Coachella Band Preview: YUNGBLUD

I can’t believe it’s already the last week of March. I leave next Friday for the Coachella Valley, but I’ve been spending this last month since I got home from Mexico listening to as much of my 2023 Coachella playlist as possible. I hope you’ve been doing the same and that all your plans for the desert, aside from knowing the set times, are solidified. This week I’m previewing someone who, like several other artists, was supposed to play in 2020, alternative rock artist YUNGBLUD.

YUNGBLUD, better known as Dominic Richard Harrison, who hails from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, first started releasing music in 2017. Before that he was an actor who appeared on two British TV series, Emmerdale and The Lodge. In early 2018, he released a self-titled EP that contained all of his early singles. His debut album 21st Century Liability came later that year. He also began touring that year as support for K. Flay and played several dates on the final installment of the Vans Warped Tour, before going on a headlining tour in support of his first album. The Underrated Youth EP was released in 2019 and included one of his biggest songs to date, “parents.” He has also collaborated with several artists including Machine Gun Kelly, blackbear, Travis Barker, Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, and Marshmello. He released his second album Weird! in 2020 after some delays and his third self-titled album was released this past September.

YUNGBLUD’s style of music is modern alternative rock and pop punk. He’s exactly the kind of artist who would be playing Warped Tour if it still existed. I think he is a mainstream version of alternative rock. However, he is also one of the few bigger rock artists playing Coachella this year. I always think it’s crazy how Coachella went from being one of the premier alternative/indie rock festivals to barely having many of those acts at all. Yet, here we are. YUNGBLUD plays Friday. I would imagine he has a late day-early evening set on either the main stage or Outdoor Theatre. With all of his collaborations, I would bet he brings out some special guests too. It’s TBD on if I’ll catch his set or not. I saw a brief bit (one song) of his set at ACL last fall, but not enough that I can say I actually saw him perform. It would be nice to be able to watch more of his performance at Coachella this year for that reason. These are the YUNGBLUD songs you should know if you plan on trying to catch him as well:

1. parents
2. 11 Minutes (w/ Halsey ft. Travis Barker)
3. acting like that (ft. Machine Gun Kelly)
4. Tissues
5. mars
6. Anarchist
7. I Love You, Will You Marry Me
8. cotton candy
9. original me (ft. dan reynolds of imagine dragons)
10. hope for the underrated youth

Coachella Band Preview: Big Wild, Jai Wolf, & Alex G

We’re edging closer and closer to Weekend 1 as the countdown continues to April 14th. I’m currently just relaxing at home getting ready for the big month ahead in the desert. This week I’m previewing three artists, two of which I once previewed in anticipation of the 2020 installation of the festival that never saw the light of day. The other I got into during peak quarantine season in 2020. All three artists didn’t make the 2022 lineup so they’re getting another crack at Coachella in 2023. The first of those is electronic artist Big Wild.

As I mentioned, I previewed Big Wild back in February 2020. Here is that blog in case you wanted to check out some background info on Jackson Stell, aka Big Wild. Since then, the electronic artist has released a sophomore record The Efferusphere along with several singles. 2020 was supposed to be Big Wild’s Coachella lineup debut, but now that’s happening this spring. He did appear at the Do Lab in 2016, but since those performances are usually announced during the festival weekend or are surprises, he truly never made the Coachella lineup. However, over the last two years, Big Wild has made several other festival appearances including sets at Lollapalooza, Firefly, Austin City Limits, and Electric Forest among others. He plays Sunday at Coachella and I’ll be damned if we don’t get a sunset set from him. I would bet he either plays at Sahara, Mojave, or Outdoor Theatre. I know that’s a terrible prediction, but I can literally see him performing on almost any Coachella stage and it’ll be a good time. His sound fits the festival so well and his set is sure to create a big mood. Here’s a few vibey songs you’re gonna want to know before seeing him Sunday:

1. 6’s to 9’s
2. OMGarden
3. Aftergold
4. Touch
5. Purple Sand (My Home)
6. Awaken
7. Joypunks
8. When I Get There
9. Show Me
10. Venice Venture

Jai Wolf is the second electronic artist I previewed for Coachella back in 2020. Much like Big Wild, he was slated to appear that year, didn’t play last spring, and is now getting a chance to come back in 2023. If you’d like some more background on Jai Wolf, check out this Coachella 2020 preview. Since 2020, he’s only released a few new singles and remixes. However last year, he became the first artist from Bangladesh to ever sell out the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Jai Wolf plays Sunday as well. I’m expecting a late afternoon-early evening Sahara set from him that I know I’ll wanna catch. Here’s the songs I’ve been listening to in preparation:

1. Indian Summer
2. Starlight
3. Moon Rider (ft. Wrabel)
4. Lose My Mind (ft. Mr. Gabriel)
5. We Will Meet Again
6. Better Apart (ft. Dresage)
7. Telepathy
8. Lost (ft. Chelsea Jade)
9. Like It’s Over (ft. MNDR)
10. The World is Ours

The last artist I want to spotlight this week is indie artist, Alex G. I wrote a pretty long post about him in May 2020. At the time I felt like if Coachella happened that year I would have been bummed I didn’t know about him sooner because I started listening to his music that spring. Since May 2020, the artist who used to go by (Sandy) Alex G, changed his stage name back to Alex G, released his ninth studio album God Save the Animals, and also scored the soundtrack to the coming-of-age horror film We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Like the others, Alex G also plays Sunday. It’s also his first Coachella. I’m expecting his set to be mid-afternoon at either Gobi or Mojave. His set will be just what you need for some lo fi, indie rock feels. Here are a few of his songs to get you ready for his set:

1. Runner
2. Gretel
3. Treehouse (ft. Emily Yacina)
4. Mary
5. Advice
6. Sarah
7. 16 Mirrors
8. Blessing
9. Change
10. Bobby

I’m glad we’ll finally get another chance to hear these three great artists at Coachella. As I mentioned it will be Alex G’s first Coachella and Big Wild’s first as an artist on the lineup, while Jai Wolf has not played the festival since 2017. I’m expecting great Sunday sets from all three artists. I hope to be able to see each of them and I’m also hoping they don’t overlap because who knows. I’ll prepare like I will be seeing all of them though because after all there are two weekends! I’ll catch you on the polo fields on the final day of Coachella for all the vibes that Big Wild, Jai Wolf, and Alex G have to offer.

Coachella Band Preview: Gorillaz

The first weekend of Coachella 2023 is officially 5 weeks away. I’ve been doing my part and listening to my personal Coachella playlist as much as possible lately, but I know it’s probably still not enough. I feel like there are so many bands playing this year that I’m trying to get into compared to years past. One of those bands is a group I’ve known of since high school! I never sought interest in them much growing up, but since they’re one of the big alternative rock acts playing this year (and I love alternative/indie rock), I figured it was time I gave them a chance. Needless to say, Gorillaz are growing on me!

Gorillaz are an English virtual alternative rock band created in 1998 by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. The fictional members consist of 2-D (vocals, keyboard, voiced by Albarn), Murdoc Niccals (bass), Noodle (guitar, keyboard, vocals), and Russel Hobbs (drums). Gorillaz first album (self-titled) was released in 2001. It has since gone triple platinum in the UK, 2x platinum in Europe and New Zealand, and platinum in many other countries including the U.S. The follow-up to their debut album Demon Days was released in 2005 and included one of their most successful singles to date, the Grammy winning track, “Feel Good Inc.” featuring hip-hop group De La Soul. Since then Albarn and his virtual group have released 5 full length albums, Plastic Beach (2010), The Fall (2010), Humanz (2017), The Now Now (2018), and Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (2020). Two weeks ago they released their seventh studio album Cracker Island. They recently wrapped up a world tour and now plan on bringing Cracker Island to the desert come mid-April.

Over the last 25 years, Gorillaz have collaborated with a multitude of artists and bands which is why despite the fact that they are primarily an alternative rock group, their music spans different genres. Their songs include art pop, electronic, and hip hop elements amongst others. Some of the acts they’ve worked with include Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Stevie Nicks, Vince Staples, Kali Uchis, Robert Smith, Elton John, Beck, Bad Bunny, Tame Impala, and St. Vincent.

Coachella 2023 will mark the band’s second performance at the festival. Their first was 13 years ago in 2010 when they headlined the festival on Sunday night. In a brief teaser of what was to come for 2023, Damon Albarn appeared with Billie Eilish during her Weekend 1 headlining set last year for a performance of “Feel Good Inc.” What’s interesting about Gorillaz is that they’re primarily a virtual band and performances are a mix of virtual and real life with Albarn at the helm. So we’ll never know what this year’s Coachella performance will bring. There will undoubtedly be guest appearances though. I hope we see the likes of Tame Impala and Stevie Nicks who are featured on Cracker Island. Their Tame Impala collab song “New Gold” was a favorite of mine this past fall. My biggest hope spans beyond Gorillaz however. I hope Blur guitarist Graham Coxon makes another appearance with the group prompting a “Song 2” cover. It happened once in 2018 so I’m holding on to the very slim chance that it happens again. I expect to see Gorillaz on the main stage Friday night before Bad Bunny’s headlining performance, which means there’s a very high likelihood I’ll be able to catch their set. Here’s a few of their many songs I’ve been listening to in preparation:

1. Feel Good Inc.
2. Clint Eastwood
3. New Gold (ft. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown)
4. On Melancholy Hill
5. DARE
6. Rhinestone Eyes
7. Cracker Island (ft. Thundercat)
8. She’s My Collar (ft. Kali Uchis)
9. Dirty Harry (ft. Bootie Brown)
10. Oil (ft. Stevie Nicks)

Coachella Band Preview: boygenius

Another week of winter down means another weak closer to the desert days that lie ahead. By now I hope your Coachella preparations are coming along accordingly and you’re as head first into the music as I am. Last year we were preparing for Phoebe Bridgers to play a big set on Friday night of the festival and this year we’re preparing to watch her play again. This time though it’s on Saturday night and it’s with two other talented ladies by the names of Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Together they are boygenius.

The indie rock supergroup formed in 2018 after being in each other’s friend circles for a while and wanting to create an epic band together. Once deciding to come together, they created their self-titled debut EP in a matter of days. It was released in October 2018 and the band toured in support of it across the US. Their highly acclaimed EP was even named the 12th best album of 2018 by NPR Music and reached the number 3 spot on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Through the next 5 years the group collaborated on other projects, but recently announced their debut album will drop in March, just in time for their Coachella debut.

While Coachella has been lacking rock artists in recent years, boygenius truly checks off the boxes for indie rock. Their style mixes indie rock and indie folk. They recently released 3 new songs from their debut album that I hope everyone has been listening to in preparation for their Saturday night set. Coachella will mark the group’s first festival appearance ever. I expect they’ll be playing the main stage before BLACKPINK comes on. It’ll either be that or a headliner overlap at Outdoor Theatre. I’m sure you’ll want to binge listen to the entire boygenius album once it drops in March, but in the mean time, here’s the songs you need to know:

1. Emily I’m Sorry
2. Souvenir
3. Me & My Dog
4. Bite the Hand
5. $20
6. True Blue
7. Salt in the Wound
8. Ketchum ID
9. Stay Down
10. I Know the End (Phoebe Bridgers song that Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus are both featured on)

Coachella Band Preview: Calvin Harris

I hope none of you are undergoing the winter blues. If so, it’s time to shake them off because Coachella season is here. Warm desert spring days and cool nights are just around the corner. I finally created a Coachella playlist so I’ve been listening as often as I can. That being said, “band preview” is not the phrase I would use to describe who I’m writing about this week. It’s definitely more of an artist spotlight. I debated changing it while writing this, but ultimately decided to keep it the same, as it’s always been the theme. Criticize it all you want though because Calvin Harris definitely isn’t a band.

Calvin Harris, known otherwise as Adam Richard Wiles, is an electronic artist specializing in house, electro house, and electro pop music. He was born in Dumfries, Scotland to English parents and began making music in his teenage years out of his bedroom. While trying to make it in the electronic scene, he moved to London where he did not find success right away. He ended up moving back to Dumfries and continued to produce music from home. He got his break after being discovered through the tracks he posted to his Myspace page in 2006.

Upon signing a recording deal, he went on to release 6 studio albums, 9 EPs, and 51 singles through the last 17 years. Some of his biggest hits came from his 2012 album 18 months and his 2014 album Motion, which include “Feel So Close,” “We Found Love” featuring Rihanna, “I Need Your Love” featuring Ellie Goulding, “Sweet Nothing” featuring Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine), “Summer,” “Outside” featuring Ellie Goulding, and “Blame” featuring John Newman. He ended up winning a Grammy Award for Best Music Video for “We Found Love.” Some of his other biggest hits were only released as singles, such as his 2016 single “This is What You Came For” featuring Rihanna and his 2018 track featuring Dua Lipa “One Kiss.”

Calvin Harris first played Coachella in 2008. He played again in 2012 and 2014 before he became the first DJ to ever headline the festival in 2016. He was slated to play the 2020 installment of the festival but makes his return to the desert in 2023 for the first time in 7 years. Much like last year’s lineup that featured Swedish House Mafia returning to the desert, Calvin Harris also has his own spot on this year’s lineup poster. Given that, I wasn’t sure what night his set would be. After checking out the Coachella app a few days ago though, it seems to have him listed for Saturday. This gives me something to look forward to on Saturday as there are not as many bands or artists I’m looking forward to that day. It’s definitely going to be a fun night. In fact, as I keep going through his discography, it hits me more and more just how underrated this set will be, given the hype over BLACKPINK and Bad Bunny. Also from what I’ve heard, Coachella tried to book Rihanna to headline the festival but the deal didn’t pull through. If history wants to repeat itself for a third time, I wouldn’t be surprised nor would I mind if Rihanna showed up again to perform with Calvin Harris. There’s no question that Calvin Harris will be performing on the main stage. The only question mark I have are whether he will perform after BLACKPINK or not and who will he bring out as his special guests? He does have plenty of other collabs besides the ones with Rihanna. His set is likely to include bops from his entire career so here’s a few you might want to know before showing up to the one of the most fun sets of Coachella 2023:

1. One Kiss ft. Dua Lipa
2. This What You Came For ft. Rihanna
3. Summer
4. Feel So Close
5. We Found Love ft. Rihanna
6. My Way
7. How Deep Is Your Love ft. Disciples
8. Outside ft. Ellie Goulding
9. Pray to God ft. HAIM
10. Sweet Nothing ft. Florence Welch
11. I Need Your Love ft. Ellie Goulding
12. Blame ft. John Newman
13. Under Control ft. Alesso, Hurts
14. Giant ft. Rag’n’Bone Man
15. Slide ft. Frank Ocean & Migos, Funk Wav

Coachella Band Preview: MUNA

As we roll into February, we’re a little over two months away from the first weekend of Coachella 2023. If you haven’t already, you should probably book your flights, hotels, airbnbs, rental cars, and whatever else you might need for a weekend in the Coachella Valley. I’ve been thinking about what to wear this year and I’m also trying to listen to some of the bands and artists playing this year’s installment of the festival. One band who I really hope I’m able to catch is indie pop trio, MUNA.

MUNA formed in 2013 while all three members, Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson were in school together at USC. In 2014, they released their debut EP More Perfect on Bandcamp and SoundCloud. Their success from the EP lead to a record deal with RCA records (US) and Columbia Records (UK). Their first EP under RCA, Loudspeaker, came out in 2016 with their debut album About U following in 2017. It included hits “I Know A Place” and “Winterbreak.” Their early years after signing to a major label brought tours with Grouplove and Harry Styles as well as festival appearances.

Their second album, Saves the World, was released in September 2019 and included a tour in support of the album. In 2021, MUNA signed with Phoebe Bridgers’ record label Saddest Factory. Under their new label they released the single “Silk Chiffron” in collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers and their third full length album MUNA. In addition to Coachella this year, the band is playing spring tour dates around the country.

I tried to get into MUNA several years ago, when there was huge hype over the song “I Know A Place.” It wasn’t hitting for me then but as I’ve been listening to the band the past several days, I’m finally getting more into them. I did fall in love with their Knocks collaboration song “Bodies” in late 2020. It was one of my favorites during that sad, miserable year. Their style is a mix of electro, indie, and synth pop. I feel like I should have been listening to them for years, but I have known about them for quite some time. I’ve attempted to listen to them it just hasn’t worked out. Better late than never!

Now they’re headed to Indio this spring and I’m crossing my fingers I’ll be able to catch their set. Friday sets are always hit or miss for me with my current job at the festival. I can usually only catch sets that happen after 8:30-9 p.m. I have this feeling like MUNA might be on deck for a sunset set though on either Mojave, Gobi, or Outdoor. This will be their first time playing Coachella. I suspect Phoebe Bridgers might make an appearance, given boygenius slated to perform Saturday. Here’s a few songs you need to prep for their Coachella set:

1. I Know A Place
2. Bodies
3. Silk Chiffron
4. Number One Fan
5. Anything But Me
6. Winterbreak
7. Loudspeaker
8. What I Want
9. Stayaway
10. So Special

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: Wallows

Coachella is next Friday. I repeat. Coachella is NEXT. FRIDAY. Every week that goes by as it gets closer and closer I swear I just can’t believe it. It’s not like I never thought it would happen again. I just got used to waiting and waiting. Finally though we’re almost there. The big news of the week is that Kanye West (Ye) has officially dropped from the lineup. He was supposed to headline Sunday night. After reports of him potentially dropping for weeks, no one is shocked. To be honest, once I saw him on the lineup I thought there’s a chance he’d drop. There always is. He’s Kanye. There’s other bands and artists that will be there though that you can bet on seeing in Indio. One of those is the band Wallows.

Wallows formed in 2011 and went by other band names until 2017 when they solidified the name Wallows. The band is composed of Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters, and Cole Preston. They dropped their first single “Pleaser” 5 years ago. The song ended up in the number two spot on the Spotify Global Viral 50 Chart. They released their second single “Sun Tan” a month later and two other singles that year with “Uncomfortable” and “Pulling Leaves Off Trees.” In early 2018 they signed to Atlantic Records and released their first major label EP Spring. Their debut album Nothing Happens dropped in March 2019. Shortly after, the band played their first Coachella. Now, 3 years later, the band released their second full length album Tell Me That It’s Over and will be playing Coachella once again.

Wallows’ music is mainly that of the alternative/indie rock genre. They would definitely be considered one of the indie bands at the festival this year. I remember trying to get into them in 2019, but it didn’t happen in time for Coachella given all the other music I wanted to see as well. This year they’re billed higher on the lineup and in my heart. I’ve been listening to them for the last few weeks, including trying to get into their new album. I’m definitely enjoying it more this time around. Wallows plays Saturday at Coachella. My guess is that you’ll catch the band on the Outdoor Stage between 3-6 in the afternoon. It just feels like the right time and the right place for them. In 2019, they played Mojave around 1 p.m. so I could see that being their upgrade for Saturday afternoon. If you’re trying to see Wallows again or catch them for the first time like me, here’s some songs you’ll want to listen to first:

1. Scrawny
2. Pleaser
3. Are You Bored Yet?
4. OK
5. These Days
6. Remember When
7. I Don’t Want to Talk
8. Marvelous
9. Especially You
10. Uncomfortable

Coachella Band Preview: Lost Kings, Flume, Emo Nite, Maggie Rogers, & Hayden James

In exactly one month, the 21st installment of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival begins in Indio, California at the Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51. It’s all come down to this. One month left in the almost 36 month wait, once all is said and done. Since I returned from Mexico, I’ve been listening to my Coachella 2022 playlist almost every day. Over the last several Coachellas since I attended in 2015, the lineup has strayed away from my music interests. What was once a largely indie rock festival now spans across genres. My music interests have developed as well. I mean I was someone who never step foot in the Sahara tent in 2015. Coachella has become a festival of music discovery for me. There’s usually a good handful of artists I know and at least listen to on the lineup, but in recent years I’ve felt like I’ve used Coachella to become more interested in artists I don’t listen to as much or to discover new artists entirely. It’s broadened my interest in Arkells, Kungs, Maggie Rogers, and Petit Biscuit, and has helped me to discover artists like Dermot Kennedy, Daft Punk (Couchella 2020 was a thing!), and Dillon Francis. This week though I’m highlighting a bunch of artists and one style of music I’ve known and have liked for a while.

The first artists on this list are Lost Kings, the electronic music duo who have been releasing music since 2014. I previewed them as part of the 2020 lineup before shit hit the fan, so you can check out that blog here for more info about the electronic deejays. Since 2020, they released a new EP It’s Not You, It’s Me in December 2021. The EP contains all of their singles released over 2020 & 2021. Lost Kings play Friday to kick off the weekend and I’ll bet you’ll catch them and their progressive house style music sometime in the afternoon at the Sahara tent. These are some of the songs you’ll wanna know before you catch their set:

1. Phone Down
2. Oops (I’m Sorry)
3. When We Were Young
4. Don’t Kill My High
5. First Love
6. Anti-Everything
7. You
8. Stuck
9. Look At Us Now
10. Don’t Call

Flume is no stranger to this blog. Since 2016, I’ve considered Flume one of my favorite electronic artists. In fact, Flume, also known as Harley Streton, was the first deejay to get me into electronic music. I may have liked a song or two before that point, but I really found an interest in most of Flume’s music after listening to some of his tracks before volunteering at and attending Sweetlife Music Festival in 2016. Flume was also supposed to play Coachella in 2020. Read that preview here. It would have been his third appearance, but thankfully he’s back on the lineup in 2022 and will be making his third appearance this year instead. Prior to what would have been Coachella 2020, Flume released his track “The Difference” ft. Toro y Moi. He’s dropped a few remixes since, but released a brand new single, “Say Nothing” ft. MAY-A, a few weeks ago. Flume will be dropping a new album, Palaces, in May and I anticipate Coachella will probably get some new tunes as a result. Flume plays Saturday night and I would suspect he’ll be moving to the Main Stage this time around. His 2016 set was at Outdoor Theatre. These are the Flume songs you should be listening to so you’re ready for Saturday night in Indio:

1. The Difference
2. Say Nothing
3. Rushing Back
4. Never Be Like You
5. Say It
6. Holdin’ On
7. Sleepless
8. Drop the Game
9. Insane
10. Smoke & Retribution

When the 2020 lineup came out, I was both stoked and intrigued to see Emo Nite listed as an act for the festival. For someone who grew up listening to emo bands and who has attended a few emo nights, I’ve never actually been to the official Emo Nite that started them all. I’m excited to finally see what this is all about at Coachella and who makes an appearance at the festival. Here is the Emo Nite preview I wrote in 2020. Emo Nite is slated for Saturday at Coachella 2022. I would anticipate it to be at one of the smaller stages like Gobi or Mojave. It may even be at Sonora, which would would be the perfect setting for Emo Nite as an all enclosed air conditioned space where everyone can mosh freely. Although it’s kind of tough to prepare for Emo Nite because there’s tons of emo music, here are a few staples that have a good chance of being played:

1. I’m Not Okay (I Promise) -My Chemical Romance
2. Dear Maria, Count Me In -All Time Low
3. Misery Business -Paramore
4. I Write Sins Not Tragedies -Panic! At the Disco
5. Sugar We’re Going Down -Fall Out Boy
6. The Best of Me -The Starting Line
7. Ocean Avenue -Yellowcard
8. MakeDamnSure -Taking Back Sunday
9. Hands Down -Dashboard Confessional
10. The Great Escape -Boys Like Girls

Coachella 2019 was the first time I saw Maggie Rogers perform. Honestly, I haven’t seen her since, but I’ve continued to listen to her since the last Coachella, one of my favorite festival experiences to date. Maggie Rogers was a small part of that because of her song “Back in My Body.” I became obsessed with the song while I was in Indio for three weeks and it was so cool to see her perform it live. The song now reminds me of that time in my life and working/being at Coachella. Since my preview of Maggie Rogers for the 2019 festival, she has released a new single, “Loved You For A Long Time,” and an album of old recordings, Notes from the Archives: Recordings 2011-2016. She’s recently been dropping mixtape EP’s with songs from both albums. A few weeks ago she reported that her latest album is done, but there’s no set release date as of yet. This makes me think she’ll be debuting a new song or two at Coachella. Maggie Rogers plays Sunday and I’ll be damned if she doesn’t play a sunset set at Main Stage or Outdoor Theatre. She played the Mojave tent in 2019 and it was far too small. I expect her to move up to a bigger stage just as her name moved up on the lineup. Here’s some Maggie Rogers songs you’ll want to know beforehand:

1. Alaska
2. Love You For A Long Time
3. Light On
4. Fallingwater
5. Back in My Body
6. Celadon & Gold
7. Burning
8. Give A Little
9. Say It
10. On + Off

My first exposure to Hayden James came in 2018 during EDC Las Vegas. If you’ve following my blog in the past few years, you’d know his song “Numb” became my top listened to song of 2018 too. Like many of the artists I mentioned before, he was slated to play Coachella in 2020 and now returns for 2022. I had the chance to preview him two years ago, since I was just as stoked to see him perform again then as I am now. Since 2020, the Australian deejay has released a handful of singles and a DJ mix. He’s also put out so much more music since I last saw him perform in 2018 at Electric Forest. I can’t wait to have the chance to watch him again. He plays Sunday at Coachella, and I can bet you’ll catch him at the Sahara tent. I’m predicting a late afternoon, early evening set. It might even be a sunset set. Here’s some old and new songs you’ll wanna check out before heading to his Sunday show:

1. Something About You
2. Numb
3. Just Friends
4. Foolproof
5. Rather Be With You
6. Hold Tight
7. On Your Own
8. Waiting For Nothing
9. Better Together
10. Just A Lover

These five Coachella 2022 acts have all been part of this blog at one point or another, whether they were previewed for 2020 or played in the past. The thing they all have in common though is that if I already previewed them once, then I like them and I’m hyped to see them play. I’ve been listening to all these artists for the past week, along with many others I’ve already previewed. Time is winding down. Dust off your flower crowns because before you know it, we’ll be back. Coachella will be back. The vibes, the tunes, the fashion, the art, the food, the sunsets, the views, and everything else you love about Coachella will be here before you know it. Get ready and keep listening. We’re almost there!

Coachella Band Preview: FINNEAS

From the day after the last Coachella ended in April 2019 until now, I’ve been waiting to go back. Obviously March 2020 put a huge damper on the yearly spring tradition, and since then it’s just been a waiting game. I spent so many times thinking about Coachella, looking at pictures, and wondering what the day would be like when I finally get to go back and hoping by then it would be a normal Coachella. Now here we are, I leave for Coachella in just under a month and the festival begins in 5 weeks tomorrow. 1,090 days since the last Coachella once Day 1 Weekend 1 2022 hits. It’s unreal. I still keep holding my breath as I prep by listening to acts playing the festival this year, watching the Coachella Documentary from 2020, booking my travel, and planning out what I want to wear. With plenty of festivals now happening and three years since the last installment, Coachella seems imminent. I truly can’t believe we’ve made it this far. With the amount of time left, it’s really time to intensify the prep so this week I’m previewing an artist I’ve known about for a few years who, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough credit.

Finneas Baird O’Connell really has his claim to fame through his sister, Billie Eilish. He writes and produces a ton of her music along with other artists. He also writes and records his own music under the name FINNEAS. Before taking on his own project, he was the lead singer in the band, The Slightlys and took on some acting projects in the early 2010’s, including having a few appearances on the musical based TV show Glee. Since 2016, he has been recording and releasing his own music though. He released his first EP Blood Harmony in 2019 and his first studio album Optimist just last year. His music style is considered pop/alternative. After listening to FINNEAS for the first time in 2019, I would definitely consider him a pop artist. Also, despite the fact that he writes Billie’s music, I really do prefer his stuff over his sister’s. I knew once I discovered this that I wanted to listen to him more, but never really made the effort to do so. I guess there’s no better time than the present and no better festival to do it for than Coachella.

Billie Eilish is Saturday night’s headliner and usually a Billie festival appearance equates a FINNEAS festival appearance (sans Coachella 2019 when Billie made her first Polo Fields appearance). He plays a Sunday set. I’d expect a Sunday afternoon appearance from the older O’Connell sibling. I would also expect a Gobi or Mojave set from him. His set will likely be far less crowded than the set he’ll be a part of on Saturday night, but nonetheless, will be just as good. Here’s what you should be listening to in preparation for FINNEAS:

1. Let’s Fall in Love for the Night
2. Break My Heart Again
3. I Lost A Friend
4. Till Forever Falls Apart
5. What They’ll Say About Us
6. Angel
7. A Concert Six Months From Now
8. I Don’t Miss You At All
9. Claudia
10. New Girl