Coachella is the music festival that everyone talks about and everyone wants to go to. It is celebrated these days in the Californian town of Indio, about 200 kilometers from Los Angeles, and has become the spring festival that brings together the most famous people from all over the United States.
When Coachella was born in the late 90s, it was considered one of the most respectable alternative music festivals of the day. However, in recent times it has undergone a transformation that has taken it away from the spirit with which it began more than twenty years ago. Today, many say that music has taken a back seat and Coachella has become another catwalk for celebrities to wear the latest fashion trends.
Be that as it may, Coachella is on everyone's lips and since Actualidad Viajes We are going to review the origins of the festival and its present. Can you come with us?
Coachella beginnings
The origins of the Coachella festival date back to 1993, when the leader of the rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder, decided to participate in a boycott against the Ticketmaster company (which was accused of having a monopoly on the southern stages of California), organizing a concert at the Empire Polo Club in Indio which was attended by 25.000 people.
It was in the late 90s when the event began to be celebrated as a regular, achieving that each year the number of attendees increased thanks to some posters that mixed the best of rock and alternative electronic music. At that time, the performances of groups such as The Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Pixies, Radiohead, The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Daft Punk or Massive Attack stood out.
At the beginning of the XNUMXst century, the entertainment giant AIG bought Goldenvoice, the small punk promoter that organized the festival, and from then on Coachella was transforming itself into what it is today. For better or for worse it depends on the opinion of each one.
Coachella present
Coachella is currently accused of having become an elitist and mass event that has lost the indie spirit with which it was born. Now the festival seems to be focused on fashion, product marketing and the famous people who congregate there to be seen by the press and attend parties. despite presenting a poster with bands and artists of great caliber, who often have nothing to do with alternative rock but belong to other musical genres.
Some believe that music is now secondary. Before Coachella had its own lineup of artists and the festival was known because it attracted a band that had not played in yearsJust like the Pixies in 2004. It was the place for alternative music lovers on the west coast of the United States. Instead, now the performances of artists who make commercial music and who can be seen at other festivals have multiplied.
Coachella 2016 Poster
Every year the expectation to see the Coachella poster is enormous. In the 2016 edition of Guns N 'Roses, the mythical band of the 80s that broke up 22 years ago, returns to the stage and is the protagonist of the three days, but Iced Cube, Zedd, Sia, Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, Cold War Kids, Jack Ü or Major Lazer also deserve our full attention. Anyway, trying to attend all the concerts is an impossible mission so you have to choose well.
Dates and prices Coachella 2016
April 15-16-17 and April 22-23-24 are the two weekends chosen to celebrate this new edition. Normally everyone wants to go to Coachella the first weekend because it is the news, there is a lot of press and everyone talks about the festival on social media. But, if none of that interests you, the second pass is calmer. There is less posturing, people are going to enjoy it, and the surprise performances are more relevant.
The claim that Coachella has become an elite festival has a lot to do with the high prices and exclusive services offered to VIP attendees. Tickets for a weekend are worth almost $ 400 to which must be added the expenses of food and lodging. But this is Coachella and if you want to live the experience and can afford it there is no problem!
General admission. $ 399.
General admission + Shuttle. 459 dollars.
VIP pass. 899 dollars.
VIP parking. 150 dollars.
Camping the car at your campsite. 99 dollars.
Tee Pee type accommodation + General admission (2 people). $ 2.398.
Tee Pee accommodation + VIP pass (2 people). $ 3.400.
Tent + general admission (4 people). $ 3.196.
Tent + VIP pass (4 people). $ 5.200.