Coachella Band Preview: Duke Dumont

Well, here we are. Coachella begins Friday. FINALLY! We made it guys. April 21, 2019 until April 15, 2022. 1,090 days. This feels surreal, but it’s happening. I’m so so happy. There’s a few more artists I wanted to preview, but as always I need to just narrow it down and choose one. This last week of the longest Coachella wait ever, we’ve got an electronic DJ who has been putting out music since 2006, Duke Dumont.

Adam George Dyment, known professionally as Duke Dumont, first started his career in the late 2000’s by remixing pop songs. He hails from Harrow, England which is in the suburbs of London. His first single, “Need U”, came in 2013 and he’s been simultaneously releasing original music and remixes since. His single “I Got U” which was also released in 2013 was even nominated for a Grammy. Despite his lengthy career, his debut album came out in 2020. Up until that, point he only dropped EPs.

Duke Dumont is first and foremost a house artist. Some may say he dabbles in deep house or tech house but honestly, I define him as just pure house. He played his first Coachella in 2015 at the Sahara tent, and even though I might have been there, I definitely did not see him, nor did I step foot in Sahara. Obviously you know that changed by the following spring when I got into Flume, but electronic music at that time for me wasn’t a thing. I’ve definitely progressed and I’ll likely be at Sahara several times this year. I would bet that we’ll see Duke Dumont again at Sahara. He plays Sunday and I would expect another night time set. You might only have a few days left, but here’s what you wanna have on repeat, if you’re planning on seeing him:

1. Ocean Drive
2. I Got U
3. Real Life
4. Red Light Green Light
5. The Power
6. Need U
7. Won’t Look Back
8. Inhale
9. The Giver (Reprise)
10. Therapy

So that’s it for this round of Coachella previews. Hopefully we’re back again next year, but you never really know what can happen as we all learned. I’ve truly been soaking it all in as I’m currently out in Indio hard at work on Weekend 1! So far it’s been incredible to be back here. It’s always been my rule to live every Coachella like your first Coachella, but this time I urge you to live this year like your first Coachella and your last. Basically live it up as best as you can. We finally can and the vibes are gonna be more immaculate than ever. Happy Coachella! We deserve it!

Coachella Band Preview: Jamie xx

Two things: it’s almost March and I’m almost home from my winter in Mexico! This means one thing: Coachella is a little over a month away after almost 1,100 days. Simple math. It makes my Coachella motto all that morning meaningful. I’ve always said to live every Coachella like your first Coachella. This time live every Coachella like your first Coachella and your last Coachella. Live it up hard. You never know. It just might be a while before your next one. Safe to say it’s been that way for this week’s preview artist. He last performed solo at the event in 2015 and performed with his band The xx in 2017. He goes by the name Jamie xx.

James Thomas Smith, or Jamie xx, is an English DJ/record producer. As I mentioned, he’s a member of indie pop band The xx, but it was shortly after the band’s formation that he began remixing tracks leading to his solo work. Along with remixing tracks by The xx, he began remixing music of several artists such as Florence + the Machine, Adele, and Glasser. His first album, We’re New Here, was entirely remixes. It came out in February 2011. His second and first original album, In Colour, was released in May 2015. He hasn’t really released much new music since then, aside from a single in 2020. The xx, however, last put out an album in 2017.

It’s definitely been a while since the last polo fields visit for the electronic artist who specializes in a style that incorporates future garage, post-dubstep, and house. He takes to the stage on Sunday in the desert. I’d imagine he would play the Sahara tent, but I could very well be wrong. He may be on the Coachella main stage or behind the booth at Outdoor. I would love a Jamie xx sunset set, and I feel like I’m not alone in this so I’ll be crossing my fingers that it happens. I’m also hoping that there may even be an appearance from Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, the other two members of The xx. It would be so sick to get the band back together for their first appearance in several years. To get ready for whatever the Jamie xx set brings, I’ll be listening to:

1. Loud Places
2. I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)
3. Gosh
4. See Saw
5. Idontknow
6. Obvs
7. Girl
8. On hold (Jamie xx remix)
9. You’ve Got the Love (Jamie xx remix)
10. Stranger in a Room

Coachella Band Preview: Phoebe Bridgers

As we near the end of February we’re another week closer to desert sunsets, festival fashion, chill vibes, and incredible music. I’m closing in on the end of my 2022 Mexico run and what a time it’s been this year. It’s always such a unique experience living and working in another country. With this year came plenty of other new challenges too, but I’m thankful for my team and friends who were there through all of it. Mexico is just the Coachella pre-party anyway right? I’ve spent some time listening to several 2022 performers, while working south of the border, including a woman who has gained significant popularity over the past few years, Phoebe Bridgers.

Phoebe Bridgers started her solo career in 2015 after leaving her first band Sloppy Jane. She released her first EP, Killer, around that time. The record was produced by then boyfriend, Ryan Adams, and released under his label PAX AM. Phoebe released her debut album Stranger in the Alps in 2017 shortly after signing with independent label Dead Oceans. The album was an independent success. Bridgers then joined up with fellow independent artists Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus to form the indie rock super group Boygenius. They only dropped one EP and embarked on a U.S. tour in the fall of 2018 before again continuing on with their solo projects. However, Bridgers also joined another side project with Bright Eyes front man Conor Oberst in 2018 when the two formed Better Oblivion Community Center and released their debut album in January 2019. The two embarked on a sell out tour that spring as well.

In 2020, Bridgers was supposed to tour with the 1975 in support of the release of her second solo album Punisher. Of course we know what happened there and the tour was ultimately cancelled. Punisher went on to major success though receiving tons of publication accolades and three Grammy nominations, one for Best Alternative Music Album and two for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for the single “Kyoto.” Bridgers, herself, also received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, even though the “new” felt pretty relative as she’s been making music for several years.

Phoebe Bridgers music style is substantially indie folk, but can also be considered indie pop or indie rock. Nevertheless, she’ll fill that indie music spot for Coachella this spring and will likely attract a huge audience due to her 2020 success. 2022 will mark Bridgers first time performing the iconic southern California music festival. I’m hoping to be able to see one of her performances over the two weekends. I first heard about her in 2018 when a coworker of mine thought I would like her music and gave me a song to listen to. Again I can’t say I fell into the hype over her during the past few years, but I’d still love to see her. I suspect she’ll be playing Friday night on the main stage before Harry Styles. I plan on doing all the prepping I can for her set, because I feel like I should like her more than I do. Here’s what I’ve been listening to and what you should too:

1. Funeral
2. Kyoto
3. Motion Sickness
4. Garden Song
5. Scott Street
6. I Know the End
7. Smoke Signals
8. Graceland Too
9. ICU
10. Georgia

(Bonus: Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America (the 1975 song but feature Phoebe Bridgers because I just love it))

Coachella Band Preview: girl in red

Now that it’s February, we’re closing in on the two month mark until Weekend 1! It feels so weird writing this anticipating Coachella like it’s any other year. It’s not though. We haven’t been thriving on the polo fields since 2019. So much has happened and changed since then, but at the same time, having Coachella back will feel like another part of normal life has returned. I keep writing these blogs like I have for years, but god knows I’m so much more excited and emotional about getting back to Coachella this year than I ever was. That being said, this week I’m stoked to preview an artist I didn’t know much about when the 2020 lineup came out. She was on it but I had no idea at the time. Thankfully over the last two years I got to know and love girl in red.

When girl in red was booked for Coachella 2020, she was up and coming. She was an undercard. But thanks to tik tok and lesbians everywhere, girl in red has since exploded. Last spring girl in red, aka Marie Ulven Ringheim, released her debut album, if i could make it go quiet. The album reached top 10 spots on music charts worldwide. I was able to catch a few songs of her ACL set during Weekend 2. She played the main stage early in the day. She wasn’t drawing a huge crowd at the time, but I guarantee she will at Coachella. This time her name has moved up on the lineup poster and I suspect she’ll be playing a late afternoon or early evening set on the main stage or at Outdoor.

Since I first wrote about girl in red, as I already mentioned, she has gotten a lot bigger. Over the last year, she’s stuck to the festival circuit, in support of her debut album. Her name has been rising higher on every festival lineup though. She has a completely sold out spring North American tour lined up that includes her stops in Indio, before she heads back overseas for the European leg of the tour. The European leg is completely sold out too.

girl in red is an act that you won’t want to miss in April. She fills the indie rock card that now seems a lot more rare at Coachella. However, she’s part of that new wave of Gen Z indie rock, so you’d expect a lot more younger fans at her set. She’s definitely going to crush her first Coachella appearance though. Here’s a few tracks that you’ll need to know before you catch her:

1. we fell in love in october
2. Serotonin
3. i wanna be your girlfriend
4. bad idea!
5. midnight love
6. girls
7. I’ll Call You Mine
8. summer depression
9. Rue
10. You Stupid Bitch

Coachella Band Preview: Olivia O’Brien

It’s the last week of January which means we’re 2 1/2 months away from Weekend 1 of Coachella 2022. I’m finishing my 4 week run in Mexico and will be back for about a week and a half before spending another 2 1/2 weeks down in Cancún putting on a few more events. Hopefully I can prepare some blogs before heading back, because as I’ve found out, it’s really tough to write band previews down here. In fact, it’s taken me almost 3 days to write this. Anyway, time to focus on music and today it’s all about pop artist Olivia O’Brien.

I first heard of Olivia O’Brien around the time of Lollapalooza when my friend Hailey wanted to see her Lolla Aftershow. It was the same night as All Time Low and as you may know, we ended up there. The next day I ended up helping Olivia out before she entered the festival site because she forgot her wristband in her hotel room. When she walked in, I yelled to her “You’re gonna crush it today!” and of course that made her smile. She thanked me and continued on her way.

Hailey then pushed me to listen to Olivia. She made me a playlist and included one of her songs, as well as recommending a few to me. I can’t say I got super into her, but I know a few songs. I plan to listen to her in preparation for Coachella though because I’d love to check out her set.

Olivia O’Brien got her start around the age of 13 by posting a cover of a Gnash song on SoundCloud. After getting attention from Gnash, himself, he invited her to record her original song “hate u, love u” with him in Los Angeles. The single peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, which eventually lead Olivia to a record deal.

Olivia released her first EP It’s Not That Deep in 2017 amongst multiple singles over the years until she dropped her first album Was It Even Real? in April 2019. She followed up the album with the EP It Was A Sad Fucking Summer in November 2019. She has since released two more EPs The Results of My Poor Judgment in February 2020 and Episodes: Season 1 in June 2021.

Olivia O’Brien’s music style is pop mixed with R&B. In my opinion, she has a powerful, edgy pop style with an R&B vibe. It comes through in so many of her hits like “hate u, love u”, “Fuck Feelings”, “Josslyn” and “Love Myself”.

I think it’s very likely that you can catch Olivia O’Brien at one of the smaller stages this spring. She’s probably playing either Gobi or Mojave on Sunday. I would anticipate a mid-afternoon set as well, but you never know. Either way, I’m trying to catch her performance. I wouldn’t anticipate huge crowds yet, but I know she’s popular amongst the young crowds attending the festival. If you’re trying to see her, here’s a few songs you should listen to:

1. “hate u, love u”
2. “Josslyn”
3. “Fuck Feelings”
4. “Love Myself”
5. “No More Friends”
6. “RIP”
7. “Tequilawine”
8. “NOW”
9. “Fade Out”
10. “Empty”

Coachella Band Preview: Bishop Briggs

We’re almost to the end of January. With that lineup release last week, time is limited before Coachella 2022 begins. At this point we’re officially past the 3 month mark until Weekend 1! That being said I have a lot of bands to write about and not much time. It’s time to start picking out your Coachella fits and planning which artists you want to see. It’s also time to start listening to those artists. So without further adieu, first up on my list is one of my most anticipated acts this year, Bishop Briggs.

Bishop Briggs is no stranger to Coachella. She last performed at the festival in 2017 prior to the release of her debut album Church of Scars. Since then she dropped her second album CHAMPION in 2019. She’s been touring and playing festival gigs consistently over the last few years too. Her music hasn’t really changed much either. She still has that powerful, deep, dark, and soulful sound. She also still brings plenty of energy to her sets.

I could see her playing an early set on the Coachella stage or the Outdoor Theatre or a later set at Gobi or Mojave. I highly believe she’ll draw a crowd. It’ll definitely be a fun upbeat set to be at and I know she’ll be bringing the heat to the desert. She’s one of my top artists this year and I really hope I’m able to check out her set. Given that her set is on Friday, I may not have the opportunity. I’m hoping for a late set because of this. I’ll definitely have more of a chance to see her if it is. As for set preparations for Bishop Briggs, here’s what I’m gonna start listening to:

1. River
2. Dream
3. CHAMPION
4. Wild Horses
5. HIGHER
6. White Flag
7. Dark Side
8. JEKYLL & HYDE
9. Tempt My Trouble
10. Be Your Love