorpions. And take some organic bugspray.
PICK YOUR BATTLES! It is impossible to see every band you like. Print out the schedule and make a strategy on where and when you want to move stages. Even schedule in Dinner and water/rest breaks so you know exactly when you can sacrifice a chunk of time. Make back-up plans too just in case a band starts late (Air last year). There is no use in staring at an empty stage when you could be seeing somebody play. I know its hard to pass on a band you are interested in but plan ahead and you won't be disappointed.
car pool. coachella has a contest that rewards carpoolers with free vip tickets to coachella for LIFE (check out their website). put an ad up on craigslist. meet some cool new people to split the cost of gas and parking.
1. Bring a Nalgene bottle versus a plastic bottle for your water. They have a genius cap that can be secured to your backpack/bag etc. They are solid and will last for many festivals to come... you can find one at any outdoor store. Less waste people!
2. Mini toilet paper rolls... you can slip them in your cargos or bag. Trust me. This is a must.
3. VIP is way overrated...
The very best place to stay in Indio is a wonderful mid-century motel called the Palm Shadow Inn. The rooms are comfy and all of them open onto an expansive lawn with a swimming pool and a hot tub. If you get up early enough, you'll catch sight of jack rabbits grazing on the lawn. It's basically some desert bliss to separate the arduous Coachella days.
It's only about two miles from the site, so even with the gnarly traffic, the travel time isn't bad. If you're the rugged type and choose to walk, that's totally doable too.
In the early years of Coachella, I wouldn't have posted about it because it was my little secret (and maybe a few others'). These days, the secret is out (and I can't even go this year - hence my heightened interest in Portishead's L.A. show) and the Shadow is booked up well in advance, so consider this a tip for next year. Call about six months ahead and just book the last weekend in April.
Avoid alcohol. Get there early. The line to get in is terrible in the afternoon. Make sure you have the tickets before leaving your hotel room. Park near a landmark.
Geeze! Offer to give some free tix and look at all the responses!
OK, my suggestion.
Bring some reefer!
Sunscreen, water and have fun!
Give tickets to your friends.
leave your blazers, vests, and scarves in Silver Lake, its fucking hot out there.
Don't heckle the bands. Just because you came for so-and-so and think that this-or-that act is a atonal monstrosity doesn't give you right to disrupt their performance or someone else's enjoyment. Remember, some people even like Jack Johnson, so expect a variety of fanbases.
Don't have a hotel yet? After kicking yourself multiple times for procrastinating, start kicking yourself for railing against SUVs because you'll need to borrow one from that friend whom you berate.
If you are a patient under Prop 215, don't forget your medication! If you are not a patient under Prop 215, please consider that the stress of the trip could perhaps trigger latent anxiety issues, so get a recommendation immediately for maximum enjoyment. Just to be safe.
mdma + M83 = heaven.
1. Ladies, no point in dressing up and trying to maintain a style - I have seen women in wedges here -- seriously gals, in the middle of the desert?? It's hot as h-e-double-hockey-sticks, dress appropriately.
2. Water. Bathe in it, swim in it, drink it, just make sure you have plenty of it.
3. No cell reception so stick with your friends or make a meeting spot before a particular band plays.
4. I second the Palm Inn -- it's a brutal walk but the pool is luscious in the early morning and you don't have to deal with parking.
5. The Filter pre-party evening before the first day. Good times, enough said.
Drink water. Don't bring a hacky sack. Bring lots of cash, your cell phone charger, ganja and ecstasy. Consume the last two and camp out for Aphex Twin. You will not be disappointed.
Lip Balm!
If you don't have a hotel room, go to the Morongo Casino parking garage (it's like 20 minutes away), park on one of the random floors in a corner and sleep in your car with the doors locked. The guards won't bother you and you can wake up the next morning and eat a great breakfast inside.
stay hydrated and drink lots of water!!
(and try not to pass out after you've been waiting over an hour for a band to take the stage)
1. Have a plan.
2. Stay off los drogas.
3. If you're worried about hydration, check out AquaJoe.
to maintain your impeccable style, wear clothes that would still look good on you while coming out of a swimming pool. cuz thats how sweaty you'll be after visiting any tents.
Water, cash, and an open mind will get you very far in the desert.
Don't be crushed to death.
Cool idea! Portishead rocks!
Expect Portishead to be a little bit ticked off to have the Purple One bump them off the headlining spot --
Gas is expensive.
Use rideshare on Craigslist and get there cheap and lighten the load on the Earth.
Go with the flow, don't be an ass, and leave the LA attitude in the city.
Also, it is the desert. Peyote would be fitting.
My tip? Just spend one day at Coachella, and another at the LA Times Festival of Books. Kick it off Friday by attending the Fangoria convention in Burbank on Friday night.
Oh, and be prepared to call in sick on Monday.
Bypass the main off-ramps and take 86S, exit Ave 52 and go thru the city of Coachella. I think parking is off of 52nd.
Lots of water and sunscreen, and try for light clothing. Anything that "breathes." Avoid carbs (and alcohol). Don't take any clothing off.
Bring several sunscreen bottles -- at least as large as the giant NoAd bottles. Before you leave town, wash them out, then fill them up with rum, vodka, or whatever you fancy. At the show, drink at least as much water, as you do "sunscreen." Do make sure at least one bottle actually has sunscreen in it. And don't mix up your "sunscreens" with your sunscreen. Ew.
Drink water until the evening when things cool off a bit. Being drunk in the sun is not fun.
Eat, sleep, drink lots of water and leave the alcohol till afterwards or the sun will kill you.
Neck-cooling bandanas - they may look kind of dorky, but you soak 'em in water and then place one on your neck, and presto! Hours of cooling power. And when you buy water, you can always ask someone to dunk it in the ice water...
Make sure to pee before leaving. Honestly.
Unless you want to spend the first half of the 3 hours it takes to get your car out of the lot clutching your kitty in pain trying not to pee on yourself...and the other half cleaning the back of the rental car, changing your clothes and apologizing to your friends.
True story.
Coachella; never again.
Don't leave your water bottles on the ground!
Definitely drink tons of water, also, bring a bandana. When you get super hot, you can wet the bandana and put it on your head, or around your neck.
My bandana saved my life last year. Also, it helps you fit in with all those crazy hipster kids.
If you're going to camp out in front of the main stage at night to get a good spot for the headliner, make sure you have a few extra bottles of water with you. It gets very hot and sticky. You do not want to be like the people who waited all day for Rage last year only to bail during Manu Chao's performance. That being said, Cargo shorts are your best friend.
Bring as much sunscreen as you can manage! and make sure to use it.
two words:
BABY WIPES.
xoxo
Rent a minivan and sleep in it. It is much cheaper and less of a hassle than getting a hotel room. Also bring a costco size flat of water bottles for hydration. You can also use them to go pee in an emergency as the porta potties are either totally full or totally disgusting. Bring a hat and sunscreen also.
a few suggestions....
1) pay attention to where you park, cause it is very easy to lose your car.
2) drink lots of water and wear your sunscreen like your mommy told you.
3) if you are over 30, make sure to pierce something before you get in, in order to fit in with the young hipsters.
4) make sure to miss jack johnson, cause that guy straight up sucks.
No matter how tempted, or drunk, you may be, do not go skinny dipping in the Salton Sea.
bring purell, wet wipes, sunscreen, & dried apricots.
sunscreen and shades, and a hat. and water. all will then be well at coachella.
A hat, lots of water - and enjoy the little acts!
Eating heavier food offerings like pizza, meatball sandwiches, gyros, etc will zap your energy. But if you eat from the vegetarian/organic stands, you won't get the dreaded food coma, which is even worse in that heat!
Camping is awesome - you avoid the traffic and parking problems, meet fantastic and interesting people, and stay in the festival atmosphere the whole weekend.
Bring a tiny backpack with you into the fairgrounds. It may be annoying during the day, but when it gets cold at night and you can put on your sweatshirt, it will have been so worth it! You can also stash water and sunscreen and a hat in the pack.
Please & Thank You,
-CM
don't let me confiscate your spf protection chapstick! it's on the approved list of items allowed in. don't neglect your lips, they'll get sun burned too.
On the way back (to LA), if its past midnight... Morongo Casino isn't a bad place to take a breather or get a meal. You and your group can sit down and relax and eat or drink coffee/tea (and be tempted to gamble).
Here's a tip, don't go. It's gonna be hot as balls and Jack Johnson is playing.
Im gonna second with the tip above. DOnt go. Jack Johnson is playing. Besides we live in L.A. Cant we see all these bands in air conditioned theatres any time we want anyway??? Do I still get to enter the contest or am I gonna be punished?
two words. baby wipes.
ladies, I saw the earlier posts about the proper footwear. I like to wear platform sandals (as long as they're comfortable) cuz it's not as frustrating to stand behind the tall peeps that insist on working their way to stand right in front of you.
After the concert, I spent an hour in the Polo Fields parking lot waiting to leave. Just imagine LA traffic but 10 times worse. My recommendation is to park close to the exits, or leave early, or just park off-site completely. You don't want to be breathing exhaust for an hour!
Don't waste your time collecting ten empty beer cups - there is no such thing as free beer at Coachella.
1. If you're camping, make sure to bring a real coleman cooler and not buy the cheap 10 dollar styrofoam coolers they sell at the food for less 1 mile away from the grounds. You want to keep whatever you got chilling as cool for as long as possible.
2. Don't under estimate the heat, it WILL be so blazingly hot you;ll wanna shoot yourself.
3. If you're camping, bring things to entertain you for hours and hours in the mornings because chances are you'll wake up at 7 in the morning when the sun's heat begins to radiate inside your tent. THERE is no SLEEPING IN! so when you're up, you'll realize you have this huge block of time to kill from like 7 in the morning to like 2 in the afternoon when the campground opens.
3. Camping is so rough, it's almost like a spiritual journey by the time it ends, You actually feel a sense of accomplishment.
4. Budget money for food and water and only bring cash. chances are you'll be buying hella water and food at the park so be prepared to blow at the very least 30-40 dollars a day on breakfast lunch dinner and the loads of fluids you'll be purchasing.
5. buy new shoes, make sure the sole is as soft as a cloud because your feet will be killing you by the time night falls.
6. bring a messenger bag stocked with DEODORANT in bar and spray form. because even if you smell great chances are someone close to you will smell terrible so hook em up by offering an axe boost or whatever. also bring
7. they don't allow empty containers or open containers for fear of smuggling alcohol BUT theyll let you in with sealed filled water bottles. many people didnt know this.
8. bring at least 3 bottles of water for the entry line to the grounds. It'll probably take an hour in line in the hot sun before you can even make it inside. I've seen people pass out in the line alone.
9. It got so hot my nose started bleeding like crazy so pack band aids, gauze and what have you in case of minor emergencies like that.
10. bring a mallet for your tent poles. the ground is pretty dense.
Despite the heat, DON'T drink alcohol!!!
You will be kicking yourself forever when you wake up the next morning in the first iad booth because you passed out and missed Prince or Portishead.
Save the boozing for a another weekend.
Wear a funky funky hat. You will lose your friends. Once they see your neon Seussian head from 100 yars you will soon be saved!
1) Pack some snacks and drinks for the car ride in case you are stuck in the lines of traffic for parking. You'll also be thankful at the end of the night when you get back to the car starving for food.
2) Allow yourself enough time to get to one stage to the next. If you are dying to see a performer, get to the stage well in advance of the previous act ending their set. Once the crowds dies down, you can find a good spot.
bring lots of cash. everything is expensive, except the water tanks, and the atm lines suck. try a bring the car that has the best gas mileage and the loudest and longest range carlock remote. those parking lots are endless. Otherwise, should be a fantastic weekend!
Just relax and have a good time. Don't stress out running from set to set. In your downtime - check out bands/djs you wouldn't normally see on your own, find a good spot and take naps, pace yourself with the beer/alcohol (seriously, the heat can and will kick you in the butt), and take the time to check out the art installations.
Last year there was this video installation in a closed tent that was kind of off to the side. My friends and I wouldn't go in because we thought it'd be too hot in there. We finally went in and the reason it was closed was because it was AIR-CONDITIONED INSIDE. Look out for this. Hopefully it comes back this year!
Oh and for the bathrooms, go to the line w/the most boys in it - they're faster.
coachella advice is tent acts during the day to get into shade and escape heat!
please please tickets for Portishead rehearsal.
thanks
Michael Plaut
"It's hard sometimes playing your music when you can hear people chatting away"
TIP: PLEASE be respectful of the band and all of the fans that are coming out just to see them and get all your gab out before this very special performance! Oh! And don't forget to wear comfortable shoes!
If you have to take a nap, the place that shows that slideshow between the Gobi and Mojave tents is air conditioned. It's a good place to crash and get away from the heat
#1: Big straw hat = shade
#2: Sunscreen = relief (unless you like to peel and shed a few layers...also sunburn makes it easier to be found...)
Tip #3: Earplugs - cant forget these...even if you are deaf...nothing worse than scoring a great spot for Janes Addiction and have to sit thru Jack Johnson.
Tip #4: Sunglasses - remember...the future is bright!
Don't Fight....its just not worth it. Just laugh and walk the other way.
and
Don't forget to SMILE!!!!
and one more thing...
don't forget to pass that joint over to me.
Do not wear underwear. Especially if you're female. I'm a kilt-wearing man and it works beautifully for me.
(This tip isn't specific to Coachella)
Bring a bike along in your car/suv/hybrid. Then when you near the venue park your car away from the traffic jam immediately around the venue and ride your bike to the show (and laugh at the shmucks stuck in that horrible, horrible traffic jam)!
And yes i agree with "Jacques": don't wear underwear.
Yep get there early, don't mind the dust and it gets cold and dark at night. People like to discard stuff everywhere so be careful walking around cause it's hard to see at night. Drink water throughout the entire day and remember to wash your hands at the sinks set up around the restrooms!
leave 5 minutes before midnight and you'll be out of the parking lot in 5 minutes.
If all your friends are too poor to go and you're going alone. Post a rideshare ad on craigslist. You can get a ride or help with gas money and make an equally desparate new friend.
Ladies if you're on the rag, make sure to wear the super plus pearl Tampax. The protection is unbeatable and you can go a good 6-8 hours before the leak starts. Most likely the sun will be too intense for dark pants or shorts so I would reccommend a long flowy sun dress with a pattern. You can even wear some leggings under if you really need that safe feeling. If you have cramps smoke some weed, bring a beach towel lay out somewhere.
If you suffer from allergies, the grass can be an absolute nightmare, but pot is also an antihistamine. Try to get a prescription before you go.
Everyone complains about the heat but it gets pretty cold at night. Bring a collapsable jacket.
Also, baby wipes, chap stick, sunglasses, lotion.
1. sun block
2. water
3. comfy shoes
4. light clothing during the day - long sleeves at night (desert)
5. arrive early
7. Shower
8. eat
9. leave the alcohol till afterwards, the sun will kill you
10. buy the t shirts you want early (they sell out at night and the lines are very long)
11. expect to wait in the morning at the entrance gate in long slow moving lines.
12. don't try to smuggle crazy ass drugs in there, why lax, they do escort people out from time to time, that would be a bummer of a weekend.
13. don't "push your way" up front. If there is an artist you want to see, get to that stage while the artist before is still on and wait it out, you just may see something else you like too.
15. move around to the different stage see as much as possible
16. Know that you WILL miss some acts you wanna see.
17. Expect LOTS of traffic to and from festival grounds
18. buy 3 day pass as early ASAP
20. Condoms
21. Stay clear of the beer gardens, they are well away from the stages and over-priced, and boring, you will be missing out on fun.
22. sleep
23. print out a set times schedule - keep it in your pocket (they will have schedules there, but don't spend forever looking for one)
24. Plan any tent signings early, and prepare to wait for your favorite, but don't go nuts at the signing tent, you'll miss lots.
25. Bring cash
Portishead at Cochella....good.
Porti-potty at Cochella.....baaaaaad.
1) Get there early - if you have will call get there even earlier because the lines to get in are extremely long, that is unless you're camping which I really don't recommend for anyone over 25.
2) Obviously you'll want to wear lot's of sunscreen and drink lot's of water, but don't drink too much because the lines for the restrooms also can get very long especially right around lunch and dinner so if you can eat at odd times you'll be better off.
3) Enjoy as many bands possible because that's why your here - leave the fighing, arguing, and poor attitudes at home.
4) Cheers!
Recycle your water bottles because 10 empties will get you one free bottle of water. Water will be essential in the burning inferno of the hot dessert weather of Coachella Valley!!! Booo-yahh!! And of course enjoy the music!!!
Bring some sort of hand sanitizer because the bathrooms tend to run out of cleansing elements - and you want to be able to enjoy your nachos or pizza slice without fear of cooties.
Draw yourself a map to your car and be thorough about it, nothing worse than a lost car late at night in the chaos of everyone leaving.
listen to littleradio.com today until 1pm to win a pair of tickets to coachella!!
It's best to park a mile or so away and walk.. trust me. The traffic going in and out is horrendous.
Earplugs, so that you may attend future festivals.
To lessen your gas usage...
To reduce cash out-of-pocket...
To avoid dehydration and port-a-potties...
To maximize stage time with your favorite bands...
To avoid hobnobbing with marginally-behaved drunkards...
To minimize your carbon footprint, in general...
Don't go.
Stay local. All those acts are bound to play in LA, within nine months, in smaller venues, with more intimate intent, less dust, less heat, and less hassle. Wait it out.
Or post a comment and hope to get invited to a private rehearsal. :)
Grab one of those pocket sized event booklets to map out your entire day/night. You will have conflicting start times, so choose wisely. The main stage gets crowded earlier than you think, so make sure you head over early for Portishead!
Remember that you'll be in a desert setting, so even though it will be hot during the day, the temp will drop drastically after the sun goes down. Bring layers!
I didn't know just anyone could rent those golf carts!
I like the glo-sticks in your car and the train too.
My recommendation would be lie, steal, cheat your way into the "hospitality area". Shade, grass, seating, short liquor lines, and if you're lucky you aill see someone you know who can get you backstage-backstage, because those not riding golf carts walk thru that area between the stage and "backstage"