Coachella 2012, 14th April Day 2

Day 2 definitely had the strongest lineup of the weekend, resulting in some heartbreaking clashes. The answer, of course, would have been to go to both weekends, but I had to compromise.

We Are Augustines 8/10

We Are Augustines justified their position on the main stage with tremendous energy, and the raw passion of Billy McCarthy was more than evident. The Brooklyn band have been tirelessly touring their debut album Rise Ye Sunken Ships, and through word of mouth have been attracting followers, so it was more than heartening to see their efforts being rewarded with this billing at Coachella.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals 7/10

This is the first time I'd come across Grace Potter's bluesy act: it was playful and entertaining in the afternoon sun, if not the most profound music I'd encountered. The lion on stage added to the visual interest, whilst musically there was a wide range of influences including soul, jazz, funk and rock.

Awolnation 9/10

After being blown away by Awolnation in Manchester last year, I'd been super excited for their main stage Coachella set, and I wasn't disappointed. This was perhaps the most fun of the weekend, and certainly the best audience interaction and crowd surfing I'd seen. Compared to British festivals, the Coachella crowd can seem a little restrained, not helped by the segregation of drinking to bear gardens. Here, though at last people let their hair down during the material from Megalithic Symphony. My favourite song, Knights of Shame, was omitted, but Sail was incredibly uplifting.

The Head and The Heart 7/10

This folksy band from Seattle drew a large crowd at the Mojave, and I can understand why: they were charming, despite my slight shock at the change in mood after Awolnation's rock. It's slightly melancholy in feel, but with lovely harmonies a blend of voices. I'm keen to see them again, ideally in a more intimate,setting. They were followed by Manchester Orchestra: I only caught part of their set, but it also impressed.

Laura Marling 4/10

I'm a great admirer of Laura Marling's artistry, but her set was an example of the hit and miss nature of festivals. She was all but drowned out by thunderous bass from another tent. This gentle folk deserved a more sympathetic setting, and she actually stopped twice mid song, having lost her way, and had to start again. I wouldn't be surprised if she refused to come back to Indio ever again after this disaster.

Jeff Mangum 6/10

This was one of the weekend's most eagerly awaited sets, due to Jeff Mangum's reclusive nature and the almost cult status of Neutral Milk Hotel. His voice was strident, almost painful, and whilst there is no doubting its sincerity, I didn't find it comfortable to listen to. This was an authentic experience for die hard fans, but after two exhausting days in the desert, I wasn't in the right place mentally to appreciate it. Whilst he largely accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, I'm told that later in the set when I'd moved to St. Vincent other musicians joined him on stage to provide accompaniment.

St Vincent 8/10

Annie Clark was really energetic in the Gobi tent, site of the disastrous Laura Marling set just a few minutes earlier, with predictably strong vocals. She engaged brilliantly with the crowd, and her guitar playing was almost as seductive as that voice. I was left eager to hear more of St Vincent.

Feist 9/10

I've been wowed by Feist before, and the Canadian was definitely one of my Coachella 2012 highlights. She's charismatic on stage, and material from Metals in particular made a strong impression amongst the chilly night desert air. She gelled wonderfully with her band; my highlight was probably Graveyard.

Radiohead 6/10

Radiohead was preceded on the main stage by Bon Iver; we chose to relax and sit down to listen rather than watch it, and the music (from both the recent self-titled album and For Emma) was utterly magical. However, I was most excited to see the UK rockers for the first time, so I'm sad to report that the experience didn't meet my exalted expectations. Not because of the music making: the crowd ruined it. They were rude, and constant pushing and talking forced a retreat to a distant position a few songs in. Ironically, one of the main complaints from the vociferous audience member who talked throughout was about their newer material, yet this set was extremely festival friendly, with songs from as far back as Kid A. The twenty song set list can be found here; meanwhile I'm hoping that my second experience with them in October will give me a better appreciation of (what I'm assured) is their live genius. I'm told the visuals were striking, but the side video screens weren't utilised, so unless you were lucky or tolerant enough to be in the middle of the 70 odd thousand strong crowd, you just had to hope you could hear the music without too many distractions. I've gained much pleasure from Coachella (and still plan to attend in 2013), but my experience gives some credence to the suggestion that some appear to be there to be seen rather than for the music.