arts and entertainment weekly
COACHELLA The Reunion of Rage and the Peppers take the stage the Coachella chronicles tales of desert concert exploits
far and away people come from far and wide to rock at Coachella
survey the stage the big names, the big shows, the big reviews
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BUZZ 05.03.07
NEAR AND FAR pg.4 The Coachella Valley festival draws people from all across the land. Check out dailytitan.com for a web video of the story and the foreigners behind the quotes.
THE CHRONICLES OF COACHELLA pg.5
After 5 years of braving the dust, the drums and the dancing, Wes Pingree pens his desert travel narrative.
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Jickie Torres EXECUTIVE EDITOR Adam Levy DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Emily Alford
A FESTIVAL OF OUR OWN pg.4
CSUF rocks hard with a few suprises of their own in its annual spring music fest.
WHAT’S THE BUZZ COACHELLA? pg.7
Special shows reviews from the three-day concert. From the Rage reunion to the Peppers and everything in between. And extra reviews online at dailytitan.com
COVER SHOT: The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea takes the rock-out stance. Photo by Karl Thunman, Daily Titan Photo Editor
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Beth Stirnaman PRODUCTION Jickie Torres ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sarah Oak, Ailin Buigues The Daily Titan 714.278.3373 The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 thebuzz@dailytitan.com Editorial Fax 714.278.4473 The Buzz Advertising 714.278.3373 ads@dailytitan.com Advertising Fax 714.278.2702 The Buzz , a student publication, is a supplemental insert for the Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan. It is printed every Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan
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CULVER WALNUT INTERSECTION: CULVER WALNUT by Florance Chung Daily Titan Staff Writer thebuzz@dailytitan.com
WALNUT
At the intersection of Culver and Walnut in Irvine lies a treasure chest of tastes from other cultures. Given the strong influence of Asian and Middle Eastern cultures in Orange County, it is no wonder that the two collided at this intersection, producing a variety of unique and delicious sights and experiences. A person could get nearly all of their necessities in the four blocks, from fresh baguettes at French’s
CULVER
bakery to gallons of salsa and chocolate syrup at Smart and Final. Right next to the street is Elephant Bar. Frequented by many after work, it is a place to kick back with a cocktail or a beer, and have some American-Asian fusion cuisine in funky décor complete with elephants and other African elements. From Thursday to Sunday, bellydancing is a highlight at Caspian’s, a Persian restaurant. The prices can be a little steep for every day eating, but the vibe is great for celebrations and parties. For those who like Korean food,
Best Grocery Store
Super Irvine A long time favorite of Middle Eastern families in the area, it boasts a variety of Middle Eastern snacks, like dried fruits, nuts and even hookahs. The prices and lines are worth the wait.
N
Best Pastries
Assal Pastry The napoleons from here are light and crispy. They also sell a variety of other Persian sweets, like syrupy crispy cookies and tiny sponge cakes. Devouring them in the parking lot or on the way home will not be an unusual experience.
there are three Korean restaurants at Heritage Plaza. They primarily serve Korean barbequed meats and hot tofu soup in the traditional stone pots. The prices are about the same as well, so it boils down to which atmosphere you like best: momand-pop or fast and trendy. Comfortable crowds gather by night in front of Lamp Post Pizza nearby Back Street Brewery, a microbrewery with handcrafted lagers and ales. So while there’s not a lot to do at this intersection, there is certainly a lot to eat.
Best Vegetarian Food
The Wheel of Life Often noted by vegans and non-vegetarians alike for great traditional Asian food. From fiery Thai hot pot soups to favorites like orange “chicken,” few miss the meat when they’re eating here.
Best Japanese Comfort Food
Curry House Curry House offers hearty, homey Japanese cuisine. The original premise behind Curry House is to promote House Food its parent company. Service here is also quick and effective. For the most part, the food is traditional Japanese curry, with various permutations and ingredients.
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Miles and Miles by jake kilroy Daily Titan Staff Writer thebuzz@dailytitan.com
License plates in the parking lots of the Coachella Music & Arts Festival marked travelers that had come from anywhere from Maine to Mexico. Attendees arrived from afar, carrying the spirit of their hometown with them. Prideful fans could be seen wearing thin flags as capes. Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia were among the nations represented in style. The festival brought people out to experience California for the first time, or even the United States of America. “This is my first time in America,” said Irene Baranova, 26, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Never left Canada before this.” It’s beautiful here in California, said Pedro Wilcox, 24, from Boise, Idaho. “I’ve never seen real palm trees. That was the first thing I texted to my friend. I was like, ‘I see real palm trees!’” Baranova said. Traveling to and arriving at
Coachella made for memorable stories attendees took with them back to retell at hometown pubs. “We got pulled over with some questionable materials in the car on the drive from Vegas to Coachella, but things went ok, and we got away with a speeding ticket,” said Rob Devries, 26, from Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada. Chase Menen, 22, from San Diego, couldn’t wait to tell hometown friends that he “walked right through the front door” without a ticket, laughing at security. Travelers’ opinions of security was on both sides, comparing what they expected and what they know of security back home. “The security here is pretty lax,” Menen said. “They made it really easy for me. It was pretty good of them.” “I had all these grand schemes going through my head as we were walking in,” Menen added. “I was actually a little disappointed.” Others saw policies as tedious. “They took all my vitamin water,” said Krissy Coutts, 35, from
The sun-drenched polo fields of the Coachella Valley Music Festival call music fans from near and far
Tallahassee, Fla. “I got kicked out yesterday for having a camcorder. I guess that’s frowned upon here,” said Ben Baker, 23, from North Virginia. What got the attendees once inside was the heat, which, for nonCalifornians, was something new. “It’s really hot here,” Lora Plauche, 25, from Nashville, Tenn. “This is my first sunburn. How about that?” Baranova said. “I’m not enjoying [the sunburn].” Scott Bell and Adam Scott, both 21, left their home of Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada, and laughed about the change in weather. “We went from 12 degrees to 40 degrees Celsius,” Scott said. Beyond missing Frisbees and bad beer little bothered travelers. “They say it’s Heineken beer, but there’s no way that is Heineken. Seven dollars for something that tastes like piss-water. That doesn’t work for me,” said Steve Little, 45, from Wilmington, N.C. Coachella’s ability to spawn reunions brought many to the desert
especially for Rage Against The Machine’s first show in seven years. “I’m going to wait in front of the stage for five hours before they play,” said CSUF student Curtis Thompson, 23, an illustration major. Baker, along with friends Bill Rautzen, 29, and Robert “Pockets” Duncan, 26, drove from the North Virginia area to see Rage. Bell and Scott drove 24 hours straight, tackling over 1,300 miles to see Rage. “As far as I’m concerned, [Rage Against The Machine] coming back to play a show is the biggest thing to happen in music in my lifetime,” Menen said. And regardless if Rage Against The Machine plays again, travelers will still come. “We’ve been a couple of years now and it’s a lot of fun and pretty wellorganized,” said Coutts. “I love it.” “Walking around and standing up, waiting for the bands to play, after a while, it gets to you,” Thompson said. “But it’s worth it in the end.” For the podcast, visit www.dailytitan.com
The Ch B
eing skilled in certain “crowd tactics and maneuvers” is a must in the Coachella desert. In a crowd of thousands, you must always be thinking ahead and preparing not only your mind but your body. The desert heat will burn a hole in your head if you allow it. Tendencies to follow the crowd can also lead you astray; thinking for yourself is a must and the only way to truly reach nirvana. My motto: there is always some way to achieve your goal and never, ever take no for an answer. We apply this methodology towards every aspect of Coachella. The Chronicles are the before, during and aftermath of any event. It is The Chronicles that make things so memorable. This is my chronicle of the pilgrimage to the desert where the sun beats on the stage, the sound beats through your chest and the life of the journey lies
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hronicles of Coachella everywhere in between.
Friday
Coachella 2007 is like no other. It is the first year where the scorching sun and the legendary music stretch form the usual two days to a grueling three. So this means more performers and yes, more fun. Tonight: Bjork, Interpol, DJ Shadow, Arctic monkeys and 15 other crazy bands will be playing. Jordan and I finally leave Orange around noon and make it to Indio in perfect time. Our secret is, we do not drive straight to the show. We show up to PGA West Golf Resort to stay with Jordan’s adoring Grandparents, Mama Jodi and Papa. So this is great, we got a bitchen place to stay, lots of dank food to eat and Papa lets us roll in his sweet golf cart. The ride around the grounds is not only to golf, but we check the
perimeter and scope out the scene to see where the party’s at. We meet some cool people and then realize that it is getting late and we must head towards the show. When rolling up to thousands of people, one must have the right music bumping. So of course, progressive trance fills the air. Strolling through the entrance with ease, we encounter that familiar feeling of adrenaline and begin skipping into the crowd. The sights and sounds intrigue every one of the senses and force you into a state of curiosity and excitement. Everyone was dancing and multiple stages illuminate the sky with wild lights and thumping beats. The first night was here and everything seemed to be in place for the weekend. The difference between the seasoned vets and the newbies were quite apparent. We see three girls topless with body
By Hyrum Wes Pingree For the Daily Titan
thebuzz@thedailytitan.com
paint, what a way to start the night. Children’s faces would catch you in a glance; to me this was odd because the show scars me sometimes. Walking from stage to stage put our legs to the test; raving on the dance floor tested our entire bodies. As I said before, you must take this sort of thing seriously. The main stage featured Bjork who weirded us all out and made the night complete. We conclude the evening with mellow Jacuzzi activities with fellow Coachella friends.
Saturday
Fresh smell of bacon and eggs fills the air, Oh yes! It’s going to be a good day. Now if you’re catching the drift of the story, you understand that “The Chronicles of Coachella” do not only pertain to the festival itself. You have to understand that when hundreds of thousands of people unite in a city, they infest everything.
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Over the last five years, I have experienced Coachella with Jordan Hood, my right hand man. Coachella is no laughing matter; we take it very seriously and encourage others to do the same. Out here we all come together to experience an intense, soul pounding musical extravaganza unlike any other. Coachella provides a venue for eclectic people to unite and unleash their inner souls. For some this is a new experience in which they never forget, but for others, Coachella is tradition. The Chronicles guides us through each phase of this celebration. Tonight, Tiesto, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ghost Face Killah, Regina Spektor and so many more were performing. The Peppers sang away into the night with songs known by everyone. Their performance was stale; I felt like I was listening to the radio. Maybe this is why DJ Tiesto headlined the night. He finished the night off like a gentleman, bringing his unique flavor unlike no other. We started a dance circle in the front of the stage and soon drew every sexy girl near; it must be our dancing skills. Saturday night was a success and we left with large smiles. A long night of parking lot hell led to a swift bedtime.
Sunday
Jordan and I decided to hit the course early and relax before the show. Little did we know what
soon lay ahead. Rounding the 11th hole we saw a private party in the distance. Pulling up in the cart, we concluded that this was a pretty serious deal. Big Heineken posters hung high and there were beautiful women everywhere you looked. We soon find that we were at Heineken’s private party among guests such as Paris and Nicky Hilton. Perfect, this is exactly what we were looking for. This crowd had been stopping by every sponsor’s private gig and we just happened to be on the right hole at the right time. By now leaving to the festival was almost like visiting your local bar. Willie Nelson got things going with some country loving and warmed the crowd up for Placebo, Manu Chao, and The Roots. As usual I needed to warm things up with the infamous Paul Van Dyke over in SEE FEST - PAGE 8
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Rage Against The Machine
When Rage came back to music, an army followed. Closing the sold-out Coachella festival Sunday night, Rage Against The Machine was the reason most ticket-holders were out spending their weekend in Indio. A banner of the massive red star of EZLN raised and all four men walked on stage, dressed like they never left. Only in glimpses could you see that Rocha was rusty, rediscovering his footing as the patron saint of rap-rock. The other three played half of their set as if they were still in Audioslave
THEBUZZ
WHAT’S – mellow, discrete and concentrated, not like they were the last seeminglyhonest activists in music. Halfway through, however, it became clear that maybe Rocha wasn’t just missing his old spirit. It may be that he’s sick of writing anthem after sacrilege with no change surfacing. In the last seven years, he’s been the only one under the radar. Fans may soon find Rocha to be a statesman rather than an activist, putting more thought into change than what is capable by the words of a brash politically-charged music idol. There were moments where the Rocha
of the Clinton-era erupted. Screaming “Bullet in your head,” Rocha treated the stage like his own trampoline. The end of “Wake Up” saw a conflict within Rocha. After suggesting the trial and execution of any administration following World War II, the vocalist found himself so energized and angry that he climbed a set of tall speakers, but was clearly exhausted that he still had to tell the masses to wake up. On any given song, Rocha wasn’t nearly as mad as he was on the album version. The band was who they once were, during the encore, jumping
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together with a style of urgency throughout “Freedom” and “Killing In The Name.” Once the entire band left the stage, fans, strangers to each other, high-fived one another or chanted “welcome back” with fists pumping in the warm desert air. Now in their late 30s and early 40s, members of Rage may have grown up in those seven absent years. But these observations are here because someone had to say something other than “Rage Against The Machine’s reunion show was amazing. It was pretty much every great thing we expected. It was so good.” But, to be honest, Rage Against The Machine’s reunion show was amazing, and for the most part, was pretty much every great thing we
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expected. It was so good. Welcome back, Rage. - by Jake Kilroy Daily Titan Staff Writer
Arcade Fire Being asked to play between the hard rocking sounds of the Kings of Leon and the classics of the Red Hot Chili Peppers isn’t an easy task, but for Arcade Fire it was a time to shine. As the sun started to settle behind the Indio horizon, Arcade Fire blasted through a strong set that featured songs from both of their hit albums. New songs like “Keep the Car Running” and “Black Mirror” seemed to mesmerize the large audience gathered around
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WHAT’S
Coachella’s main stage, while older songs such as “Neighborhood #3” kept the crowd chanting. The 10-piece band, armed with haunting violins and the resonatingvoiced Win Butler, got the dazed audience’s attention by entering the dehydrated Coachella crowd during “Rebellion (Lies)” before returning to the stage to close their set with “No Cars Go.” The Arcade Fire’s odd knack of building momentum in each of their songs with assorted instruments was a refreshing change to the electronic dance acts that filled this year’s Coachella lineup. The set was a breath of fresh air in the sticky Indio desert, and while many feel that Canada is a dull country, let’s thank them for producing one of
this Coachella’s most compelling live acts. - Tom Madden Daily Titan Staff Writer
The Red Hot Chili Peppers The Peppers have definitely withstood the test of time. In an era of one-hit wonders, they have proved, with their 20-plus year career, that they are a staple in the rock music industry. They headlined the second day of the festival, appearing on the main stage at around 9:30 p.m. to a crowd of 10,000. Instead of performing songs off of their latest album, Stadium Arcadium, the band performed nostalgic hits “Give It Away” and “Otherside.”
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The crowd was pumped, but it was obvious people were worn out from the day or, maybe, they used their secret stash that they were able to sneak past security. In either case, the simple fact that they are able to still reach out to a 20-something audience, demonstrates the band’s longevity. - Michelle Ascencio Daily Titan Staff Writer
Selling Out & Going Home Get Set Go File Under: Pop Done Well
It’s getting tiring mentioning that this band is famous for being on the regular soundtrack for Grey’s Anatomy. But it is, alas, their most notable accomplishment – so far anyway. The popular television show began using Get Set songs when the show debuted; as the popularity of
movies Dr. McDreamy compelled millions to tune in, a few thousand were caught off guard by the clever catchy tunes that often hinged the show’s most emotional moments. It’s for good reason. Mike TV, the man that fronts the L.A.-based quintet, is emotional and voraciously honest. After their first album was released in 2003 to great reviews, the indie band forged admirably ahead to fight in a sea of big-label competition. They lost, so to speak, and as TV details so candidly in his humorous and poignant blog, the celebratory mood turned selfdestructive and amidst changes in the band, TV spiraled out of control with drug addiction. Surprisingly, Get Set Go’s music is nowhere as bleak and sad sounding as their story. In fact, the band’s guitar pop and upbeat melodies are reminiscent of the Beach Boys, with the perfect balance of pep and melancholy that Weezer and Belle and Sebastian do so well. With “Selling Out & Going Home”, the band’s third album in four years, the sound is darker and more aggressive than their
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FEST: weekend chronicle (From page 5)
the Rave Tent. His music lifted the crowd up and then slammed us back down to the ground. In the distance we heard the crowd roar for Rage Against the machine. Jordan and I made our way into the abyss of the crowd. The first note hit and the crowd ignited. Never before have I experienced this. I felt trapped under a wave and couldn’t get up.
The energy of the crowd created a rumbling effect and generated a breeze from the massive pit. Human energy is the only way to describe the night. We ended the week with a sense of accomplishment and prepare for next year. The weekend reinforces a lesson: the journey to the concert is not just the path to the show, but the Chronicles around it that last a lifetime.
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Ultimate Spring Surprise
Find extra reviews and Sense and Sexability online at dailytitan.com
CSUF’s spring concert festival gets big names and one big surprise
several songs together before doing Consequence’s new single, “Don’t Daily Titan Staff Writer thebuzz@dailytitan.com Forget ‘Em.” “That’s how you know good music,” It was the end of a blistering hot West said. “The radio doesn’t need to day. The sun was beginning its descent sell it to you. When the music starts, behind the Titan soccer stadium, and you can just feel it.” a light breeze began to cool the Cal The two met in 2002 through Ada State Fullerton students taking their Keys. Consequence would tell anyone seats at the Fullerton Ultimate Spring who wants to make it in the music Concert. business, “Don’t Quit Your Day Job,” A r t i s t s the title of his Consequence, new album. Sherwood and A f t e r headliner Shiny the show, Toy Guns Consequence entertained sold his audiences Friday merchandise, night. took pictures Consequence and signed began the autographs. per formance, Sherwood getting the took the stage audience on their next. Vocalist/ feet with his rap bass guitarist song and help Nate Henry from his DJ, took a good Boogie Black. look at the “You’re not at audience from a baseball game, the stage. don’t do the wave,” “This whole By Aline Lessner /Daily Titan Staff Photographer Consequence said. sherwood - Band frontman, time is going to “Get your hands Nate Henry dazzles the crowd at F.U.S.C. be a question up.” And the and answer audience did just that -- until they heard session,” Henry said. “The question is: a familiar voice. how can a band follow Kanye West? Someone was singing, “Gold The answer is this.” Digger.” Then Kanye West entered They answered with an up-beat, from backstage. energetic show. West and Consequence did “We’ve always taken our live By Caitlyn Collins
Rebecca Hartness/ Daily Titan Staff Photographer
Kanye and Consequence - Hip-hop artist Consequence
performs with surprise guest, Kanye West, at F.U.S.C. Friday night, April 27. shows very seriously,” Leibovich said. “It doesn’t matter to me whether we’re playing for 20 people or 2,000 people.” They played intensity, especially Leibovich, who used his whole body as a dancing instrument. Henry’s voice was virtually flawless, holding out notes with a pleasing, full tone. Sherwood ended the show like they always do, asking their audience to help raise money for “Blood Water Mission” that digs wells in Africa. When Shiny Toy Guns took the stage next, the audience was on its feet. Technical difficulty punctuated their performance. When everything was fixed, the band started the set back up with an energetic song that regained momentum. “Each song is an independent piece that makes us excited in the color of that piece,” Dawson said. “As the parents of the songs, they’re equal. They’re just all different colors.”
The band hails from Oklahoma City, but their ambition to work “en mass” spurred them to go to Los Angeles to “be in a major market.” The band lines up next to each other on stage very democratically, Dawson said, “to be as close to the people who matter the most--the people who hear the music.” “It’s nice to be up front with the rest of my band,” Martin said. “We’re all equal. It helps us interact more, helps me interact with the audience.” Charnow said that her favorite part about performing is audience reaction. “It could be something in their face, it could be movement, it could be something they say afterwards that touches your heart,” she said. Charnow is easily the focal point of the band, dancing around the stage and actively engaging the audience. “I sure wish you guys were closer, as intimate as this doesn’t feel,” Charnow told the audience. “I wish you guys were right here.”