



Tollett and Goldenvoice were determined to make 2011 as different from 2010 as best they can. Their work, so far, is a marked improvement over last year.





The new wristbands issued this year are already turning out to be an effective measure. Coupled with the police/security checkpoints at various intersections within a mile perimeter of the festival grounds, the wristbands are helping keep out the gate crashers that made last year such a disorganized mess. The wristbands also show that Tollett and co. care about their paying customers and that they want everyone to have the best possible time while attending the festival.

That was the feeling I certainly got once I arrived in the day parking area. Security were friendly and helpful, rather than trying to hassle people and just be dicks in general like some security personnel were last year. Everyone arriving in the parking lot was understandably excited -- there was a palpable expectation that 2011 was to be nothing like 2010.





I can safely say that 2011 is going along about 100% better than 2010 at this point.





The new camping area is divided up into streets and other sections so it is now much easier to find your camping area in the dark after the shows let out. Located in the camping area are: a rollerskating rink, general store, breakfast buffet and a tent with about 12 vintage pinball machines. I would never have wandered over to the camping area in years past, but this year it is actually a lot of fun to wander around.





On to the festival grounds -- every single stage and tent is different this year. While 2010 was a complete mess, it did make Goldenvoice a whole lot of money. That money has been put back to work in the updated main stages -- the Coachella (main) stage and the Outdoor stage. The lighting rig is much bigger and more impressive and the video screens are also bigger and much crisper than years past. All of three of the tents are now about the same size and they have newly added video screens. There is even a new black curtain in the Mojave tent to help fans bear with the glaring sun that sits behind the stage. The Sahara tent has a new light installation that is timed with the music. Everything just seems better.





The crowd size feels like it has in previous years. I was waiting for some sort of bum rush to happen right around 7:30pm but everything felt pretty much normal. The crowd itself seemed relax with the general euphoria that comes with being at Coachella, Whatever worry that came with half-expecting this year to be anything like last year died away once the bands took to the stage. There was a palpable sense of relief that washed over the polo fields once everyone finally realized that 2010 wouldn't rear its ugly head.





2010 is dead and gone -- buried with it is all the catastrophe, trepidation and general bullshit that last year came to stand for. 2011's version of Coachella is nowhere near being the one word that came to succinctly define all the chaos and disorganization in 2010 -- cluserfuck.





Random Notes:



