Carlsbad Art and Culture

The sun pinched and dust scratched as we sat in the middle of a swarming parking lot. Shade was as rare as a hobo’s hot meal and a cool drink soon became flat. Each minute brought more cars; our camp became engulfed by hot engines and smelly tires. Distant tunes echoed off surrounding mountains and tall palms waved on the perimeter. Green, and relatively manicured, grass stretched in each direction, sprawling like a mid desert golf course and slightly out of place like a colorful oasis amongst a smoldering box of sand and rock. Musicians and artists, including Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen (video) and many fans, challenged the desert heat of Indio, CA for the art and music of Coachella 2009.

A crawl through overheating cars and renegade campsites was pushed by the sun and lead by shade of the infrequent tree. Hoards of shirtless and bikini wearing festival goers trampled through clouds of dust and in muddy ruts. Scalpers attempted to bargain and security hardly cared; the sun was the hoodlum. Grass, green and fairly soft, now was a luxury where a long stretch of mud and sand ran into the horizon. A sea of colorful tents reminded me of umbrellas at Beach Street and the always inviting ocean. Hallucinations of cool blue waves rolled through my mind as each step ignited another dusty cloud, followed by a dry sneeze. I cleared my thought and adjusted my vision to find that we had found the entrance, but were on the tail end of a long slithering line.

After a long wait and a pocket pat, we entered the grounds of Coachella. Large sculptures reached skyward and the thumping beats of distant tents bounced. A beer garden lured with shade more than refreshments and the occasional breeze carried the scent of sunblock and pizza. Three colors dominated: the sky’s blue, the grass’ green and the brown of the surrounding mountains. I remembered sunsets of prior years behind these mountains and dressed with the tall and skinny silhouettes of palms. My eyes squinted with anticipation and I checked the battery of my camera. A large stage, flanked with enormous vertical screens, vibrated with the day’s early bands. I imagined Paul up on stage like I have so many times before. In 12 hours time goosebumps would run my sunburned skin like sprouting freckles on a fare skinned child. I smiled in acknowledgment and snapped a photo.

Like the music of the many surrounding stages and the artistic collaborations, style and talent exhibited on the backs of each passer. Fashion showcased individuality fueled with the ability to brave the hot desert elements. Bikinis intermixed with the more creative as fashion seekers snapped photos and exchanged business cards. The grass was a pathless catwalk and wardrobes wandered with each strut. A trio of speedo sporting dudes posed for endless memories and hidden bodies sweated under heavy costumes. With the scent of a smorgasbord of food in the breeze, sounds of music in the air and fashion on the grass, my senses ran giddy with observations.

The day ran smoothly and hours flipped in the breeze like the fleeting days of a perfect vacation. Snacks, hidden in the secret pockets of our bags, filled our stomachs and water was only a line away. Shade was a prize earned through careful scouting and a nap was just a blink away. The sun dipped behind dark mountains and spilled oranges and yellows on the sky. A cool sunburn chilled as the main stage warmed. A rapid crowd grew like the wildly untamed growth of an idea. We set up a blanket in the back as the queen charged forward. With the sun now asleep and moonlight casting a cool blue on the trampled grass, a spotlight exploded on the main stage followed by an eruption of cheers.

Paul McCartney hopped into the spotlight with a silly grin. “It’s going to be a good weekend, dear”, he told the crowd of thousands, followed by his opening song of “Jet”. The crowd bobbed heads and swayed to the early songs and later exploded in animated dances and sing alongs to the night’s later Beatles hits.  Emotions ran apparent as he mentioned that the night marked 11 years to the day since his first wife’s passing. “It’s an emotional day for me. That’s good, that’s OK.” A feeling of more than just another show poured onto the stage and into the crowd. A song dedicated to John Lennon hinted at a troubled relationship, but strengthened by the love for a friend. 2 1/2 hours of hits like “let it Be”, “Hey Jude”, “Back in the U.S.S.R.”, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, “Blackbird”, “Helter Sketler” provoked wild dance and sing alongs as Paul, dressed in boots, black pants, white shirt and suspenders, ran the stage like a energized 18 year old. He joked and chatted in the spaces between songs; this wasn’t just a job… he played like the days in English pubs. Not the cleanest set, but with the emotion and excitement of an all time experience… my best and most memorable concert to date.

In the thick of a desert heat wave and amongst endless clouds of dust, we entered Indio, CA with the goal of absorbing all that the dry desert offered. Luckily for us, Coachella 2009 was in town along with art, music and the headlining day’s performances by Leonard Cohen and Paul McCartney. We battled the heat, the dust and the dirt and returned home with another conquered adventure, another story and one amazing memory.

Coachella 2009 Art and Music Festival by Carl Crawl

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