Dreading my Sunday morning meeting, I rolled out of bed any ways and went to work.
After the meeting, I remembered I'd left my phone in the office and scrolled through all my missed messages. My friend Gwynie had left me a voicemail which said, "Hey Rosie, if you're not doing anything today, we've got an extra ticket to Coachella if you want to go..." Um, what???
Super psyched, I called her back. I had time to rollerblade from Venice to Santa Monica and back, went home and cleaned my room. Took a nap, then left for Coachella around 4PM and got there by 630 PM. AbRAM met me at the vendor's gate and got me in for FREE. NIIIIIIICE!!!
First thing I saw was the Do-Lab. Suzy Q and another dancer performed a burlesque like dance piece. HOT.
Walked over to the main event and saw Willie Nelson.
Abe and I jetted back to the Do-Lab to see Lucent Dossier. I saw this company back in November in downtown LA at Lucent Delirium, EXCELLENT people to party with.
Low and behold was Ana, already a friend and soon to be my future roommate. She had her sexy blue electric cello with her. I'd never seen her play until today, and yes, she plays a mean cello! I'd never seen anyone play a cello with the style she has...which is probably the reason why she plays with all the rock stars!
Abe showed me the artist's camp, if I wanted to set up my tent and spend the night. I had all my gear with me, but wanted to be responsible and show up to work at 10 am Monday morning. I'm sure the hang would have been incredible though.
Abe took a nap, but I headed back to the festival to find some friends that told me they'd be working in the merchant tent, where ever that was.
I ran into this guy Sammy Bliss, a DJ/photographer/actor/circus performer from LA. I'd been to some of his parties, saw him perform once and I think we might have even done a show together in the past with Jen from Cirque Berzerk. Anyhoo, he immediately asked, "Where do you work?"
"I work for Apple."
"Yeah, that's right! That's where I know you from, I was there the other day, but one of your other coworkers' helped me."
"I didn't help you?"
"No, you were on the other end of the bar."
OK...at first I was sort of flattered. But then I was sort of perplexed...eeks! He remembers me as a "techie" from the Apple Store, not as an artist that flies around in the mid air. Here I was at this huge alternative music festival, and I run into someone who recognizes me from a somewhat conservative world. WEIRD!
In the distance I hear someone rapping, "...What's with the attitude, she said its all right...She gave me headphones..." lyrics to one of Cut Chemists songs. I didn't pay any mind to it because I wanted to check out the dome that Gwyn, Billy, Dave and Abe helped with on the build, but the lyrics kept getting LOUDER.
I walk into the dome that my friends built and there they were, f*ckin' Cut Chemist. Here's the video:
The other tents in this area where all about the DJs and art. FUN. I danced with whoever as the moon started to rise.
Checked out all the tents, but couldn't find Michelle, Katie or Andrew from SCP. Oh well.
Feeling hungry, I tried the garlic parmesan french fries in honor of the SCP'ers that ever walked Karl Strauss, a restaurant in Costa Mesa. In their absence, I toasted them.
I looked at my phone and realized Manu Chao was playing in 5 minutes! So I rushed to the main stage and found the perfect spot right behind the sound booth. Best place to be to hear the sound with this fine band. I called and texted Abe with my coordinates so he could find me. Pretty much everyone in this area was shaking a limb. How can you not with this distinct exotic sound? Their sound is so unique, so dancey, so AWESOME!!!
After their set, we contemplated the idea of either checking out Damien Rice or setting up for Rage Against the Machine in the VIP area. Um, did I just say there was a way we could get into the VIP area? Dayam...I love my friends!!!
So we headed over there and sat on the special grass that was sectioned off for the VIP'ers. As we waited for band to walk the stage, Abe and I figured out the answers to life, where heaven was and who really shot JFK. If I repeated the answers here, then I would be in serious trouble.
Then Rage got on stage. Yo, the music wasn't louder then our energy. So we left VIP and headed towards the stage...a potential for danger as we searched for a serious mosh pit!
We got close enough, the music was loud and the people around us didn't present any real danger. So we stayed in this spot and screamed out the lyrics with the head bangers around us. GOOD TIMES! I felt so lucky to witness a momentous moment with a great friend. Lucky me!!!
Well, as much as didn't want to, I had to leave. Rage finished their long set, the crowd wanted more, but it wasn't exactly clear if they were going to do a encore or not. Fearing traffic, I gave Abe a hug and headed back to the vendor lot with a HUGE smile on my face.
As I passed the Do-Lab, there was Ana rockin on her cello. I heard Rage go back on stage in the distance and danced all the way back to my car.
Driving home I thought I was the luckiest person alive. Not because I got a free ticket for Coachella, but because I really felt the love from my dearest of friends. They thought about me and went out of their way to invite me to something they thought I would enjoy. I got to see the dome they built, watch some of them perform and see other bands and DJs that I admired...all at the same festival...it just tickled my soul.
Life is so great right now...no complaints...just pure happiness and a whole lot of thankfulness.
