Thanks to the folks at HTC One, my new phone and I got to experience Coachella for the very first time this weekend. To be able to see such a historic moment like TUPAC appearing on the stage and being able to capture it on camera and live tweet it? Amazing! Hit the jump for a full recap and pics!
I didn’t know what to expect when I landed at LAX on Friday and took the two hour drive to the desert for the world famous Coachella festival. But let me tell you, it by far exceeded any expectations I DID have! Even if you weren’t a fan of the music playing, the scenery is so gorgeous, you’ll enjoy anything! Not to mention how peaceful everyone was while they raved and danced in their own little world…a sight to see for sure!
Frank Ocean charmed fans with a delightfully laid back stage show and appearances from his less laid-back Odd Future groupmates, while Kendrick Lamar brought the Hii Power to the festival on Friday. Rihanna was in the crowd to watch that night, and ended up making some pretty interesting appearances throughout, ending with a THUG LIFE drawing on her tummy for the Dre and Pac show Sunday.
But before that, A$AP Rocky stormed the stage with his Mob on Saturday evening, while fellow newcomer Azelia Banks created many a new fan, myself included, at her set earlier that day. I never knew she was as talented a singer as she was a rapper, and her eclectic sound is definitely something I will be looking for more from in the near future.
Sunday, however, was the icing on the cake. The Weeknd took the stage for the very first time in the U.S., kicking off his new tour. I’ve heard a lot of criticism about his live show in the past, but I think he was great! Elsewhere, Girltalk rocked the party on the Outdoor stage and I’ve never danced so much in one place! If you haven’t checked out their stuff yet, please do! Finally, the night ended with the absolute most amazing performance I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg celebrated their 20 years of making music together, in front of a 40,000+ crowd and alongside some of their friends that helped them along the way….alive and deceased. 50 Cent, Eminem, Daz Dillinger, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Tony Yayo, Kurupt, Warren G and even the late, great Tupac Shakur all graced the stage to perform the hits we’ve come to love over the past 2 decades. To describe Pac’s appearance in two words: bone-chilling.
Overall, the concert is a must-see. If you have the chance (and the cash), I urge you to make an attempt to check out the encore this coming weekend. However: be forewarned the cell service there leaves MUCH to be desired. My iPhone was absolutely useless the entire time, BUT the 4G on my HTC One X thankfully kept me in the loop…and with amazing photos!
