I Come From Foreign

Parking lots are far far far away…

When (not if, when) I go back to Coachella next year I will probably (hopefully) do some things differently next year. I wrote them down here so I don’t forget (I heart lists) and for all you other concert newbies living in foreign.

1. Much like Tobago sun, desert sun is a beast all of its own. If you’re an islander like me you might feel like you could handle heat. Well hear what. I’ve never been in a Caribbean location where it ever tops 95 degrees. Something to do with the humidity. In the desert, brace yourself for 100+ and DRY. DRY when I tell you dry. And so you accommodate the beast; he does not accommodate you. Wear the thinnest, loosest piece of cotton (it has to breathe) you own and pleeeeeeeeeeeeenty sunscreen–only SPF 30+ and up will do. Also a bandanna for the dust and a bottle of water at all times. Just dont stop drinking.
2. Early is no good. We got there at three (it started at 2) and it was just too hot. I honestly wondered how I was going to make it until 10:45 for Prince but as soon as the sun started going down around 6:30 I was happy like pappy and skipping around like a lamb.
3. Figure it out beforehand. We had an idea of who we we wanted to see and kind of sort of when but we left a lot of things up in the air. We had to go hunting around for a schedule to figure it out and I think we lost a lot of time trying to figure out who was playing where and when.
4. VIP all the way. Now, I am a lady of comfort. Just because I’m from an island doesn’t mean I went around the place barefoot and climbing up trees to pick mangos. I neeeeeever did that kind of stuff. I really don’t do grass or general public. I was all pumped up about going to Coachella but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t a bit skeptical about being in the desert without my creature comforts. Well, if you have a VIP pass you have entry to a special, closed off area with its own food, drinks, bathrooms, and seating and its nice and close to the stage. We had VIP passes and I’m not sure if it would been half as fun without them.
5. Sneakers not sandals. I wore a pretty white cotton sun dress with a bathing suit underneath (much more comfortable and forgiving than underwear) and I contemplated wearing sneakers but they really didn’t go so I wore my gold gladiator sandals. Well hello. Open sandals and sandy, dusty, possibly muddy grounds do not mix. Especially if you put SPF on your toesies right before. Gross. I hope hope hope I can revive my sandals. Not to mention, you’re walking all day. While sandals are comfortable, sneakers tend to be more so. So next year, I’ll make sure to wear an outfit that accommodates sneakers.

Okay so there’s my two cents. Please remind me about these next year, folks. And add your tips in the comments!

MARK RONSON!!!!!

Coach-HELL-YEH!! Well let me tell you. I was like country come to town yesterday at Coachella.

LOVED IT!

It was such an awesome set-up and so well done. Five stages, light shows, out-there (in a good way) art installations, billowing tents, and everything all pretty and designy-looking. SO PRETTY. There was this whole area of jewel-toned tents made of a parachute-like material and I swear it was an Aladdin-themed Bouncy Castle for adults.

I tried to play it cool (like I play everything, natch) but I just haven’t been exposed enough. I can’t lie. I was just so happy to be there that honestly it didn’t even matter at first if I actually got to see anybody play. I was just in it and content. For once I was in it! Oh I mean I know it’s a big hipster scene and I forgot to wear my leather headband so maybe I wasn’t as cool as some of the other people there but I wasn’t playin’ my outsider crap for once and it was good.

Anyway, I didn’t get to see everybody or as much of the people I wanted to (them’s the breaks) but here’s who I did get to check out:

• Boys Noise: Man, the music was just calling us! We were watching MGMT but it was waaay too crowded and it’s just not cool to be so close to people when it’s 100 degrees out (human smells no good) so we followed the beat to Boys Noise and they rocked it out. Don’t know much about electronic music (not my favourite) but they knew how to pump up the crowd and put on a good show. Well done.
• Hot Chip: More electronic music. I was pleasantly surprised at how melodic they were though. Definitely good party tunes.
• Craftwork Kraftwerk: Apparently, they’re gods. You can definitely hear their influence in Daft Punk but their pace is slower and maybe a little bit more reflective? German? I’m no expert but that’s my two cents. Two thumbs up.
• Mark Ronson: Definitely my highlight of the night! One of the reasons is that we were so close to the stage so the vibes were strong and he was just rockin’ it out. (Did you see the kick-ass pic from the bf above? INSANE! He’s a cutie, right?) The first song he played was Toxic and then RhymeFest joined him on stage and he really got me jumpin up and down and whoopin and yelling. Unfortunately, someone else we really wanted to see was on at the exact same time so we only got to hear wo songs before we moved on to…
• MIA: Man, I wished we had been there earlier (although I don’t think I would have given up seeing Mark Ronson). Her tent was soooo crowded that honestly it was a little hard to get the full power of the music but from the looks of the crowd she did it up right.
• Portishead: So many people seem to worship this group and I never really got it. I mean, all I knew really was that one song from like 10 years ago that went big (Nobody loves me) so i was really curious to take a good listen and see what the fuss was about. OMG Beth Gibbons has the most hauntingly beautiful voice I have heard in a long time. She is mesmerisingly good. I want to be her.
• Prince: The headliner! This was another bit of disappointment as we left about two songs into the set to beat the crowds. Hey when you’ve been sitting in the sun for 8 hours and have to drive 2 more to get home sometimes you have to make sacrifices. It is what it is. I can’t say too much since I really didn’t get to hear enough but I’m sure he rocked it out good and hard.

So all in all it was an amazing first outdoor concert/ music festival experience. I absolutely cannot wait for next year. Maybe I’ll get lucky and they’ll have a reggae-type artist on the line-up.

Oh!!! And lest I forget, celebrities for DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS. I didn’t take pictures of any of them. I’m too much of a coward to try to sneak shots and way too cool (ha ha) to actually acknowledge them by asking to take their pictures.

Seriously, though, it was a lot of fun checking up on D-Listed and Perez today so I could be like: I saw her! I saw him! For those of you who care, here’s who crossed my path:

• Kelly Osbourne (really pretty, actually)
• Dita Von Teese (petite, looks like 12)
• Brody Jenner (douchie but cute)
• Nicole Richie (a bone twig)
• Joel Madden
• Rachel Hunter (not bad for an old chick, says the bf)
• THE HOFFFFF
  (suuuuuuuuper tall)
• Melanie Griffith
• Dude from Flight of the Conchords (complete with tourist-esque bermuda shorts, v-neck t, and straw hat)
• Machel? I could have sworn I saw him… anybody knows if he was there?

Update: Best Week Ever thinks I’m awesome

PSYCHED!!

We got tickets and we’re on the road!! This is why I’m excited.

Pictures and write-up to come…

Elan at Reggae on the River circa (?) singing “Together as One”

I NEVER saw live music in Miami.

I heard that most bands on national tours never came down to MIA because it was too far and cost-prohibitive.

That and the bands that did come were never presented to me in neat little parcels like they are out here.

It’s just a vibe, man.

Live music is pervasive out here and I’ve definitely reaped the benefits:

• Elan (killer reggae artist–see above–from LA and lead singer for the Wailers yes, those Wailers) x 3
• Daft Punk and Rat-a-tat-tat
• Paul Oakenfeld and Underworld
• Ben Harper and Tom Morello

And this weekend at Coachella (annual 3-day concert in the desert but we’re only going on Saturday fingers crossed not definite as yet):

• Prince
• MGMT
• Deathcab for Cutie
• Mark Ronson
• M.I.A.
• and a bunch of others who I haven’t heard of as yet but am excited about nonetheless

And in two weeks (May 10) at Temple Bar for TRINIDAD NIGHT:

• Kes the Band
• Maximus Dan
• Ms Triniti
  

You guys should come!!!

Life is good. Live music is good.

More on the music as it happens…

*See “Trini Talk#2: For days” for explanation of term