Coachella used to be cool. Sure they still have some bands that would be nice to see, and special appearances that are rarely announced in advance, but what used to be a rock and rap festival has quickly turned into more of a rave, and, with the change in music styles, has turned the event into a Brofest. So, while most Southern Californians who appreciate rock and appreciate the nostalgic feeling they would get from seeing Guns n’ Roses taking the stage will be waiting to see them perform until their San Diego shows at Qualcomm Stadium, this weekend will be the second with an audience full of dudes listening to the music that they used to listen to while getting pumped up for their football games and celebrities who are either too young to drink or trying to remain relevant.
Of course, the guest appearances, if they do happen again, generally lack the same surprise factor that they do on the first weekend and most of us will only be able to live the experience through YouTube videos recorded on bedazzled cell phones, but that being said, here’s some stuff that happened last weekend that we wouldn’t have minded seeing if we had been able to go, or if we wouldn’t have had to deal with a bunch of fist pumps and the brocabulary of people calling each other “Broseph” or “Broheim” while talking about how they need more Sun Tan Brotion and their plans to go to Malibro the following weekend.
Ice Cube Had a Semi-Reunion with NWA
Sure there was no Dr. Dre nor the Eazy-E hologram that everyone was expecting, but after not performing at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, this is probably the closest we’ll get to seeing an N.W.A. performance ever again.
Update
Alright, fine. I was wrong. Even though I thought weekend one was going to be the closest we’d get to an N.W.A. reunion, I, admittedly and thankfully, was not right as Dre came out on stage with Ice Cube. They didn’t perform any of the hits from their N.W.A. days, but getting to see the two perform together on stage was about a special as anything else Coachella could have provided.
Joe Walsh Performed with The Arcs
We can forgive you for not knowing who The Arcs are. As of yet, the only reason anyone knows about them is due to the fact that they’re Dan Auerbach’s (of Black Keys fame) side project, but considering that he was able to get Joe Walsh on stage, they definitely became a concert to see.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Just Always Sounds Awesome
Look, we love hearing a guitar being shredded, but not necessarily to the point where we can’t actually hear the music. Especially when the lyrics are as meaningful and deep as a band like Edward Sharpe’s.
Ditto for Of Monsters and Men
I’m Not Really a Kesha Fan…
But given all her legal drama recently with the allegations she’s levied against Dr. Luke, it’s understandable how she would find it difficult to work with him, or want him to benefit from her recording. Obviously, this puts a damper on her career, and while her music may not be to my tastes, I wouldn’t want to see anyone’s livelihood affected by the issues she’s had to deal with. Her performance is just an indication of how she’s looking to not be held back anymore.
The Sneak Peek of the AC/DC Shows
Sure getting to see Guns n’ Roses live again would have been a highlight, and the announcement that Axl was going to be fronting AC/DC for their remaining shows could have been timed better than right before they were getting ready to perform, but considering that he was stuck in Dave Grohl’s guitar throne, the whole show looked like it was lacking that typical energy that we’re used to seeing from when he’s on stage. Enter Angus Young, and the energy was there.
So there you have it. While we likely won’t be attending Coachella anytime soon (at least, not until the bros happen to migrate elsewhere), we can still live vicariously through the professionally recorded Coachella videos and the cell phone recordings of fans that would rather watch the performances on their computers later as opposed to actually experiencing the music playing right in front of them.
