Coachella Festival Discussion Thread

Aunykk

Hey!! Planning to go to coachella next year, any ideas how can I can get my hands on tickets? Also can I purchase them from Ireland? Any info greatly appreciated ðŸ˜႒

Sideshow Mark

Aunykk wrote: »

Hey!! Planning to go to coachella next year, any ideas how can I can get my hands on tickets? Also can I purchase them from Ireland? Any info greatly appreciated ðŸ˜႒

Go to their website in early January and buy them. They're expensive, but the process is not difficult. Like Glastonbury you need to be online at the right time.

Aunykk

Sideshow Mark wrote: »

Go to their website in early January and buy them. They're expensive, but the process is not difficult. Like Glastonbury you need to be online at the right time.

Cool thanks for reply mark, iv heard about presale tickets going in sale in May this year is that true?

sin0city

You can also book travel packages here. Expensive but well worth it in my opinion.
Had a brilliant time there last year. There's a lot to be said for getting a shuttle to a nice hotel with a pool, shower etc. at the end of each day.

http://www.valleymusictravel.com/events/coachella2015/hotel-travel-packages-weekend-two/

(weekend 1 is sold out)

bodhrandude

Man! You are really planning ahead here, 2015 festival hasn't even happened yet.

heebusjeebus

Early bird tickets wont be out until mid-May for 2016.

Aunykk

bodhrandude wrote: »

Man! You are really planning ahead here, 2015 festival hasn't even happened yet.

Haha I know! But clearly I'm not going this year so don't want to miss out on next year!!! 😂

Reggie noble

Anyone going coachella this year ?

BurtMacklin

Yep. A big gang of us are going to weekend 2.

BurtMacklin

Did anyone go to Coachella in April? Pre sale for 2017 out again in a few weeks.

Reggie noble

Ah **** only seeing your post now from few months back , we were at weekend 2 as well , it was class . Who were your highlights ? I'd love to go next year but doubt I will be able , realistically won't go again until 2018

davywalsh7

Reggie noble wrote: »

Ah **** only seeing your post now from few months back , we were at weekend 2 as well , it was class . Who were your highlights ? I'd love to go next year but doubt I will be able , realistically won't go again until 2018

Trying to organise to go for next year. Any tips? Is it worth going to?

Birneybau

Be a celebrity seems to be the thing.

Reggie noble

davywalsh7 wrote: »

Trying to organise to go for next year. Any tips? Is it worth going to?

Definitely worth going to , first time there this year , thought it was class, will u camp ? I'd recommend staying in a hotel if uv a bit of extra dosh . Shuttle bus pick you up there n drop u back every day . They offer hotel packages on the official site when ur buying the tickets

davywalsh7

Reggie noble wrote: »

Definitely worth going to , first time there this year , thought it was class, will u camp ? I'd recommend staying in a hotel if uv a bit of extra dosh . Shuttle bus pick you up there n drop u back every day . They offer hotel packages on the official site when ur buying the tickets

Ah def hotel. We r going on our honeymoon at that time next year so trying to work around it. What were the ques like for the shuttle and what was the drinkin situation like?
Thanks for the reply

Reggie noble

davywalsh7 wrote: »

Ah def hotel. We r going on our honeymoon at that time next year so trying to work around it. What were the ques like for the shuttle and what was the drinkin situation like?
Thanks for the reply

No que for shuttle , they go every 20 mins and each hotel has its own one . It's great being able to go back to a nice bed / shower etc after dancing all day . You cant walk around with a beer though and drink at the different stages / tents Like festivals here and the U.K. , there's designated drinking areas only for over 21s , so bring ur passport each day to get your over 21 wrist band (they change colour each day)
If ur worried about losing ur passport we rented a locker n kept them in there inside the main gate . There's loads of choices of beer , not too cheap though , roughly around $11 - $14 a go .

BurtMacklin

There are ways around everything lads. I've often taken my beer outside the drinking area with me. Just hide it or put it under your t shirt passing the guy at the exit. The drinking areas are huge as well. We used it as a meeting spot between acts and even watched a lot of acts on the main stage from there.

We also brought in our own vodka in zip locks bags. Double bag it just in case. ha.
Fill up bags with vodka and put them down your pants when walking in past security each day. Buy a mixer then at any of the stalls and you're laughing. You've saved yourself a few quid.

I highly recommend going to Coachella. Yeah the weather is hot but there is plenty of shaded area and it definitely beats the rain. I love it there.

I use my drivers licence to get my daily over 21 wristband and kept my passport safely locked away. Another thing I like about it is that there is no scumbags at Coachella, everyone is there to have a good time. The line up is usually great and it's a perfect opportunity to discover new acts.

I've camped every time I've went. Each year we say that next year we'll get a villa but always end up camping. We car camp. We fly to LAX, rent cars there and drive to festival. You get a designated plot of land to park your car and pitch your tent/canopy. We had a big group, we arrived together and we got to park / camp beside each other. I didn't sleep in a tent. A lot of us just slept in our sleeping bags that we got at Walmart for a tenner under a canopy we got for $60. Some slept in the car. You are up again at 8-9am due to the heat and people moving around you. The neighbours are always friendly and enjoy meeting the Irish over there. They'd call over for cans at our camp area and we traded beer for steaks with them. Everyone just seems to get along.

If anyone has any questions, just drop me msg.

BurtMacklin

Reggie noble wrote: »

Definitely worth going to , first time there this year , thought it was class, will u camp ? I'd recommend staying in a hotel if uv a bit of extra dosh . Shuttle bus pick you up there n drop u back every day . They offer hotel packages on the official site when ur buying the tickets

How much did your hotel + ticket package cost if you don't mind me asking?

Another option is get festival pass and shuttle pass combo and then try sort your own accommodation.

Reggie noble

BurtMacklin wrote: »

There are ways around everything lads. I've often taken my beer outside the drinking area with me. Just hide it or put it under your t shirt passing the guy at the exit. The drinking areas are huge as well. We used it as a meeting spot between acts and even watched a lot of acts on the main stage from there.

We also brought in our own vodka in zip locks bags. Double bag it just in case. ha.
Fill up bags with vodka and put them down your pants when walking in past security each day. Buy a mixer then at any of the stalls and you're laughing. You've saved yourself a few quid.

I highly recommend going to Coachella. Yeah the weather is hot but there is plenty of shaded area and it definitely beats the rain. I love it there.

I use my drivers licence to get my daily over 21 wristband and kept my passport safely locked away. Another thing I like about it is that there is no scumbags at Coachella, everyone is there to have a good time. The line up is usually great and it's a perfect opportunity to discover new acts.

I've camped every time I've went. Each year we say that next year we'll get a villa but always end up camping. We car camp. We fly to LAX, rent cars there and drive to festival. You get a designated plot of land to park your car and pitch your tent/canopy. We had a big group, we arrived together and we got to park / camp beside each other. I didn't sleep in a tent. A lot of us just slept in our sleeping bags that we got at Walmart for a tenner under a canopy we got for $60. Some slept in the car. You are up again at 8-9am due to the heat and people moving around you. The neighbours are always friendly and enjoy meeting the Irish over there. They'd call over for cans at our camp area and we traded beer for steaks with them. Everyone just seems to get along.

If anyone has any questions, just drop me msg.

100% agree with you on the no scum bags , every single person I saw anyway there was chilled out , got chatting to loads of randomers at it , all bang on . The weather is savage , great being able to go to a festival in shorts n tshirt , not a welly in sight

Reggie noble

BurtMacklin wrote: »

How much did your hotel + ticket package cost if you don't mind me asking?

Another option is get festival pass and shuttle pass combo and then try sort your own accommodation.

Sure yeh , it was $2000 for me and the girlfriend .
Yeh getting festival pass n shuttle pass is good idea too if ur looking at sorting ur own accommodation . There was just the 2 of us this year , I'm going to try organise a crew to go to it next time

heebusjeebus

Was there last year and really enjoyed the experience.
Didn't drink all that much but the drinking pens were in decent locations so you could have a few beers and still enjoy the band in the main stage or one of the side tents.
Only saw 1 fella banjo'd all weekend and it was probably not alcohol induced.

We stayed in a hotel for the weekend and although it was expensive it was well worth it.

johnpatrick81

To each their own but I couldn't agree more with the following columnist from the Indo;

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/katie-byrne-field-of-dreams-34664233.html

It suggests that these celebs weren't fully aware that their photographs were being taken. It forgets that Coachella is one big branding exercise in which the vast majority of celebrities are paid to wear 'x' label for 'y' amount of money.

Most of these celebrities aren't there to let loose; they are there to be seen. Many of them turn up just to do their obligatory papp lap before heading off to one of hundreds of private parties that take place in the surrounding area.


I was there in 2009 and it was truly one of the most boring festivals I've ever attended. The line-up was extraordinary of course - it always is - but the atmosphere was about as counter-cultural as Spring Break.

For every photograph you see of an impossibly long-legged Coachella glamazon, remember that there's another insufferable, beer keg-shaped man who wants to know if you're rolling/riding the drunk bus/ready to PAR-TAY!!!


You can't really par-tay, though. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited in the main arena. You have to consume them in a beer garden which feels more like a holding cell. Also, there's nothing to explore or discover. It's like a concert in a huge polo field... which, incidentally, it is.

Thinking back to my Coachella experience reminds me how lucky we are to have festivals like Electric Picnic and Body & Soul on our fair shores. They really are best in class.

Reggie noble

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

To each their own but I couldn't agree more with the following columnist from the Indo;

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/katie-byrne-field-of-dreams-34664233.html

Who cares which Celebs are wearing what clothes at it , I didn't see any celebs and couldn't care less if they had their underpants on their heads .

I go to festivals primarily for the lineup , Irish festivals don't hold a candle to the lineups coachella gets . I've been to EP 7 times now over the years and have my tickets for this year but the lineup is cat so far .

I do admit before coachella I was thinking would it be full of 'frat boy' goons going round shouting everything they say but thankfully I saw none of that.

BurtMacklin

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

To each their own but I couldn't agree more with the following columnist from the Indo;

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/katie-byrne-field-of-dreams-34664233.html

I hear ya man but who cares what the celebrities are there to do or what they are doing? You wouldn't even notice them walking around. I've never 'bumped' into one, I don't have any VIP privileges and I sleep on site in the car camping areas. I love the structure of the festival. It's run so efficiently. The camping areas are broken down into a grid like the New York street system. It's simple to find your tent at night for example. Plus, it is fun. That article implies it's a big yet boring festival. It's not. It's one big party really. I would encourage anyone to go and see for themselves. Ha, I sound like a spokesperson for it here banging on.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Electric Picnic too. I hope to go again this year. It's also great festival.

Here's a little recap video I think they released after the coachella festival.

BurtMacklin

Reggie noble wrote: »

Who cares which Celebs are wearing what clothes at it , I didn't see any celebs and couldn't care less if they had their underpants on their heads .

I go to festivals primarily for the lineup , Irish festivals don't hold a candle to the lineups coachella gets . I've been to EP 7 times now over the years and have my tickets for this year but the lineup is cat so far .

I do admit before coachella I was thinking would it be full of 'frat boy' goons going round shouting everything they say but thankfully I saw none of that.

Snap, just wrote the same as you were typing. I agree with ya man.

johnpatrick81

Nobody says it has anything but the best lineups. Even the above linked journo does. It's just the craic factor. I have been to numerous festivals and found it to be the worst for that. So I totally agree with her sentiments. It's more a poser fest "I was there" kinda thing.

Some prefer the over regimented stringent setup, as the sterling lineup makes it for them. I just didn't, and would never ever go back there. I met many East Coast Americans who felt the same at it, so I imagine East Side festivals are far more fun. Yes, everyone has a different definition of fun. It's a thumbs down from me.

BurtMacklin

Fair enough man, I was there with a group of 10 people and this year 20 of us went. So we had a big gang and it was plenty of craic.

I would like to try another American festival. I'm mad to go Austin City Limits or Bonnaroo.

johnpatrick81

Ah yeah, if you have a group of 10 or 20 then you are guaranteed fun wherever you go! We were just 2 lads, and in fairness we made our own fun, and met some really cool people, but by and large, it was the worst I'd seen for random fun and craic and general party atmosphere.

BurtMacklin

2017 presale/payment plan is tomorrow.

team_actimel

Only looked up tickets there and they're already sold out, sold out in 4 hours. I'm considering other festivals in USA now. Is Coachella THE festival to go to or has anyone been to others in USA and how do they compare?

johnpatrick81

By all accounts I've heard any other US festival has a better atmosphere. Just going on second hand info though.

Duff

team_actimel wrote: »

Only looked up tickets there and they're already sold out, sold out in 4 hours. I'm considering other festivals in USA now. Is Coachella THE festival to go to or has anyone been to others in USA and how do they compare?

If you can, get to Lollapalooza in Chicago. Best festival I've ever been to.

bodhrandude

team_actimel wrote: »

Only looked up tickets there and they're already sold out, sold out in 4 hours. I'm considering other festivals in USA now. Is Coachella THE festival to go to or has anyone been to others in USA and how do they compare?

I've heard of other good ones such as Bonnaroo and Sasquatch festivals and of course, Burning Man although I don't really know what kind of line ups Burning Man put on, but its supposed to be pretty unique, just remember to take five gallons of drinking water with you.

BurtMacklin

My friends have been to Sasquatch a few times. The line up is usually good and back drop for the main stage is amazing.

I'd love to go to Bonnaroo. We are going back to Coachella again this year. We got weekend 1 & 2 tickets in the presale. We'll either go both weekends or just Weekend 1 and pass on weekend 2 tickets.

team_actimel

I am considering going to Coachella not just because it looks like a great festival but also it's around Easter so would be handier with time off work! BurtMackin, what makes it so great that you're returning to it? Do you incorporate it into a California trip holiday? Trying to see when the tickets go on sale seeing as presale sold out so quickly.

scruff monkey

bodhrandude wrote: »

I've heard of other good ones such as Bonnaroo and Sasquatch festivals and of course, Burning Man although I don't really know what kind of line ups Burning Man put on, but its supposed to be pretty unique, just remember to take five gallons of drinking water with you.

Burning Man does not have a line up in the traditional sense, it's californian hippedom crossed with desert survival skills.

kinda like extreme sexy sports pottery making having a love child with the Wickerman

davywalsh7

For anyone interested in going to this next year direct flights to lax the weds before and weds after are only €401 return. Just booked them myself

MadYaker

The setup of this festival looks unfathomably dull. Designated drinking areas and it's all over by 12:30 each night? It all seems so regimented. Is it just music or is there anything else? How crowded does it get? They get more people than Glastonbury each weekend but it's a smaller site.

BurtMacklin

Not sure if new thread needed.

Tickets on sale 7pm Irish time. Line up dropped last night.

MadYaker

Looks sh!te tbh.

ghostdancer

looks fukcing great to me.

Radiohead
The xx
Mac Miller
Glass Animals
Mac DeMarco
Banks
Bonobo
Richie Hawtin
DJ Shadow
Dixon
Crystal Castles
Jagwar Ma
Guided By Voices
Sampha
Bicep
Stormzy
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Floorplan
Bon Iver
Schoolboy Q
Nicholas Jaar
Tycho
Royksopp
Local Natives
Majid Jordan
Four Tet
Roisin Murphy
Moderat
The Avalanches
Warpaint
Classixx
Car Seat Headrest
Daphni
Mitski
Floating Points
SURVIVE
Ben UFO
Thundercat
Kendrick Lamar
New Order
Justice
Future Islands
Hans Zimmer
Kaytranada
Real Estate
The Belleville Three
Maya Jane Coles
Marcel Dettmann
Whitney
Preoccupations


no festival bar maybe Glastonbury will get even close to that IMO.

johnpatrick81

the lineup is always epic.

It's the festival itself that's the problem.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup

looks unreal to me. i can't wait to watch on youtube.

BurtMacklin

You forgot Banks and Steelz in your line up breakdown.

It's Tom Banks (lead singer of Interpol) and RZA.

BurtMacklin

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

the lineup is always epic.

It's the festival itself that's the problem.

I disagree man but I think the debate was already done a few pages back. People moan about the designated drinking areas but the drinking areas are huge and we only used them when we wanted to check out the main stage and get some shade under the huge canopies. I've always walked around the festival with a pint in my hand. Yeah, if you wave it at the guy at the exit he'll ask you to finish it off inside but you can discreetly walk out with it.

The camp sites are excellently run as well.

I enjoy the atmosphere there. No scumbags either. We always travel over in a big group so we bring our own fun so we don't feel the need to join in on other's fun. That is just a bonus.

But each to their own as anyone can experience a festival differently.

johnpatrick81

BurtMacklin wrote: »

I disagree man but I think the debate was already done a few pages back. People moan about the designated drinking areas but the drinking areas are huge and we only used them when we wanted to check out the main stage and get some shade under the huge canopies. I've always walked around the festival with a pint in my hand. Yeah, if you wave it at the guy at the exit he'll ask you to finish it off inside but you can discreetly walk out with it.

The camp sites are excellently run as well.

I enjoy the atmosphere there. No scumbags either.

But each to their own.

Really? I was there in 09, so unless things have drastically changed, I saw not 1 person with a "pint" in their hand outside of the relatively small and very much away from the stage cage for drinking. You couldn't get pints too, smaller 330 style cups. And only dirty Heineken.

The campsite was totally scum free but the most craic free too. Nobody was drinking or partying there. We eventually found some craic and enjoyed ourselves but it was massively anti alcohol and the rules and regulations strangled the fun out of the place. I heard some silly rules had since been relaxed (we weren't even allowed to go back and forth from campsite, 1 entry per day) but I'd be very very wary of this festival as a newcomer.

BurtMacklin

Sorry, I had a slight edit above.

We go in decent sized groups so we didn't really have to seek out any craic. Bumping into what we (the Irish) would call fun people was a bonus and we did hang out with people up for the craic.

I've car camped the 3 times I've went. A lot easier to store your drink in your car and I noticed a lot of people partying there. I haven't stayed in regular tent camping. I don't expect too much drinking in there because people would have to carry all their drink with them and a lot of people travel a long way for this festival. Car camping allows you transport plenty of alcohol.

As for walking around wit alcohol, not sure if it's drastically changed but I went first in 2012 and I have 100% walked around the festival with pints. We also bring in our own spirits in zip locks bags and drink that walking around to save some cash. You can definitely go back and forth from the campsite.

I would disagree with your advice that newcomers should be very wary of going. I'd actively encourage people to go and anyone can pm me for info. You definitely had a different experience to us. It could be down to the fact just two of ye went. It's a big festival for just two people to wander around and try mix in. I don't know if I'd go over with just one other person but then again the Irish do seem to enjoy travelling in group, ha.

johnpatrick81

We met bunches of others who were first timers, from Ireland, U.K. Australia and even east coast US who all shared the same opinion as us.

I've also read numerous reports in European press detailing the same concerns.

The security checks were insane so kudos on getting booze in!

The main factor too were the stage times. I went to benicassim many times. they start at 6pm til 4am due to the heat. Coachella is as hot or hotter and the gigs start at midday!!!

I really couldn't get over how overhyped it was. Poser central. Zero craic unless you travel in a big group.

BurtMacklin

We travel/traveled in a big group so maybe it explains the difference experiences we had.

If anyone looking for info just give me a shout.

Reggie noble

johnpatrick81 wrote: »

We met bunches of others who were first timers, from Ireland, U.K. Australia and even east coast US who all shared the same opinion as us.

I've also read numerous reports in European press detailing the same concerns.

The security checks were insane so kudos on getting booze in!

The main factor too were the stage times. I went to benicassim many times. they start at 6pm til 4am due to the heat. Coachella is as hot or hotter and the gigs start at midday!!!

I really couldn't get over how overhyped it was. Poser central. Zero craic unless you travel in a big group.

Things must have changed so in recent years , I went for the first time last year , only 2 off us and we had a class time .

Could sneak spirits in very easily , barely patted down , there was tons of beer options in the drinking sections , not just heniken , I was a bit wary of the seperate drinking areas before going but they were fine . As previous poster said , good to get into the shade , have a beer n chat to whoevers in there , loads of space in them .

I'd love to be going back this year , lineup is great but funds are low .

Highly recommend it for anyone that can afford it

davywalsh7

Reggie noble wrote: »

Things must have changed so in recent years , I went for the first time last year , only 2 off us and we had a class time .

Could sneak spirits in very easily , barely patted down , there was tons of beer options in the drinking sections , not just heniken , I was a bit wary of the seperate drinking areas before going but they were fine . As previous poster said , good to get into the shade , have a beer n chat to whoevers in there , loads of space in them .

I'd love to be going back this year , lineup is great but funds are low .

Highly recommend it for anyone that can afford it

Good to hear. Myself and the missus are going this year as part of our honeymoon. Can't wait