The Sahara Tent has grown this year at Coachella. (Vanessa Franko/Staff Photo)
Welcome to weekend one of the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. I can smell the fresh cut grass (the non-medicinal kind) and the light eau de Coppertone in the air at the Empire Polo Club in Indio.
The biggest surprise awaiting festivalgoers is the new Sahara Tent. Instead of the triangular shape like the other tents, it is now more of a semicircle and I’m guessing maybe 30 feet longer than previous years. Check out the photo above to see it compared to Mojave.
It looks like some crazy LED action will be possible on the ceiling.
I just ran into festival honcho Paul Tollett of Goldenvoice en route to the press area and asked him about it.
“It’s as big as can be,” he said, smiling.
The other new item this year is the Yuma Tent at the back of the Terrace.
What do you think of the Sahara Tent expansion?