Zac Brown Band performs Sunday night at Stagecoach. Marilyn Chung/The Desert Sun
The Atlanta Georgia-based Zac Brown Band closed out the 2013 edition of Stagecoach Sunday night with their 2008 chart-topping hit, “Chicken Fried,” a fun loving, down-homesy tune about the simple pleasures of Southern living.
The group’s captivating hour and forty minute set served up some tantalizing string work by fiddling phenom Jimmy De Martini.
De Martini just killed it, especially on “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” a song the band dedicated to Charley Daniels, who performed Sunday afternoon at Stagecoach.
Towards the middle of Toby Keith’s set on the Mane Stage Friday, the Stagecoach headliner switched gears to pay tribute to country music legend George Jones, who died Friday morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
Jones, who had been hospitalized since April 18 with irregular blood pressure, was 81.
“He is the face of country music,” Keith told a cheering crowd.
Keith launched into two of Jones’ standards, “She Thinks I Still Care,” and the rockin’ “White Lightning.”
L to R: Brothers Christopher and Joe Duarte of Redlands. Denise Goolsby/The Desert Sun
Business was brisk on Friday at the Calico Hat Company booth at Stagecoach.
The booth, brimming with cowboy hats stacked in neat piles, was a popular stop-off point for festival-goers before entering the main grounds.
Brothers Joe Duarte, 22, and Christopher Duarte, 23, of Redlands, plopped a couple of straw-type models on their heads and made a quick purchase decision.
L to R: Jerry Lucas and Blue and Laurie Cameron and Tia. Denise Goolsby/The Desert Sun
Blue and Tia clomped steadily across a grassy field early Thursday night on the eve of Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.
The equines and their riders – Laurie Cameron, aboard Tia and Jerry Lucas up on Blue – were patrolling the perimeter of the festival grounds as part of the Alpha & Omega Mounted Security Patrol team.
Alpha & Omega, based in Southlake, Texas, provide equestrian security services for Stagecoach and the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.
“We’re the eyes and ears for law enforcement and festival organizers,” said Bruce Smith, the company’s vice president of operations. “We’re the unarmed part of the security team … we’re an asset to the festival. We can see over the crowd. We’re 10 feet up in the air. Who wants to pet a squad car,” he said, laughing.
Coachella and Goldenvoice are having too much fun.
Prior to the Coachella 2013 lineups being released, there had been rumors of a Rolling Stones appearance.
Coachella didn’t make it any easier to find out if the rumors were untrue when they posted a photo of a wrinkled-up silhouette of a polo ball to their Facebook page.
In the illustration, there was a green arrow pointing to the “polo field” while the other arrow was pointing to what we now know to be a “polo ball.” Goldenvoice was basically telling fans and the media to put two and two together and do some algebra (as Bill Clinton would say) because the Rolling Stones would not be performing.
It was as if Goldenvoice and Coachella were saying, “Hey world, you mad (trollface)?”
On top of all of that, Coachella released their lineup via Twitter with one word: First!
I said all of that to say this: Coachella and Goldenvoice are teases, but we still love them.
Before Coachella posted the picture of the “polo ball” on the polo field, on December 6, 2012 they posted a photo of what appeared to be a gold or copper statue of a large cat (maybe a lion or a tiger?). I clearly remember asking one of our reporters, “Do you think they could be referencing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ hit song ‘Gold Lion’?”
Courtesy of Coachella's Facebook page.
She had no idea who or what I was talking about, but I stuck to my guns.
It turns out my hunch was right as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been confirmed to perform at Coachella 2013.
However, I have a feeling that Coachella won’t be telling us if the photo did or didn’t have anything to do with alluding to the confirmation of the group.
Coachella is having way too much fun keeping everyone guessing and to that, I say touché Coachella, touché.
In the meantime, I’m going to continue believing that Coachella’s photos allude to either rumored or confirmed artists. That way it gives me something to brag about in the office and gives the fans and media something to talk about.
MyCoachella.com is a blog dedicated to covering the desert music scene, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Meet Our Team
For the second year, this year's Coachella Music Festival is two weekends: April 12-14 and 19-21. Stagecoach is one three-day fest: April 26-28.
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