San Diego Reaps Benefits Of Coachella Music Festival

MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: This is KPBS Midday Edition, I am Maureen Cavanaugh. You are listening to the red hot chili peppers, one of the headliner bands at this year's Coachella music Festival. The annual music and art celebration and the debts are outside of India continues to grow. Last year Coachella expanded to two weekends and that continues this year. San Diego is reaping a side benefit of that expansion. Bands that are playing both this coming weekend and the one after need to do something during the in between weeks of several of the big acts have booked concerts here. Joining us to talk about Coachella and the fringe benefits headed to San Diego are my guests, Tim Pyles is host of the show the local 94 nine that airs Sundays from nine to midnight on FM 94 nine. Tim welcome to the program. TIM PYLES: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Rosie Bystrack is here. She is author of the SD blog SD Dialed In. Rosie, hi. ROSIE BYSTRACK: Hi thanks for having me MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: The extension to two weekends seems to be a hit in Coachella. Why do you think it's working out so well? TIM PYLES: You know it has become the destination festival. There are so many festivals that are going on around the country but being one of the first big ones and being in the desert across people from all over. I think originally was something big that Californians are in the general region went to bed now you have people from all over the world making a point to be there, so two weekends is maybe not enough. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Now, Rosie, Coachella gets 20% of its audience from San Diego. Tell us about how the anticipation grows in the weeks before Coachella emerges ROSIE BYSTRACK: Well even before that you have all of these false schedule side, way in advance of Coachella, so you have fake posters, people trying to guess who the headliners are going to be for next year and then Coachella finally announces the lineup and of course everyone get super excited, ticket sellout super quickly and then you have this sort of lull, and then the weekends are coming in so now it's going to be buzz everywhere. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: I'm going to ask you both to give us a quick idea of what attending Coachella is like. I mean, what is actually like, Tim? TIM PYLES: You know, I've been to every single Coachella over the years. I've been to every one, but originally we try to get there for me personally in such a music fan there are bird pants that start early as 1230, one o'clock so I would get there early and it would be a long day. You are there are literally if you want to see the whole day you are there till one in the morning that's a lot to ask for. Over the years I think I strained a little bit too later in the evening and that seems to be a popular time to go maybe it's the sun setting you have to drink a lot of water and take care of yourself but they have a lot of great infrastructure there to provide everything for you even if it's recycling 10 empty water bottles for a free water bottle. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: And Rosie? ROSIE BYSTRACK: I was kind of a newbie when I went a few years ago for the first time and I was expecting this horrible mass of people, dry, you know that was the first year they instituted if you bought a Coachella water bottle for 10 bucks you could refill it for free all day with cold water and of course there are vendors and food, and alcohol to be had everywhere. But, for me it was more because I get to see so many of the bands in smaller venues on a regular basis for me it was more the group experience, seeing, Carney was incredible among the thousands of people singing every song, and you know, Morrissey whining about meat. And you know, things like that but I went back last year and it was another exciting experience, so. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Tim, what are the big I explained this year at Coachella? TIM PYLES: For me personally am very excited about the two headliners on the first evening. I'm a big fan of Britpop and a lot of them aren't oriented bands that come out of England over the years, but the stone roses are playing along with blur and I'm very excited about that. That was a funny point is a lot of people were initially confused about the band the stone roses they are a large band obviously much bigger in the UK but there was a whole website devoted to tweets about people confused. They didn't know who this band was, the Stone roses. They are one of the main headliners on the first evening but a great band and something I'm very excited to see. Other bands you know there are so many and they cover such a great diversity. You might find me in the DJ tent. I keep my shirt on, but I like the electronic music and then like them the two-tone, from the 80s in England is great there so much to offer. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: And as I said we have a spillover because there's a week between weekends in Coachella so which bans are coming here? TIM PYLES: The list is actually rather long I think a big one that starts this Wednesday at a venue that a lot of people are not familiar with (inaudible) it in North Park and this band featuring Ian McKay who is pretty much this icon in punk rock and the music and he used to be in a band called for Ghazi minor threat, so his band the events are playing at the irenic on Wednesday that just kind of kicks it off and that's a couple days away. The list is long, Nick Cave is coming, transferred and of course is playing Rosie, who else? MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Rosie I want to ask you about Kurt Weill ROSIE BYSTRACK: We have Kurt Weill coming to the house by and he has a record coming out tomorrow on Matador records so we are excited to have him back. He's kind of this funny look slightly awkward dude he's got 10 siblings and used to be a forklift driver but he is sort of a troubadour MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: This is the title song of his new album called walking on a pretty days. [music playing] MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Kurt Weill walking on a pretty days it's actually 9 min. long, not being rotation on the top 40 hits. TIM PYLES: Not at all. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: He is performing on the Casbah on April 12 what is he like in concert? ROSIE BYSTRACK: Like I said he's kind of this awkward dude I've actually helped him sell his merchandise so he's very shy kind of hides behind his hair and when people come up to him he's a little bit awkward, but life he commands the stage, so it's going to be a good show. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Let's talk about another band coming to San Diego, Franz Ferdinand. They had a big success several years ago, right? TIM PYLES: Sure when they debuted in early 2000s it was pretty quick and immediate here in the states when I think it was take me out was the first song that kind of embraced American radio and they continue, they are a great band, great performers and kind of inspired art rock you know something that I think they do. Always a fun time. I'm a big fan looking forward to seeing them. Rosie is even going to go out to the desert and see that they are playing at a place called Pappy and Harriet's because again it is spread so far and wide as to how many shows you could go to if you get to guess or do not want to go to something like Coachella in fact the whole Southern California region is filled with shows of these bands are playing limited shows before San Diego is our backyard and there is a long list. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: And they will be performing at Humphries on the big next week on Monday right, let's hear from them, this is Franz Ferdinand, right thoughts, right words, right actions. [music playing] MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: That is Franz Ferdinand and they will be playing at Humphries by the Bay next Monday. I'm sorry, a week from today, Monday. Do you think even though they are from Scotland they still qualify as Britpop, for you? TIM PYLES: I think they fit more in like the talking heads, and kind of the art rock world of bands that have been around over the years, definitely offering something a little different in the alternative world, but touching on the (inaudible) that the great hard rock bands over the years MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Let's go from rock to hip-hop, Aesop rock is playing the belly up next Thursday he's been around since the late 90s. Would you call him maybe a pop legend, Rosie? ROSIE BYSTRACK: I doubt that I'd call him a legend because it is more of a fringe type of performance and lyricist. So maybe a legend, but more of a niche legend, then I mean, he's not up there with ice cube, I mean it's a very different type of hip-hop. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Okay very different let's hear it, Aesop rock, zero dark 30. [music playing] MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Aesop's zero dark 30. Would you say Coachella is characterized more by rock bands then hip-hop bands? ROSIE BYSTRACK: I think more rock than hip-hop, but maybe equal rock and equal dance. So, the dance tent they have a whole tend devoted, the Sahara tent to sort of electronic see Djs and things like that, the hip-hop sort of crosses over between that and the rock stages but definitely more of your indie rock alternative rock is what you are going to see at Coachella. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: And you agree, Tim? TIM PYLES: The introduction of some hip-hop over the years (inaudible) is even think reuniting with the full lineup for the first time in years but I would say it's much more even leaning toward these festivals that go on in the UK like Glastonbury or even of these big main stage festivals because if it resembles something like that. For years we just had something like lollapalooza that was a traveling thing, and this is just something that something I look for any time you'd see in (inaudible) magazine crazy festivals in England. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Why doesn't it come here TIM PYLES: We finally got Coachella. There were a rumor that the Rolling Stones were going to headline it and it did not come to fruition but they are playing Glastonbury. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Last year one of the big surprises was an amazing hologram of deceased rapper Tupac Shakur during a performance. Do you expect some sort of amazing affect like that? You're going to be going the second week, right?, Tim? TIM PYLES: I know that was pretty mind blowing and groundbreaking at the time. I don't know. I don't know that I would say that the Beastie Boys would never do it, or anybody, I can imagine in the future that the hologram thing will be kind of a thing and maybe not so much in our lifetime but in the future people will go see a holographic Beatles or something like that. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Before we go tell us a little bit about Teagan and Sarah, you used to say they write some of the best songs you will ever hear, what you mean by that? TIM PYLES: It could be their connection as being twin sisters, I don't know. I just love them. I think they write these great songs and I'm just a big fan. I love going to their shows and they have this great attitude and it reflects in their music and they are just great artists. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: There also coming to Humphreys on the bay. What is their new album heartthrob like? ROSIE BYSTRACK: I haven't heard it yet. I saw them in December and I think they were sort of like preparing those songs and it was an amazing performance but I have not heard the full record so I'm really looking forward to it. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: So who have we missed if you can tell us briefly not the full, but the highlights of people were playing at Coachella are coming to San Diego, Tim? TIM PYLES: Nick Cave and the bad seeds is an amazing act and they are playing at the Balboa theater ROSIE BYSTRACK: J mass is the cast was going to be great. Dinosaur Junior is playing a full tour all over the place, but San Diego will be the only solo show with Jay alone. TIM PYLES: The faint at Fox are a great electro-punk band that's been around for a well kind of spun a scene, and more or less broke up, but they are back and are playing some shows and what is going to be at Fox nightclub which is kind of a unique spot if you've never been done. This over-the-top dance club but occasionally to cast but has actually done some rock shows and that one's going to be pretty fun. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Let me tell our listeners that we will have a full rundown of the Coachella I explained in San Diego on the website so if you want to go to KPBS.org you can check them out any idea what scalpers are getting for Coachella tickets this time around? ROSIE BYSTRACK: I haven't really looked and I feel like which has tried to really actively prevent scalpers by doing me know, ID checks and with ticketing so that your name is on your ticket and sending these cigar boxes with the whole package MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: I have a feeling it might happen anyway. ROSIE BYSTRACK: It will happen, people will find a way. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Tim Pyles, Rosie Bystrack, thank you very much. We are going to go out with a track from Teagan and Sarah this is there so, goodbye. [music playing] MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: Be sure to watch KPBS Evening Edition tonight at 6:30 join us again tomorrow for San Diego's top stories on Midday Edition here at KPBS FM. I am Maureen Cavanaugh and thank you for listening.