Author Archives: Nikie Johnson

Most people at Coachella are doing everything they can to stay cool.

Travis Morgan is wearing a hood that makes him look like a husky dog.

Isn’t that hot?

“It’s pretty hot,” said Morgan, a 22-year-old student at Cal State Fullerton, as he wiped sweat and sunscreen out of his eyes near the back of the Sahara tent.

But the story behind his getup is pretty cool. He bought it from a company called Spirit Hoods, which gives 10 percent of net profits to help endangered animals. Each hood represents the spirit of the animal is represents. Morgan’s husky represented adventure, bravery and loyalty.

It is the second time Morgan has been to Coachella. Midway through the first day, he was having a great time.

“Breathtaking. Words can’t even describe it.”

Camping makes getting your fashion on a little tougher, but it’s totally worth it, according to Jen Marlowe.

She’s at her 11th Coachella festival, and her first in the campgrounds. Being able to bring in your own beer instead of paying for it inside the festival grounds was especially nice, she said.

She would highly recommend camping, even though it meant she couldn’t do the kind of makeup and fashion she usually does.

“It’s super hard to look cute when you’re camping,” said Marlowe, of Ventura County.

She could have fooled me. The sunglasses with little daisies around the rims that she made herself were especially awesome.

She is here with Evan Funnell, who had an easier time getting his mohawk on from the campgrounds.

Marlowe loves Coachella so much, she came four and a half months pregnant one year. Her daughter isn’t getting to come see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs this year, but at least she was once here in utero.

A highlight this year for Marlowe is going to be Wild Belle at noon on Sunday. Funnell couldn’t name just one band he was most wanting to see. I know the feeling.

BY NIKIE JOHNSON
njohnson@pe.com | @nikiesnews

Japan is a long way from Coachella, especially if you’re only staying four nights. But being here was worth it for Ai Kawasaki, Eri Ashihara, Hiromi Takeno and Junko Miyak. It is their first time in California.

They and a couple of other friends, most rocking brightly colored pouffy hats,were taking pictures of their group jumping in the air. “It’s big in Japan,” they said. I can see why. It took some coordination and a couple of tries to get it just right, but it seemed awfully fun.

The only Japanese band playing the festival, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, was on the main stage from 1-1:50 p.m. — and they just missed seeing them because they were in the security lines. But they were still looking forward to Blur and Phoenix.

“I watched on YouTube last year,” Kawasaki said. “I can’t believe I’m here now.”

The first adventure of Coachella is over: I’m in!

The security lines are great for people-watching (which is one of the best parts of Coaachella). I had to go through two for GA entrance, and it took me about an hour.

The main topic of conversation: the heat. (And drugs. And getting frisked. And what everyone was wearing. And how camping last night had been. But mostly how hot it was.) The staff at the gates, who are more likely than the fans to be local, were all about how this weekend isn’t going to be bad, with highs around 90. But no one in line around me seemed to be happy that it was already 85 at 11:30 a.m. One girl pulled out her lip balm and it was already melted.
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