Carpools and Solar and Wind, Oh My! (There's no place like Coachella)
Carpools and Solar and Wind, Oh My! (There's no place like Coachella)
Fans descend on the festival grounds riding four deep in vehicles with "CARPOOLCHELLA" flags flying. This is Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, an annual three day festival (April 15-17 in 2011) held on the Empire Polo Fields of Indio, California.
For over a decade Coachella Fest, in true California style, has led the way in protecting the environment. The festival taps Mother Nature via wind and solar power to deliver the enormous amount of electricity required for lighting and sound throughout the venue. Coachella also boasts bragging rights in the fact that over the past five years, they have donated $1,000,000 to the Indio Youth Task Force through $1 for every ticket sold. Benjamin Guitron, PR Director for the Indio Police Force, commends the festival for helping the youth of their community to flourish through programs designated for creativity and prosperity.
Vendors screen-print utilizing alternative energy sources and technicians convert gas powered cars into electric cars on site. The "Carpoolchella" flag waiving fans pack into vehicles, and a few lucky ones will have an opportunity to win VIP tickets and a festival pass for life. A secret spotter roaming the parking and camping areas will select, at random, a carpool of four or more to question, giving them a chance to win. Recycling is a virtue encouraged by Coachella through a water bottle recycling initiative. Drop off 10 empty water bottles collected from the campsite area at designated locations and it nets one bottle of fresh cool water.
The Energy Playground adjacent to the stage has hamster wheels, tour de energy bikes, energy swings, energy see-saws, hand cranks and even an energy dance floor where your team can turn sweat equity into electricity, stored in lithium-ion batteries. Sets run 40 minutes, but if you own the audience and your team is buff, time extensions could be decreed.
Getting trashed in front of thousands isn't always embarrassing. For the more artistic folks, the "TRASHed" Coachella project will outfit one lucky high school in North America with the coolest recycling bins on the planet, designed by the greatest artist currently walking the earth. Coachella, since 2004, has sponsored an interactive recycling bin artwork walk which has aided in keeping the festival grounds free of trash. This year, 50 finalists will compete for 25 VIP tickets and 25 gift bags from Coachella. The most magnificent will migrate from their display in Los Angeles to the festival and then to the selected high school.
The 2011 Coachella Fest teams up with The Creators Project who will curate the installation of a series of major art expressions in alliance with certain headlining acts. Visual art will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to add depth to the innovative flair that is Coachella.
Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, what you've all been waiting for; the underlying reason for breaking piggy banks, buying tickets, planning routes, laying on provisions, and traveling to the desert . Move in closer, check and see if you're still breathing and feast your eyes on the lineup. There are 61 acts per day times 3 days. That's 183 acts, if the math is right. So if you want to see who's playing, check out Coachella's website.
One final thought. If this festival sounds like the bees' knees, it is. If you're jumping online now to procure your 3-day pass, you've overslept. Offic ial passes are sold out. Maybe check Craigslist. Or start planning today to get your pass for next year's Coachella Fest. And for those Johnny's on the spot enjoy the show.
(To learn about the buzz in today's music industry, be sure to check out The Music Initiative, a free, online music magazine created to help readers discover up-and-coming bands/artists and learn about the latest happenings in the music world.)
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