The 16th annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival is taking over the Empire Polo Club grounds in Indio for the next two weekends, April 10-12 and April 17-19. The set times were released yesterday and headaches materialized all over the country as attendees were confronted with a cold, harsh reality of huge music festivals: two or more of your favorite artists slated for the same slot. Pitting acts against each other means making difficult decisions. Here are some suggestions for simultaneous performances at Coachella 2015:
Friday:
Alabama Shakes (7-7:50 @Outdoor Theatre) v. Lykke Li (7:20-8:10 @ Mojave)
Simply put, if you have never seen Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard & Co. do their thing live, you’ll thank yourself for not missing them.
We’d see: Alabama Shakes
Tame Impala (9:15-10:05 @ Coachella Stage) v. Todd Terje & the Olsens (9:20-10:15 @ Gobi)
After a decade on the electronic scene, Norwegian superstar DJ/producer Todd Terje just released his debut album It’s Album Time to rave reviews. This video proves Terje and friends definitely know how to have a good time at live shows, but it would be especially difficult to give Tame Impala a miss after hearing the first two singles off the forthcoming follow-up to their stellar 2012 sophomore effort, Lonerism.
We’d see: Tame Impala
Saturday:
Royal Blood (3-3:40 @ Outdoor Theatre) vs. Bad Suns (3:20-4 @ Mojave)
When you wake up Saturday after your first night of celebration, ask yourself this: would you rather bang your head along to some heavier bluesy rock or sway along to some breezy indie rock? If the former suits your fancy, English duo Royal Blood has you covered. Fresh off a February 2015 BRIT award win for Best British Group, the Jack White-esque twosome is poised to break out in a big way. Alternatively, local quartet Bad Suns will get your heart pumping with their catchy tunes and psych you up for the long night ahead. About a year ago to date, the San Fernando Valley natives came by the KX FM 104.7 Pearl Street studio for an interview with former Afternoon show host Mookie after KX FM 104.7 was the first radio station to spin their infectious breakout single, “Cardiac Arrest“.
We’d see: Bad Suns
Glass Animals (7:10-7:55 @ Gobi) v. alt-J (7:30-8:30 @ Coachella Stage)
Yikes, this one’s gonna hurt. With their similar blends of electro-infused alt-rock, Glass Animals and alt-J have heavily overlapping fanbases, making this scheduling conflict one of the more puzzling of this year.
As a compromise, Glass Animals are playing the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on April 14th (between festival weekends) and tickets are still available.
We’d see: alt-J
Jack White (9:15-11 @ Coachella Stage) v. FKA Twigs (9:35-10:25 @ Gobi)
Billed as Saturday’s headliner, Jack White of The White Stripes is a gilded demigod figure to many in the alternative rock community, but that doesn’t mean you should automatically write off competing acts in his slot like British singer-songstress FKA Twigs. Captivating the world last year with her experimental aesthetic, aural and visual, on her stunning debut album LP1, Tahliah Barnett is a performer who effortlessly sends chills up your spine with her airy vocals and eclectic production.
We’d see: FKA Twigs
