Coachella 2009: Ida Maria sets the desert on fire; M.I.A. fails to “bring it”

Day 2, April 18, 2009, in Indio, California

By Soumeya Bendimerad
Published: April 19th, 2009 | 2:55pm

Coachella on day two seemed to be split up between two sides of that well known duo of rhythm and blues — or at least found somewhere along that spectrum. Some of the bands relied strongly on beats and rhythm as the prominent element of their music, and the other half of the bands showcased, if not quite the blues, then at least the traditional songwriting aptitude in American rock and roots traditions. Either way, the women of the festival shone brightly, and the meeting of styles showed why the festival draws music-lovers from all over.

First, the guitars. A genre of music seemed to be born today around Dr. Dog, Blitzen Trapper, and Fleet Foxes, who all take their musical starting point to the rock of the late 1960s and early ’70s. Blitzen Trapper, who played in the Gobi tent, played a tight, pop-oriented set with several instruments, including two organs and a recorder. Glitchy electronic details kept the set from sounding overly nostalgic, and the vocals were excellent. In the Mojave tent a few minutes later, Dr. Dog brought a set that was sunnier and tougher, with Beach Boys melodies melding with some seriously jamming guitar. Fleet Foxes played to a huge crowd, despite some technical difficulties, which may have contributed to the dull feeling from their set. Although the harmonies, which they are best known for, sounded fine, there was no spontaneity or surprise coming from the band.

In sharp contrast to the flatness of Fleet Foxes, Ida Maria opened the festival this morning like a fireball from the stage. Her backing band was a classic rocknroll setup: drummer, bassist, and guitarist ripping through Stooges-like riffs as Maria sang and occasionally played guitar. The singer, whose full name is Ida Maria Børli Sivertsen, roared through her songs as she shook her bright turquoise flapper dress and swung her guitar. Also loud and crunchy was Superchunk, who hopped around the stage with no sign that the band had clocked 20 years behind it as the band promoting its new EP, Leaves in the Gutter.

Amanda Palmer, one half of the Dresden Dolls, enthralled her fans with her cabaret-rock act in which she gave her all and had quite an interactive performance when she jumped into the crowd and asked to be crowd-surfed to the very back. (Also during the day, she recruited a group of fans, who together spelled out “A-M-A-N-D-A F-U-C-K-I-N-G P-A-L-M-E-R on their backs.) She then led a sing-along of Radiohead’s “Creep” on the ukulele.

Jenny Lewis, who took to the outdoor stage after sunset, also gave a truly outstanding performance. Like her friend Conor Oberst the day before, Lewis played a set that was heavy with Americana influences, many from her latest album, Acid Tongue, with a backing band that looked like long-lost Allman Brothers members. Lewis’ voice was clear and strong as she hit the higher notes of her songs and occasionally handed vocalist duties to her bandmate and boyfriend Johnathan Rice.

Between the sets of rock and alternative country, there were plenty of opportunities to dance, including the set of the most highly anticipated and, in some ways, the most disappointing M.I.A. Known for her energetic and intelligent music, M.I.A. seemed lost on stage as her DJ blew an air horn sample what seemed like endlessly and she at some point said, “I really don’t know how to bring it on the main stage.” Despite attempts by her D.J. to rile the crowd and her protégé Rye Rye to help, M.I.A. seemed to be both aware of and disgusted by the energy and preparation it takes to entertain a crowd that large.

On the stage, a podium with many microphones was set up to mimic a press conference, a sort of nod to the enormity of the performance, the birth of her child, and perhaps even that she had been a late replacement for trouble-laden Amy Winehouse. Her demeanor was almost resigned, and M.I.A. sadly did not “bring it.” Many of the other acts did, though, including Canadian electronic band Junior Boys and standout upstart Gang Gang Dance. During Gang Gang Dance’s set, singer Liz Bougatsos’ voice held high over the steady beats as she shook her long, black hair and smiled ecstatically at the crowd. Also closing out the festival was MSTRKRFT, whose crowd far overshot the Sahara tent where the band was housed.

Of course, not everything that day could be divided easily between rhythm and blues, but one group married them perfectly. Tinariwen, a West African Tuareg band, employed electric guitars and traditional darbouka drumming to meld a beautiful, rhythmic dance music that had the audience swaying, clapping and, yes, dancing, which made it, in my opinion, the best performance of the day.

For more photos from day two of Coachella visit Venus Zine's Flickr page