The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, reigning as one of the largest and most notorious the three-day outdoor festivals, rocked the town in full force from April 17th-April 19th 2009. Celebrating it's 10 year anniversary, Coachella's line-up did not disappoint the over 160,000 attendees at the festival, including legendary Paul McCartney,who kicked off the festival as Friday night's headliner. Bringing people from around all parts of the globe, this year's festival was full of fans, art, music, and fun as Indio became the most sought after "hot spot" for a whole weekend. Mirroring the infamous success and "vibe" of Woodstock, Coachella aims at bringing in a plethora of head-lining musicians ranging from Madonna, Rage Against the Machine, Daft Punk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay, to this years legendary Paul McCartney. Catering to music preferences of rock, alternative, electronic, and indie-rock, the festival provides the old and new talent of the music world to make their mark on the acclaimed Coachella bill. This year was no exception with a headliner that turned heads and tuned ears to new comers like The Presents, We Are Scientists, Friendly Fires, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with some "old" talent too like M.I.A., The Cure, The Killers, TV on the Radio, and yes, Paul McCartney.
Rocking out to classic Beatle's songs like Blackbird, Hey Jude, and Let it Be, McCartney did not disappoint with his nearly 3-hour long performance. One on-looker exclaimed, "We are witnessing history, this is one of the most...powerful moments I have ever experienced, I still can't
believe this!"
What may pose as primary setback to those wanting to attend Coachella is the high ticket prices of over $300 for the entire weekend. Yes, it may seem like an astronomical number for attending a concert, but when all is said and done, you can not put a price on history. For this Coachella, McCartney was not only part of that history, but the driving force behind the epic night of Coachella's opening night. Engaging the crowd of teenagers, professionals, and older hipsters, McCartney spoke with a universal language of music that brought the crowd together as one under the cool, desert sky.
