Coachella Not for the Faint of Heart —Sandstorms Galore

For Berkeley High students, the spring leaves many yearning for summer, counting down the days until the last bell rings and everyone is released from the routines of homework and early morning alarm clocks. But for some BHS students and many music lovers all over the country, April is a highly anticipated month in which thousands of people flock to the desert outside Palm Springs for the Coachella Music Festival.

Spanning two four–day weekends each year, this concert series has accumulated a loyal following since its official beginning in 1999.

Located in Indio, California, which is in Coachella Valley, the hot weather alone can be enough to deter possible concert–goers. Each year, however, thousands of people brave enough to venture into the heat achieve ultimate music festival bragging rights with their trip to Coachella.

This particular festival has the reputation of having the “wow factor,” and last year its famous Tupac hologram made headlines. The 2013 lineup featured 175 bands, including both popular and relatively unknown groups.

This year, some of the more well–known names included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beach House, Vampire Weekend, Wu–Tang Clan, 2 Chainz, Earl Sweatshirt, Franz Ferdinand, and more. Although there were many industry giants that dominated the stages, upcoming talent gained fans during the eight day span.

The opportunity to hear both new voices as well as veteran performers all at one venue comes with a hefty price tag.
For Weekend One, tickets priced at $350 were sold out in two hours, and while Weekend Two took a bit longer, it sold out as well.

Visiting Coachella is on the top of many music fans’ to–do lists, and seeing one’s favorite band can be an exhilarating experience. Furthermore, hearing groups that are relatively undiscovered is exciting and unique.

Instead of paying big bucks to see one band live, fans of the festival reason that it is a deal, given how many groups attend, and that the experience of being in such an unusual setting with people from all over is undoubtedly priceless. In addition to music, there are also artist workshops for a portion of each day, where fans of live performance can express themselves through visual art.

Others view Coachella as over–hyped, with big crowds and not enough time to see all the shows that one might want.
In 2010, 17,000 people camped at the festival, which may be fun for some but cramped for others. This pales in comparison to the vast sea of music lovers that comes in waves to Coachella for each day’s performances. This year, around 90,000 attendees showed up each day to watch shows at all seven main stages.

In addition, the price of the festival is often scoffed at, as some people are there mainly to see a specific group perform. Not only are tickets expensive, but finding a hotel or place to sleep and food for four days takes its toll on the wallet.
Some festival–goers get tired simply because of the sheer number of people there, which can lead to long lines and lots of waiting in the hot sun.

This year, a sandstorm threatened the festival, but avid fans braved through it to see favorites like Wu–Tang Clan, who played through the weather.

For anyone who is debating whether Coachella should be their next excursion, consider the following: if one has expendable income, a inclination to heat, and a passion for music, it may be the place for you.

If hoping for a more intimate setting to hear your favorite band, perhaps a venue closer to home may be the better option.