INDIO—The Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival took place this weekend for the second straight week, from April 22 – April 24. Highlights at the event included the anticipated “full” reuinion of NWA with Ice Cube doing his solo set, along with Guns N’ Roses who had 90,000 concertgoers going bananas. Set in the desert in the sleepy town of Indio, Coachella has become world famous for its own art and fashion statements. And some really good music.
The headliners for Friday was LCD Soundsystem and Sunday EDM musician Calvin Harris had the kids dancing in the heat and wind. But the two bands from different genre’s and socioeconomic backgrounds drew the largest contigent of fans on Saturday night. Los Angeles is the common thread that GNR and NWA share, but they also have a defiant and rebellious spirit thst resonates with fans of all ages.
The festival began on Friday with 60 mph winds, putting a damper on the opening festivities briefly. Saturday and Sunday the weather was picturesque, clear blue skies and swaying palm trees made for a gorgeous backdrop.
“Is there a Dr. in the house?” shouted headliner Ice Cube, who introduced Dr. Dre, completing the NWA reunion. Earlier in his set, he welcomed Easy-E Jr. onstage for the classic, “Boyz N The Hood.” MC Ren and DJ Yella rounded out the remaining original members.
So as Coachella 2016 came to a conclusion, the overwhelming sentiment that it was three days well spent.
