Springsteen

Well, we made it to the Springsteen concert. 

Something I feel I have been working toward for 26 (or so) years and I was pretty excited to say the least.

The venue was the HP Pavilion in the Silicon Valley town of San Jose, a very cool and clean place - and as Google, Ebay, Adobe Facebook etc have their offices in town the CBD has free WIFI, which is handy. 

Anyway back to Bruuuuuuuce. 

The set list was as follows, 

We take care of our own

Wrecking ball (Both songs of the new album, and he was very pumped up to be playing them)

Badlands (Hooley Dooley, he killed it here. This song really hit home that I was seeing Bruce with my own eyes. He was very passionate and he played the solos, which I wasn't sure he still did)

Death to my hometown

My city of ruins

Thundercrack (complete with audience "participation" which led him to state "that why I'm getting paid)

Jack of all trades (Daves favourite, )

Murder Inc

Johnny 99 (Never heard this one with a full band, as its from the Nebraska album and normally solo guitar, very cool)

My love will not let you down

Shackled and drawn

Waitin on a sunny day

The Promised land (he took a bit to warm into this one but when he did he proved he hasn't lost any of the fire and energy of original recordings)

Backstreets (Amazing song, another amazing solo)

41 Shots

Apollo Medley (Some soul songs fromt the bands residency days)

The Rising

Lonesome day

We are alive

Thunder Road :) (Pinching my self here)

Encore

Rocky ground

Out in the street (hard to pick favourite but if I had too...)

Born to Run (WHOOOOOOOOO)

Dancing in the dark (picked a litte girl out of the audience to dance with al la Courtney Cox)

Rosalita

Tenth Avenue Freeze out (for the missing Clarence Clemons)

All in all an amazing concert which I felt sooooo lucky to be at. 

Crowd surfing.

Flight to San Jose

The Hacienda

Back in LA for a night at the Hacienda.

Coachella Day 3

Back to Coachella for day three!

Got in nice and early and very close to see Band of Skulls. Very polite british kids – carry on. Seem to have the White Stripes throne sewn up.

Saw Santigold and she redeemed her self from a poor Southbound set a few years back, she was pumped up and her and here dancers did a good show. Nice to see her with an actual band too.

Fitz and the Tantrums were whatever.

The Hives were great – what can you say. Best frontman ever!! Yes!!

Went and got nice and close for Goyte. The Yanks loving him at the moment. Sang Kimbras verse without even being prompted.

Back to Justice who did a big dumb show with riffs etc. Was good at that time of the night but. At least its original material

Went to watch Beriut who were sensational – again. Thanks for getting me into them Tash!!

Saw bits of At the Drive in and Florence.

Then saw Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Holy sh!t that was amazing. Nate Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, Tupac (holographic form). Was most fun set of the festival!!!! Everyone was loving it - what a way to close it off

Band of Skulls

Main stage

Keeping cool in the bar area

Last sunset

Beruit

Land sharks

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre

Coachella Day 2

Got manhandled to get in again today, they take the security checks seriously.

Got here about 1:40 to see Vaccines, very cool band – loved it. Went and saw the Big Pink who I didn’t really get into but Dave stayed and I ducked off to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. When I got there she sounded like a polished pop star, bit boring really but she hopped of the piano and got a big grungier and then she was pretty good.

Out in front of the Main stage for Kaiser Chiefs. Ricky Wilson is a fantastic front man and the Kasier Cheifs are full of energy but then are getting on a bit. He hopped into the crowd and went to the bar and was just getting all around the festival. 

Went and saw Andrew Bird who I was really impressive with. Great set – will definitely be chasing up some more of his music. 

Was in the bar for a sing along set of Noel Gallagher, again his time might have passed but I dig Oasis and great to hear him sing a few of those songs and to sing along to. 

Went over the Sahara tent to see a bit of Sebastian Ingrosso, who is just another DJ playing the same set in the same Sahara tent (an epileptics worst nightmare I might add - flashing lights)

Saw a bit of Kasabian on the way to lineup for Bon Iver. He/they was great and was super close. What to say – he and his band have a huge dynamic range, hushed whisper to huge crash bang. Amazing set!

His set list was;

Perth (Whooo - Im from there!!!)

Minnesota WI

Holocene

Blood Bank

Hinnom TX

Wash 

Skinny Love

Calgary

Lisbon OH

Best/Rest

The Wolves Act I/II

For Emma

As we were leaving Bon Iver people were pushing in to see Radiohead – crazy busy.

Radiohead played lots of new stuff, but I saw House of Cards so I was happy.

Grace Potter thrashing around.

Ricky Wilson of the Kasier Chiefs performing everywhere but on stage

Andrew Bird, really great set!!

Main stage at sunset

The ever present Ferris wheel

Bon Iver stage set

Bon Iver

Radiohead stage

Coachella Day 1

Wristbands

Got to Coachella nice and early in the serious heat. Sheepdogs were on at one, good fun stuff. 

Saw a bit of Hello Seahorse after that– she was a pretty amazing singer.

Gary Clark Jnr was amazing guitarist, will be chasing up some of his stuff - then off the Arctic Monkeys, who were good but not as good as the Southbound closing set. 

Pulp were amazing again.

Black Keys were great, having a whole band to support them now, but they still work best as a two piece – ducked off from Black Keys to see Explosions in the Sky who were seriously fantastic, and then Swedish House Mafia closed out but they were pretty boring.

Here are some pics!!!

Putting our faces (sunscreen) on before heading out

The Sheepdogs

Pulp

Explosions in the Sky

Explosions in the Sky

Coachella

Shadow Mountain Resort

Just a quick update of the resort before I get some other real camera shots up.
Great pool - its not Port Beach but it'll do when it's 38 out here

Sunset in Palm Desert - Amazing