Showing up to Coachella around noon is a dermatological nightmare, but sometimes seeing a few performers is worth the sunscreen and aloe you'll be using for the rest of the weekend. Here's who we'll be sacrificing our skin to see.
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Reverend Horton Heat
1:35-2:15 Friday (Mojave)
Sure, you can watch one of the dozens of new hipster bands playing during the afternoon, or you can check out one of the pioneers of modern rockabilly. When you're telling your grandkids about the time you went to Coachella, they won't know who most of the artists were, but they'll be able to see how influential the Reverend Horton Heat was when they search his name on the microchip implanted in their brains (or however people will be Googling things in 50 years). Oh, and they had a song on one of the Guitar Hero games, so you'll totally know that one.
Action Bronson
2:25-3:15 Friday (Coachella)
If you don't know about Action Bronson, you have no idea what you're missing. Before you write him off as just another Jewish-Albanian ginger-bearded white rapper with a fantastic belly, take a listen to a couple of his tracks. Bronson's style is a throwback to New York rap of old (Biggie, Nas), but wrapped into a modern package and sprinkled with a serious amount of food references. If Bronson is willing to risk a sunburn to bring the entertainment to Coachella on Friday afternoon, you should be out there listening to him.
Lil B
3:05-3:55 Friday (Outdoor)
A lot of people hate Lil B, and there are definitely better rappers at Coachella this year (like Action Bronson), but there are few people at the festival who have as much influence on the internet (particularly social media) than the Based God. The last time the Bay Area rapper was in the news was when he narrowly escaped a house fire in January, so he should be inspired to put on a good show with his new lease on life. Did we mention that he also placed a curse on Kevin Durant?
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Lights
2:30-3:15 Saturday (Gobi)
In a world full of female electro-pop artists that generally sound the same, Lights brings a bit of a fresh sound to the genre. She might look like 80 percent of the twentysomethings who will be attending Coachella this weekend, but Lights' music is full of catchy hooks and poppy melodies, while maintaining a little more depth and intelligence than most pop artists out there.
Bad Religion
3:25-4:15 Saturday (Coachella)
We're not sure why Bad Religion is playing while the sun is up on Saturday, but they should be a must-see for anyone who's even mildly interested in punk rock. Granted, they don't exactly look the part of punk royalty anymore, but they still sound just as good as they ever did. Hopefully Greg Graffin's bald spot doesn't get too burnt on Saturday afternoon, but at least it'll let their older fans get home in time for dinner with their kids.
Off!
1:55-2:35 Sunday (Mojave)
Speaking of rock royalty playing during the day, Off! is basically a supergroup/side project/new band comprised of members of Black Flag, Rocket from the Crypt, and more. Off! isn't just another hardcore band, it's a band comprised of guys who know how to rock and have been doing it for decades. If you've had the privilege to see them before, you know that they'll bring the energy and passion, no matter how hot it is out there.
Desaparecidos
4:35-5:45 Sunday (Gobi)
To be fair, Desaparecidos goes on late enough on Sunday that you probably won't get too sunburnt (beyond what you've already acquired over the weekend). If you weren't planning on seeing them before, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to see Conor Oberst in action. Aside from Jack White, Oberst may be the most prolific individual singer/songwriter at Coachella. Much like how you'd go see the Dead Weather for White, do yourself a favor and check out Oberst with Desaparecidos. He might be the closest thing to Bob Dylan this generation sees.
See also:
How the Hell Do People Afford Coachella?
Standing Up to Pee at Coachella: A Tale of Triumph
Funniest Craig's List Ads for People Bartering Coachella Wristbands
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Josh Chesler used to play baseball for some pretty cool teams, but now he just writes about awesome stuff like tattoos, music, MMA and sneakers. He enjoys injuring himself by skateboarding, training for fights, and playing musical instruments in his off time.