Why does Coachella suck?

[miSTEVEious]

Okay so the title is a bit of an attention grabber but I do have some questions. I've never been to Coachella but I've been to most of the larger festivals in the US.

Why is Coachella so strict about so much bs?

Park your car far away and then get in line to be searched with your things? This one I can understand because obviously they can search us if they please, but I can imagine the clusterfuck.


No in and outs from the campground to the polo fields? This might be the only festival I've ever heard of doing this...This is really a bummer.


Those god damn stupid beer tents and you can't walk around with a beer?


The scheduled shows end at 12? If not, when? I guess I wish they went until 4 or 5 am but I guess that ain't happening.

I know Coachella isn't Bonnaroo or High Sierra but I just have this vision of a police state and being forced to stay inside if I wanted to go back and chill at my tent. Is Coachella as much fun as some of the other large festivals? Do all of these things add up to be really annoying/is it still worth it?

[DRcube]

...yo mommas titties

[SubBass49]

I've never been to Coachella

OBVIOUS.

[moomoo]

I've never been to Coachella

stopped reading.

get the fuck out.

[boarderwoozel3]

Yes, Coachella is as much fun as everyone says it is. But to address your points:

- Yeah, no reentry, even to the camping grounds. It does suck but it's the way it goes.
- They do have beer gardens positioned so you can still see acts and hear acts from a distance. I think it's a state booze law having to do with all ages shows or something. But fair warning, you probably won't even want to do much boozing in the desert heat. Not before sundown anyway.
-The sets are scheduled to end at midnight due to Indio noise ordinances but the bigger acts regularly go as late as 1am.

I've been to a number of bigger US festivals (not Bonnaroo yet) and none of them can hold a candle to Coachella. It's simply the best combination of musical quality and top notch production that I've experienced. Thousands of people from around the world, myself included, go to their first Coachella and swear to return every year they possibly can, and do. That speaks for itself, the hype is real.

[woogie846]

Truthfully, I'm glad shows don't go until 5 in the morning at Coachella. I usually get back to my hotel at around 1:30 or 2, and I need my rest.

[danteb]

Truthfully, I'm glad shows don't go until 5 in the morning at Coachella. I usually get back to my hotel at around 1:30 or 2, and I need my rest.

agreed, it allows you to recover, get some sleep and not miss the early acts the next day

[MonsoonSeason]

I know Coachella isn't Bonnaroo or High Sierra but I just have this vision of a police state and being forced to stay inside if I wanted to go back and chill at my tent.

?

it's a music festival not public school man

[HEADSTRUCK]

A lot of the rules are shitty but as far as the fest goes its done in a top notch fashion. The art, music acts,sound and overall feel is great.

-The Beer Cages
Now this is my least favorite thing about coachella since I am from the midwest and am able to drink at every fest there. I look at it as you save money since you cant walk around with a beer all day like lolla or others. It is very annoying to me but what can you do? I tend to just hit the gardens every once and awhile and slam a few then head back out.

No Re-entry-

I have no clue why they do this. I guess so they dont have to pay people to stand there and let you back in. I loved at Lolla I could leave and grab something to eat if I wanted but I never did so really who cares. I would like to be able to run back to the campground and maybe have a few beers and chill for a bit but its not anything that really bothers me to much.

Camping-

I really do not understand why people 21+ cant have beer. Even regular campgrounds are not that strict. I would rather they just made the campgrounds 21+ then so we dont have to sneak it in like i am 16. You deal with it cause thats the way it goes for some reason I will never understand. Yes the music may stop early but the campground keeps the party going



All and all you just have to take the good with the bad. When you walk though that green grass and and see that place at sunset for the first time you will understand. Rules are meant to be broken.

[Memorial_07]

Every venue I've been to, there has always been a no re-entry rule.

I don't know why everyone is freaking out about it.

[HEADSTRUCK]

Every venue I've been to, there has always been a no re-entry rule.

I don't know why everyone is freaking out about it.

Lolla and Bonnaroo you can come and go as you please

[MonsoonSeason]

Camping-

I really do not understand why people 21+ cant have beer. Even regular campgrounds are not that strict. I would rather they just made the campgrounds 21+ then so we dont have to sneak it in like i am 16. You deal with it cause thats the way it goes for some reason I will never understand. Yes the music may stop early but the campground keeps the party going

?

because coachella isn't it's own country and has to abide by excise laws, how do you not get that

[flowbee]

It's kind of nice to have reentry if the festival is located downtown in a major city like Bumbershoot in Seattle. Can take an hour break and walk to a local restaurant and have regular price food and beer and then wander back when you like. At Coachella, due to its location you'd have to walk or drive quite a ways to get to anything desirable anyway. But I guess no ins and outs adds to the "immersive" quality of Coachella.

[HEADSTRUCK]

?

because coachella isn't it's own country and has to abide by excise laws, how do you not get that

Well no shit its not its own country. I have camped at other fests and shows that allow it so it makes you wonder. California have some pretty harsh laws compared to the rest of the USA.

[humanoid]

Well no shit its not its own country. I have camped at other fests and shows that allow it so it makes you wonder. California have some pretty harsh laws compared to the rest of the USA.

that's a fairly broad generalization

[MeowMixer]

Yeah. Loser.

[HEADSTRUCK]

that's a fairly broad generalization

I am talking about the laws that pertain to what we are talking about.


If I were to go to a concert at say The Forum can I buy a beer and go watch the show with it there or do they have cages at every venue?

[rskapcat]

I do wish Coachella would go to a wristband situation like ACL; i.e., in and outs allowed. That being said, I'm going to Coachella this year...paid for my hotel and flight months before the lineup was released. I'm skipping ACL. Coachella rules. 'Nuff said.

[DJdharma]

I understand that at the STAGECOACH festival (all ages) which takes place the week after, at the same location, and is also presented by GV allows ins/outs to the RV CAMPING AREA, as well as alcohol in camping area. WTF!
If this is true, can anyone from GV explain the double standard here?

[cooperb1]

[WilliamTaft]

Well no shit its not its own country. I have camped at other fests and shows that allow it so it makes you wonder. California have some pretty harsh laws compared to the rest of the USA.

CA has harsh laws?
you know marijuana is legal for us, right? well you need a prescription for it, but that just means it's as legal as headache medicine or anything else. and there are thousands of doctors that write prescriptions for anyone who says they have ADD or anything.

and in CA, cops tend to be friendlier at big events, like when i was at pink saturday in San Francisco, the cops just walked right by people smoking weed, dancing naked, everything.


the only things we get tough on are drunk driving and guns.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
oh and we don't let people smoke in restaurants. good choice if you ask me, i don't think people should have to deal with smoke like that.

[HEADSTRUCK]

I am talking about the laws that pertain to what we are talking about.

^^^^^

[danteb]

I understand that at the STAGECOACH festival (all ages) which takes place the week after, at the same location, and is also presented by GV allows ins/outs to the RV CAMPING AREA, as well as alcohol in camping area. WTF!
If this is true, can anyone from GV explain the double standard here?

seriously??? thats bogus if its true

[Bud Luster]

CA has harsh laws?
you know marijuana is legal for us, right? well you need a prescription for it, but that just means it's as legal as headache medicine or anything else. and there are thousands of doctors that write prescriptions for anyone who says they have ADD or anything.

and in CA, cops tend to be friendlier at big events, like when i was at pink saturday in San Francisco, the cops just walked right by people smoking weed, dancing naked, everything.

First off, marijuana is NOT legal in CA. Even with your prescription and your fancy card, you can still be ticketed, fined, arrested, prosecuted, jailed, etc. This has been proven over and over again.

Second, SF is a totally different animal. Shit is tolerated in SF that wont be tolerated anywhere else in the world.

[AbundantChoice]

Those god damn stupid beer tents and you can't walk around with a beer?

So i'm sure i'm in the minority here, but I *love* the beer tent system at Coachella. Why? Because it drastically cuts down on drunken assholes wandering the polo fields, and confines most of the drunken puke to a few key areas.

Sure, i'd love to have a beer or two during Coachella, but I'd gladly sacrifice that in exchange for keeping the people that can't keep their shit together penned in away from me.

[MonsoonSeason]

If I were to go to a concert at say The Forum can I buy a beer and go watch the show with it there or do they have cages at every venue?

I thought we were talking about the campgrounds. are you talking about in the venue or on the campgrounds.

because in both instances you gotta be 21+ dude, sorry about yr luck, try canada

[HEADSTRUCK]

I thought we were talking about the campgrounds. are you talking about in the venue or on the campgrounds.

because in both instances you gotta be 21+ dude, sorry about yr luck, try canada

I am talking about both.....what does canada have to do with anything? I am well over 21 and that is the problem.

I am not talking about being underage and drinking. I am plenty old enough to drink and I dont see the problem with that. Coachella is the only fest I have ever been to that doesnt allow it.

[BrettShipes]

So i'm sure i'm in the minority here, but I *love* the beer tent system at Coachella. Why? Because it drastically cuts down on drunken assholes wandering the polo fields, and confines most of the drunken puke to a few key areas.

Sure, i'd love to have a beer or two during Coachella, but I'd gladly sacrifice that in exchange for keeping the people that can't keep their shit together penned in away from me.

I couldn't agree with you more.

[WilliamTaft]

First off, marijuana is NOT legal in CA. Even with your prescription and your fancy card, you can still be ticketed, fined, arrested, prosecuted, jailed, etc. This has been proven over and over again.

Second, SF is a totally different animal. Shit is tolerated in SF that wont be tolerated anywhere else in the world.

yes, but that still corresponds with other legal items. smoking pot in public = ticket. drinking vodka in public = ticket.
but vodka is still "legal".

sharing medical marijuana with others = illegal. sharing prescription pills with others = illegal. and especially selling either, too. but the prescription pills are "legal".

drinking at home, but being drunk on the street or in a restaurant = illegal. same goes for being high off of medical marijuana.

of course there are limitations. but it's still legal in the same sense that prescription drugs and alcohol are.

[HEADSTRUCK]

I am rather new to CA so please answer these questions for me.

If I go to a dodgers game can I buy a beer and drink it at my seat?

If I go see a concert at any venue in LA do they cage you or can you walk out with a beer?