Unbelievably Awesome Lineup

...is out. This is an overwhelming morning. I'll do the research and post some of the new Coachella features as the week blazes on. For now:

Start researching the bands on the poster. It's likely that you haven't heard of about 2/3 of them. That's ok! Part of the fun of Coachella is discovering new bands.


Go at it!

Lockers!

I've gotten a locker every year since they've been available, and damn, are they a lifesaver. I hate carrying junk around with me--if you're like me, you'll want to invest in one.

They come in three sizes: medium, large, and extra large. The medium is $49, the large is $63, and the extra large is $78. $20 of this is refundable at the end of the festival if you turn in your key.

I can't imagine why anyone would need an extra large unless you're storing several backpacks or bags or a scooter in there or something. The mediums have always been perfect for our regular items (sweatshirts, sunscreen, booze, extra water, etc.) Several of us share one each year and it's always been big enough. (Keep in mind that they only give you one key, so if there are several of you sharing, it could be a pain in the ass for you to get into the locker if you're all separated.)

The large ones are good if you're planning to purchase and store a lot of merchandise and your car won't be around (or if you're camping and want your stuff to be secure). Since there are ins and outs this year, I can't see much need for a large one unless you don't have a car there (or you end up having to park way far away).

Last year, the first thing I heard when I walked in to pick up my key is "goddamnit, they're sold out of lockers already". I don't recommend waiting to get one.


http://lockersonline.com/reserve.html

Coachella Shuttle Service!

It appears that Goldevoice has FINALLY instituted a park-and-ride shuttle system for Stagecoach and Coachella.

Can I get a "HOO-RAY!"?

The following can currently be found on Stagecoach's website:

Local Hotel Shuttles
Take the convenient shuttle to and from the show each day. We will be making multiple trips from each hotel, so if you want to go early and hang out at the festival, or stick around and soak up the sun at your hotel, we've got you covered. At the end of the show, your ride will be lined up and waiting for you. We'll have "Bus Counselors" on site to assist you getting to and from the show with ease!
• One (1) 2-day Shuttle pass for unlimited transportation to and from the hotels serviced.
• Shuttles will run from 2 hours before the first band of the day, until 2 hours after the last band leaves the stage at night.
• Shuttles will be running continuously throughout the day.
• Festival Tickets are not included in the purchase of a local hotel shuttle pass.

There are two routes shown on Valley Music Travel's website and both routes service the major hotels in the area. VMT's website also indicates that Coachella festival information is coming soon.

This is a win/win for everyone. If you don't want to drive, you can park at one of the hotels and ride in-hopefully they have a route set up for the shuttles that avoids the parking lot traffic. If you do end up driving, there will be less traffic, therefore loosening up the parking lot traffic.

For more info, you can go to their website:

Valleymusictravel.com

YAY!

Just to tide you over

I'm bored waiting for the lineup to come out, and I'm saving up my really good advice for later.

Here's a video of one of my favorite Coachella performances of all time. If you missed them or chose Interpol instead, I feel really really bad for you:

To layaway or not?

The Coachella world's worst kept secret-the dates-were confirmed last night to be April 16, 17, and 18. Along with the official announcement came some fun new policies:

Camping space versus camping per person-meaning, you buy a space and then anyone can cram into that space.

RV camping-now allowed-for $250.

Car camping-you can now park your car next to your camping space. However, you're basically stuck there if you do that.

Ins and Outs-arguably the best new feature, everyone is now allowed in and out of the festival.

In addition, Coachella is again doing a layaway option for this year. These tickets are on sale NOW. You will be required to put down 50% and then make additional payments; once they are paid off, your tickets will be shipped to you. The upside is avoiding interest on your credit card by using the layaway plan. The downside is that if you end up not going, you lose your money on your tickets if you don't pay them off and have them shipped to you in time. Plus, there's an additional $14 fee to have them fedexed to you.

I'm waiting until the onsale date; they won't sell out during the layaway plan anyway.

Boozing

I'm a huge fan of bringing my own booze into the festival. Every year I think up a creative way to sneak it in without getting it seized (it's kind of like a little game I play with myself).

One year I took a double-lined tote bag, ripped open the seam that held the two linings together, stuffed about 40 pocket shots (pocketshot.net) into the space I created, and then used a hot glue gun to put the seam back together. I had a locker and just stuffed all of the pocket shots in there for storage; they lasted us all weekend.

My favorite creation was the round pillow I made. I was able to stuff it full of mini bottles and then stick the pillow under my shirt. Voila! Fake pregnancy. Then I just waddled through the entrance. The best part was that a couple of the golf cart jockeys took pity on me during the long walk in and I got a ride in each day.

Last year I discovered disposable flasks and I don't think I'm going to need to bother with coming up with any more creative ideas. I'll miss the challenge, but what's the point when you find something that works so well? Each one holds 5 shots and they're pretty malleable (even when full) so it's easy to hide them in your bags or in your "nether regions". I got mine through www.disposableflasks.com. They've come in handy a few times since last year's festival so I definitely feel I got my money's worth out of my last order.



More on drinking at the festival later...

Your Money...Save it!

Every year, people want a breakdown of how much going to a festival of this magnitude costs. It's going to vary based on what you decide to experience. Obviously, camping is going to be cheaper than a hotel room, and a hotel room in Palm Springs is going to be cheaper than a hotel room at the Indian Palms. Let's try to break this down.

Lodging: again, depends on how you roll. Camping is a $55 ticket (but remember, the costs of camping gear are going to add up if you don't already have it). At this juncture, you'll find hotel rooms between $150 and $300+ in Indio, and for $80 a night and up in Palm Springs.

Ticket: Last year, tickets were $269 for the three-day pass, plus service fees. Plan on spending about the same as last time, which ended up being $300.

Food: You can save money here if you are conscious of it. Inside the festival, you can probably plan on averaging about $12 per meal (including a drink) depending on how you and what you eat. Pizza is cheaper than the fancier options-you get the idea. Normally, we eat a huge breakfast outside the venue (either at this killer deli in Palm Desert called Sherman's or at the house we rent-we always go full kitchen.) Around 2ish, we'll grab a snack and then grab a slice or something for dinner around 7. We generally end up spending about $10-15 a day for food, rather than $35-40.

Beverages: You cannot skimp on water. I can't stress this enough. The air is dry and hot-your body needs to replenish the fluids you leak from dancing. Water is $2 a bottle, or $1 if you bring in an empty water container. I normally plan on $10-14 a day for water and maybe a Diet Coke when I need a caffeine fix. Sodas and gatorades are $3, and beer is $7. More on savvy alcohol drinking later.

Merchandise: It's cool to get merchandise at the festival if you have the money, but Christ, it's expensive. Shirts run you $25 and up, not to mention the posters, CD's, sweatshirts, hats, etc. they have available. Unless you see something you can't live without, I'd skip it entirely.

So...tip #3-start saving. All in, you probably want to set aside between $500-$1000 for your experience, however you choose to experience it.

Planning on Camping?

The holiday season has brought about some great deals on camping gear with most online retailers offering free shipping. I found:

At Walmart:

A two-person tent for $32.88
A cot for $29 (if you aren't a fan of sleeping on the ground)
Airbeds between $20-40
A really cool canopy chair for $40

At Cabela's, they're offering $20 off of an online purchase of $100 or more through 12/16. They're also having a camping gear sale. Of course, their stuff is higher-end and more expensive, but you know...

Lesson being-start preparing for your camping gear now. No need to wait when there are some good deals out now. Last year, it was hard to find anything under $50 other than the little kiddie tents.

Headliners?

No confirmations on headliners yet (Muse is supposedly confirmed but it's all hearsay at this point). But...damn, Macca was fantastic last year. Just...DAMN!


Tip #2-Don't buy into ALL of the hype. Lots and lots of names are being thrown around at this point...it's all part of the fun, right? It's hard to not get excited, but try to contain yourself. The poster isn't out yet. It won't be out until January. So, don't count on ANYTHING until you see it on the poster. Doing so will keep you from crying in your hipsterly-decorated apartment when Bowie, The Talking Heads, and The Smiths aren't on it.

Introduction

It's time someone got a Coachella guide going. I've gone to Coachella multiple times and have taken great care to learn from my 100+-degree-heat festival going mistakes. I'll throw a tip up at least once a week-probably more as the festival gets closer.


Tip #1: The dates are set-April 16-18, 2009 (dates have yet to be officially announced for some reason). If you don't like to camp (more camping advice later), I strongly recommend going ahead and booking your hotel room NOW. Make sure when you book your room that there are no cancellation penalties if a) the dates end up being different and/or b) you decide to not go for whatever reason. Normally, you can avoid hotel cancellation fees by booking the room directly through the hotel's website rather than a major travel website (Expedia, Hotels.com, etc.)

The closer the hotel to the Polo Fields, the more expensive it will be. Palm Springs is about a 30 minute drive from the venue-the rooms are almost always cheaper out there if you don't mind the drive.

Personally, I'm staying within walking distance.