Coachella - Empire Polo Field, Indio - 26-27/4/03
1/5
By: Austin Louis Ray
1. Interpol
NYC's suited scenesters had a tough time at Coachella. Not only did the band have to follow the Blue Man Group's paint-coated musical circus (then again, maybe this helped Interpol's show), but it also played against the two-day festival's final act, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and fought with out-of-tune instruments for the first couple songs of the set (Interpol had played France the night before and apparently the roadies were as tired as the band-members themselves). No matter though, as thousands gladly put up with the wait to hear the band cruise through nearly every song from their stunning 2002 debut, 'Turn on the Bright Lights'.
2. Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough took to the stage alone, facing a thoroughly overfilled tent, with just an acoustic guitar in hand. He then proceeded to ask, somewhat angrily, for someone to start the music. From the speakers blared a Jackson 5 bassline, as Gough covered 'I Want You Back' in a way only he could - with somber class. Gough took also the liberty of playing an extra long set ('They're telling me I'm out of time, but I want to keep playing,' he declares rigidly) comprised of songs from each album in his catalogue, many with altered words or extra verses. The most poignant example of which was the first single from 'Have You Fed The Fish?' - 'You Were Right'. In the rock-star-death breakdown, Gough timely added in the name Joe Strummer - more than once - much to the crowd's delight.
3. Hot Hot Heat
One of the most energetic shows of Coachella was surely put on by Canadian new wavers Hot Hot Heat. Tight jeans, nearly ubiquitous keyboards and quirky guitars took control of a stage that captivated a tent where the females outnumbered the fellas nearly three to one. Flamboyant frontman Steve Bays led the band through a dozen or so tracks, most of which coming from HHH's excellent 2002 album, 'Make Up the Breakdown'. By the time the band's time was up, those watching - regardless of sex - were diligently moved.
4. The Rapture
Question: What does a cowbell, a saxophone and combined screeching guitars and vocals have in common? Answer: these elements were all put to use by The Rapture to produce an incredible freak-out session of a set for the mere mortals attending Coachella. Whether it's in the dancehall rocker 'House of Jealous Lovers' or Gang of Four-esque bassy greatness of 'Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks', it's evident that The Rapture are going places. The addition of the aforementioned saxophone sure didn't hurt either. Fans of timeless, funky rock 'n' roll take note.
5. Iggy & The Stooges
James Osterberg (aka: Iggy Pop) quickly made it clear that he hadn't lost anything as The Stooges performed together for the first time in 28 years. Leaping out from the side of the stage, in his typical jeans and no-shirt getup, Pop led The Stooges through a roaring set featuring classics such as '1969', 'Dirt' and 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'. Incredibly, he still looks almost the same at 56 as he did at 26, with his signature ferocious stage-presence. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the Asheton brothers. However, they still brought the rock along with Mike Watt (of Minutemen fame) who took care of the bass-duties.
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