COACHELLA DAY 1!

Ahhh Coachella. Quite possibly the best weekend of the year. Amazing bands, jaw dropping surroundings, various inebriants, and a naked wizard! So to work up to this magical, crazy weekend you won't totally remember here is Day 1 of Coachella.  All the bands I've listed below are ones I think are worth checking out whether its for the whole show or just a few songs. I've put in a few tracks for each artist so that you can get a feel for them and decide for yourself who to go and see. I'll keep the writing short and to the point because there are a lot of groups and I don't feel like writing a novel for each one.

Any artists I mark with a ☆ means I'll be seeing them for sure so make sure you come by and say hi. I've also tried to include as many collaborative tracks as possible so you can hear the different DJ's and artists playing Coachella covering or remixing each others tracks. All tracks are in one folder so enjoy and pass along to friends and sign up for the email list. 


Additional acts not mentioned here can be found on the official website.  There are also additions going on up until the day of the show. I'll let you know of anyone of note that is added as they show up and I get the time.


More after the jump...











Aeroplane - I first heard of this DJ group from Brussels when they remixed Friendly Fires "Paris" with Au Revior Simone. They do smooth nu disco style remixes of tons of different artists, and often their remixes are better then the original which says a lot. Enjoy the June Mix for a whole show feel and a remix of Lindstrom and Solale - Baby I Can't Stop included for your pleasure. 


Benny Benassi - Italian house DJ who has been at it forever.  No way you haven't heard his song Satisfaction at some point in your life as its pretty much the archetypical house song used in movies, TV etc during a club scene. The video is wholesome and very subtle which I like.  Also included is a Sneaky Sound System and Tiesto song he remixed.


☆Deadmau5 - I'm sure pretty much everyone has at least heard of Deadmau5 at one point or another.  Deadmau5 hails from Germany and plays his set with a giant red mouse head on and really gets the place going.  He did a great collaboration with Kaskade who is also playing Coachella this year.  Check out the video for their song "I Remember" here.  


Echo and The Bunnymen - 80's post punk group that's pretty cool to see on the lineup.  Huge in the early to mid 80's they should be fun to watch.  Lips Like Sugar and Under the Killing Moon were two of their biggest hits and on more than one 80's movie soundtrack. Whenever I hear there songs I get pleasant flashbacks to 1983 when I lived in the American Gardens Building and would spend my time listening to Phil Collins, being a big fan of his ever since his release of 1980's Duke.  (Protip: Always remember to use an after shave lotion with little to no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face and makes you look older.)


Erol Alkan - Erol Flynn was a big movie star in the earlier part of the century. He used to get drunk and fuck and fight and even has the phrase "In like Flynn" because of how much pussy he got. The dude literally got so much ass they made up a phrase to describe it. You should be more like him, but instead you make your parents cry. I have no idea if Erol Alkan, who is from London, is anything like Erol Flynn but I do know he's way cooler than you or I. Erol will bring heavy electro and beats to the party. A big name in the hard house scene he puts on some really fun shows and gets it going.  He's done a lot of work with other artists too included Steve Aoki so I wouldn't be surprised to see someone make a cameo during his set.  Included is a BBC 6 Mix from September of last year to give you an idea of what a live set from him would be like.


☆Grizzly Bear - is named after I giant, terrifying animal that lives in the forrest and will fucking eat you, no questions asked. When you see this Brooklyn, NY based band make sure to make yourself look tall and do not break eye contact. Be the alpha and stick around as they are absolutely amazing live and will also eat you if you show your weakness.  I saw them at The El Rey a while ago and they blew me away.  All around one of the better live bands I have ever seen so I suggest you make it over when they play and check them out.  If for some reason you don't have their albums gets them, you wont be disappointed.


☆Hockey - This is a band I wrote about earlier on Refractory Period out of Portland. Hockey brings a post punk, new wave influenced sound that's really refreshing and fun to listen to.  What they do they do well and bring lots of different styles and sounds to their album which is one of my favorites of the last year.  Make sure you check them out and the attached tracks "Song Away" and "Too Fake".  


Iglu & Hartley - Out of LA, they went to Boulder for School where they formed the band.  I'm interested to see how the show goes as I have heard that their live sets are super fun and that they put on an all around great show. This is definitely a band that could be a huge sleeper success for Coachella as I see their style mixing really well with the crowd.


☆Jay-Z - I don't really need to say anything about this.  Added two tracks, one of which is a Ratatat remix of his song Sunshine. Hoooooo-vaaaa!


La Roux - Sounds French, but that's only because you are uncultured and ignorant. British electro pop singer La Roux really blew up in the states at the end of last year.  Her show should be high energy and a lot of fun.  Make sure you check out the different remixes of her songs out there as they are all quality.


☆LCD Soundsystem - Don't get so excited hippie, Jerry's dead and it doesn't say LSD, its LCD. Dance punk band out of NYC that had a commercial hit a few years ago with "Daft Punk is Playing at My House."  They have really high energy fun shows that get you dancing, so if you're a fan of shaking your ass but not full on electro music, this is the band to go see.


Passion Pit - Passion Pit are named after an industry slang term for drive in movies due to all the sex and making out that went on in the cars during shows. Its a lot more classy than calling it asphalt fuck den, but you say tomato, I say tamato. Check out this electronic rock band from Cambridge, Mass. that puts on a great show (or so I've always heard) so I am excited to check them out for a while.  Included is a Calvin Harris remix of "The Reeling" which is phenomenal. 


P.O.S. - Not as big a P.O.S. as the name implies. Indie Hip Hop thats a little abstract at times but he puts on a great show. On Atmosphere's Rhymesayers label, P.O.S. is an accomplished and technical lyricist who always has good beats to work with. I saw him open for Grizzly Bear (random I know) but he came out and just kept going at it even though the crowd was scratching their heads as to why he was there.  By the end of his set though he had at least 3/4 of the hipster heavy audience nodding their heads to his rhymes and buzzing around the merch table which gave me a ton of respect for him. 


Proxy - Don't know much about him other than he's Russian and makes some really hard, glitchy electro. Also the name Proxy makes me think of acne pads.  If you want to take a left turn down the rabbit hole and go for a harder vibe while roaming around the campgrounds foaming at the mouth on whatever substance, give this one a shot. I can't totally vouch for it but I'm sure if you go this will most likely be where you will see someone having an entertaining to watch drugs freakout. 


She & Him - Again don't know a ton and I only have one track but it has a cool old girl band sounds to it. Not something I will most likely wind up at but if you're looking for something different this would be it. Probably wont make my way over unless there is nothing else playing I want to see but check them out anyways.


☆Sleigh Bells - Frankly Sleigh Bells kicks ass. Guy and a girl duo that are sure to make some serious waves in the next coming year. Its a bit scratchy, raw and all around amazing.  Give it a listen and check out the rest of their album. (Beware Crown on the Ground while awesome seems to make a heart stopping high pitched squeal when you change the track. Might just be for me but don't say I didn't fucking warn you, I pissed my pants when I changed it with head phones on.)


The Cribs - I just ordered a double disc set called 60's Gold thats got something like 40 tracks on it of all the big 60's soul and do wop hits. It has nothing to do with this but I'm excited about it and thought for once that you selfish assholes would care about something important to me. The Cribs are an English rock outfit who have a strong following across the pond but aren't as well known over here. Great sound and have been compared at times to The Libertines. They have gotten more polished and smooth as they have evolved over the years and promise to bring a high energy and fun set.


☆The Whitest Boy Alive - Even though the name implies it would be some weird translucent albino kid sitting on the stage staring back at you, its actually a Berlin based band fronted by Kings of Convenience founder/member Erland Oye.  Smooth grooves and the perfect band to check out in the hot desert sun and mellow out to.


☆Them Crooked Vultures - I had the pleasure and privilege to see them play The Wiltern on the day of their album release. Josh Homme, John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl.  Need I say more?


Vampire Weekend - Everyone knows who they are and if you don't have their new album go out and get it.  I've included an awesome cover they do of Fleetwood Mac's "Everything."  If you haven't seen them before go check them out. Bring your boat shoes.


Wale - D.C. based rapped who does some of the freshest and best hip hop out there right now.  He uses a lot of D.C./Baltimore Go Go music influenced beats and has some lyrics that can take anyone out there to task.  He did a mixtape, The Mixtape About Nothing, based on Seinfeld complete with a cameo from Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  What else do you want?


☆Wolfgang Gartner - California (currently Austin, TX based) DJ and deep house producer Joey Youngman goes by Wolfgang Gartner. I've never seen him live but jesus do I have my fingers crossed he comes out in a powdered wig. He's been making some of the best tracks I've heard lately.  Infectious grooves and hooks and bass lines that make you dance. "Wolfgang's Fifth" and "Montezuma's Revenge" are two great examples.  I'll be at this one for sure.


☆Yeasayer - Don't be a naysayer, say yeasayer to this set. (Sorry I was waiting to lay that golden egg of a pun, I had to)


Next two days to follow soon.  Hopefully you enjoy the list and the tracks.


Special added bonus to those who have signed up and emailed me at refractoryperiod@gmail.com, Girltalk remix of the Grizzly Bear song Knife.


Coachella Day 1