Coachella 2007 Day 2

Day 2 of Coachella was even better than Day 1, which we never thought possible. However, the day started out with us roasting in the over 100 degree weather. The first day, I wore my typical outfit of thin pants with a t-shirt. Today, I experimented with a thin cotton dress to see if that would help me beat the heat.

Hey, is that a monk's bag I see?

I also found the perfect Coachella shoes.

Waterproof Keen sandals that I had bought for our Hawaii trip - breathable, light, and great arch support.

The bands we wanted to see had a theme today - Scots and Canucks! We got to the venue at 2:30, just in time to run over and see the Fratellis. They are a trio from Glasgow whose music you may have heard in this commercial for itunes. I've been listening to their album for the past couple of weeks and it's full of fun sing-along tunes.

The temperature in the tent had to be 110-115 degrees. But we were in a group of crazy souls that danced our little hearts out. I have never sweated so much in my life! For about 20 minutes I felt about 15 years old, then the next 10 minutes about my own age, but then 5 minutes later I felt like I might need a medic. So we made our way out of the tent and listening from some great shade outside.

We rested up to catch the next band from Glasgow (which must be one of the most amazing cities for music), Travis. They have been a favorite band of ours for quite some time but we've never seen them live.

They didn't disappoint - they sounded awesome live and I can't wait for their new album.

We had to cut our Travis viewing short to go see the New Pornographers (from Canada), who we've seen before but love.

The crowd was small and we were able to make our way to the front. I always find it so interesting that some people will stake out a space for hours to see a band that's playing later. You could tell who those people are because they don't move at all, no swaying of the heads or bopping to the beat. Again, another great performance. Luckily, Rob wanted to see the next band (The Decemberists) so we didn’t have to move but I couldn't handle the heat of the crowd.

I hydrated, ate, and wandered over to the main stage and watched the hipsters grooving to Kings of Leon (I don't quite get them) while Rob watched and LOVED the Decemberists, which are a new favorite of his.

Rob said they got the crowd going and really involved them in the performances.

Including encouraging a dance party.

But then a whale ate the band!

He shot some great video that we will probably upload to YouTube sometime soon.

As Kings of Leon set came to a close, I made my way up as close as I could for the next band, Arcade Fire. It's amazing how many people ignore one Asian girl squeezing through the crowd. Arcade Fire (go Montreal!) is one of my favorite bands that I've been listening to recently. I've heard so many amazing things about their live show that I wanted to get as close as possible. Somehow, Rob managed to make his way up to me (I guess saying, "My wife is up there" helped him through some angry concert goers – too bad he's not a small Asian girl!) Next thing we knew, our friend George was two people away from us. It’s crazy that in a crowd of 60,000 people, we saw someone we knew.

Hi George and strange guy behind you!


I’ve heard Arcade Fire’s live show described as though every concert was their first one. I’ve never seen a band where all the members played with such passion and enthusiasm.

They kept switching instruments and kept the excitement level at a fever pitch. They were just amazing and I was so happy that I managed to make my way so close.

See? Happy face!

After sweating so much my hair and dress were drenched, I made my way to the side for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think I only have the energy to give my all for two bands a day. I’ve never been a big fan of the Chili Peppers, but I feel that I have to support them because they are from LA. However, they are an old favorite of Rob’s.


One of my favorite things about Coachella is how it looks at night, with the lights, flames, tesla coils, and the moon.


At the end of day 2, we were given two items that would either make Day 3 the best time we’ve had yet or just make an interesting souvenir. What could they be?