I wanted to write a post describing our Coachella weekend; after all, it’s one of the first opportunities I’ve had to write about something we did rather than something we will do.  However, when I actually sat down to write the post (which I’ve done 4-5 times now), something about it almost defies description.  Coachella was such a whirlwind of sound, color, and experience that to put it into words is difficult.

On the other hand, that’s quite the cop-out when it actually comes to, you know, writing and maintaining a blog.  Which I’ve promised to do.  Plenty of experiences are probably difficult to put into words, but that’s exactly what I’m supposed to do.  So here goes!

This is Coachella:

See if you can find me!

Three days, six stages, dozens of bands, and more beers than you’ll eventually be able to keep track of, the numbers here point to a pretty kick-ass weekend.  It took us a couple years to get around to going, although the hesitation was mostly on my end; the lineup tends to lean more towards the EDM/Hip-Hop/Pop end of the spectrum, which isn’t generally my deal.  Lemme tell you, though, if the music selection is the main thing holding you back, don’t let it.  The artists are all objectively incredibly skilled, and the atmosphere will have you swept up in the music before you can say “I don’t even know this song”.

Here’s a few of the highlights from the long weekend

• Seeing Slash perform with Guns N’ Roses – Seeing GNR live was awesome enough, but having the chance to see them reunited with Slash was a rare opportunity.  Slash is, bar none, the greatest guitarist I’ve ever seen perform, and being able to see him and Axl Rose perform together for the first time in over 20 years is an experience I won’t soon forget.
• Camping – It came with its fair share of bumps, bruises, and cold nights, but I’d do camping over a hotel again in a heartbeat.  Being able to wake up and just walk over to the venue was super convenient, there was an overwhelming sense of camaraderie, and we were able to meet and hang out with some great people (hi Rachel and Jalisa!)
• The Ferris Wheel – Corny?  Maybe.  But the iconic Coachella Ferris Wheel isn’t just for decoration!  As our third and final day faded, we had the chance to take it for a spin (erm… so to speak).  Coachella is held in a valley, so riding the wheel gives you a birds-eye view of the entire venue, as well as the surrounding mountains.  Not bad for eight bucks!
• The Food – Just kidding.  The food was terrible.  Maybe we just ate at the wrong places, but if there’s one piece of advice I have, it’s to bring a decent food alternative.  That and sunscreen.

There was an overwhelming sense of freedom at Coachella.  Nobody was pretending to be anything they weren’t.  Nobody needed to.  Work was a problem for Future Sean (now Present Sean, unfortunately), and we were able to just be.  In a way, it was a glimpse of what I imagine our day-to-day being like once we hit the road.  Being “present”, something I’ve been struggling with lately, seemed like the most natural state of mind instead of a chore.

I’m glad we made it to Coachella before leaving Los Angeles.  The weekend was a liberating, exhilarating, chaotic, relaxing, enjoyable mess.  Here’s to many more.