MJA's Guide To The Sahara Tent 2012

[chairmenmeow47]

tinychat told me there would be sahara adds.

[HotHamWater]

No. Give it up dude. Coachella is not a rave. Quit having any sort of expectations of quality or diversity about the EDM lineup. Enjoy multiple remixes of Lady Gaga tracks or STFU.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Regardless, I was hoping for at least one breaks artist and your post got my hopes up. It's as if you were plurpously trying to do that.

I'm just going to have to be content with watching bands that play real instruments.

[guedita]

It amazes me how electronic artists make their sounds with non-existent, fake instruments. HOW DO THEY DO IT?

[SoulDischarge]

It involves telepathy and idiotic hand gestures, just like the theremin.

[SoulDischarge]

So, while people can claim that Coachella is not a rave, and us devotees can content ourselves on events like DEMF and Decibel for our electronic music fix, one of the things that really sucks about this Sahara lineup is that it kind of acts as an ambassador of EDM to people who aren't already inclined to it. That's something that was always great about Coachella in the past. People can come for a few certain acts they're already familiar with and with a curious disposition, get turned onto something new altogether, leading them to continue furthering their horizons. With these acts, more rock kids will get their preconceived notion of electronic music being juvenile poppy crap with no integrity or innovation reinforced. Coachella lineups tend to be a barometer of current tastes, with a healthy mix of commercial and cutting edge, but the EDM lineup has been pushed entirely to one end of that spectrum and completely neglected the other one, painting an incomplete and unflattering portrait of what is, at the moment, a staggeringly healthy and vibrant scene. While it sucks for those of us who go and already know, it kind of sucks worse for people who don't yet know that they would like better dance music if they had an opportunity to experience it somewhere like Coachella.

[amyzzz]

one of the things that really sucks about this Sahara lineup is that it kind of acts as an ambassador of EDM to people who aren't already inclined to it

Yes. I'm not in love with EDM, but I like it a lot here and there.

[kronz420]

There have been years where I was bummed that I missed Coachella. This is not one of those years.

[guedita]

So, while people can claim that Coachella is not a rave, and us devotees can content ourselves on events like DEMF and Decibel for our electronic music fix, one of the things that really sucks about this Sahara lineup is that it kind of acts as an ambassador of EDM to people who aren't already inclined to it. That's something that was always great about Coachella in the past. People can come for a few certain acts they're already familiar with and with a curious disposition, get turned onto something new altogether, leading them to continue furthering their horizons. With these acts, more rock kids will get their preconceived notion of electronic music being juvenile poppy crap with no integrity or innovation reinforced. Coachella lineups tend to be a barometer of current tastes, with a healthy mix of commercial and cutting edge, but the EDM lineup has been pushed entirely to one end of that spectrum and completely neglected the other one, painting an incomplete and unflattering portrait of what is, at the moment, a staggeringly healthy and vibrant scene. While it sucks for those of us who go and already know, it kind of sucks worse for people who don't yet know that they would like better dance music if they had an opportunity to experience it somewhere like Coachella.

Quoting for poignant relevance.

[joppy-slow]

wow... this is all coachella can muster up for a bunch of dj's. i know you have to sell tickets, but holy hell this has to be one of the shittiest dance lineups of all time.

[Kyliediscope]

I've always heard people say they pop into the Sahara when they have noting else to do. This year--- oh the horror.

[blazin]

[Sensuality]

And then they get hooked on cool, relevant DJs and start wearing kandi.

[Vic Viper]

wow... this is all coachella can muster up for a bunch of dj's. i know you have to sell tickets, but holy hell this has to be one of the shittiest dance lineups of all time.

so is your sig like an andy kaufman style joke?

[joppy-slow]

so is your sig like an andy kaufman style joke?

no. didn't u see djjoshandrews vs. mja on the poster this year?

[spiggums]

I don't know why I'm selecting your post to start a comment on this year's Sahara, but I am.. so whatever..

I can't talk shit on SebastiAn. Nor can I talk shit on Justice after the last album and the surprising melding-together of the two albums in recent live sets. I guess The Rapture are no longer a Sahara act, but I recall them being in there a few years back, and I love them. Breakbot's pretty cool.

re: SebastiAn... MJA's assessment was off in one thing. He won't actually be turning knobs. Entire set on tape. Moving on...

SBTRKT is good. Jacques Lu Cont is acceptable. Boregore's music is shit, but it's fun to say "The thing I love the most is cumming on your face, suck it bitch." And at least he spins vinyl. Modeselektor is cool.

I'm curious to see what Stuart Price/JLC will bring in a set.. He's been responsible for some amazing things over the last decade. How that will translate into a DJ set (I'm assuming it's a DJ set) is beyond me.
Modeselektor will be dope to see again.

I was almost sure we'd get some Crosstown Rebels and Visionquest artists. As well as some Turbo Recordings artists. Including Azari & III, but none of that happened. Fuck you, Coachella, for not even trying to get a few token underground DJs. Maybe there will be a dome with a currently unreleased lineup, but otherwise, up yours, Tollett and crew.

On Visionquest/Crosstown type acts (or someone like Maya Jane Coles)... Having seen the Sahara tent when Sven Vath played last year... I wouldn't be surprised if Goldenvoice decided something along those lines wasn't worth it. It's not a direct analog, but still...
That said, I also wasn't at all surprised that Azari & III weren't on the lineup... Based off what I've known from people working to book them, it's like they've pretty much decided that North America can go fuck itself.

Also, every time I see Calvin Harris and Martin Solveig's names on any lineup it makes me let out a sigh of disappointment. Sure, they've always been poppy, but both of them used to make some music that was at least entertaining. Now they're completely indistinguishable from the Swedish House Mafias of the world.

All in all, it will be another year where I spend very little time in the Sahara (I think last year I was in there for all of two acts). Breakbot & Modeselektor definitely... Probably catch the start of JLC and make a decision from there (obviously this will all be dependent on the set times as well). And, honestly, I'm ultimately OK with that myself. But I can see why many would not be.

[joppy-slow]

the rapture.. morgan page.. afrojetpack... swedish fish... kaskade... martin solveig.. david guetta. r3hab.. = pitbulls itunes dj. Other than "James" and a few other gems, this will probably be the easiest coachella to miss.

[Ravingmad]

What about DJ Shadow? Or does he end up a refugee over in the Mojave because he doesn't sound like Swedish House Mafia

[spiggums]

What about DJ Shadow? Or does he end up a refugee over in the Mojave because he doesn't sound like Swedish House Mafia

Yeah I wouldn't think him in the Sahara at all... Maybe I'm wrong, cause that's definitely a show on my "to see" list.

[spiggums]

Another genre that was completely misrepresented.

I'd say breaks was adequately represented in the way that no one really plays breaks anymore. I think Stanton Warriors is the only breaks DJ set I've seen in the last two years that was actually primarily breaks. Most of the others long ago went electrohouse or are now on the brostep bandwagon.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

I mean, yeah, it's some chicken vs. egg shit. The lineup for the last few years has been trending towards this big room house nonsense, and last year Sven Vath's set was maybe 1/10th as full as Skrillex's. I almost feel like they're trying to do two festivals, corny mainstream electronic jams in the Sahara all day and then an indie rock festival everywhere else. It's a bummer because legit DJs in the Sahara have always been wonderful, it's an amazing venue for that stuff, but I can kind of understand why they'd want to book Avicii over Derrick Carter or even Hawtin or something.

[Ross1492]

As to the lack of interest in Visionquest/Crosstown Rebels acts, I say big deal. Plenty of acts on a yearly basis w/ tiny crowds. Always will be. When booking certain acts, GV has to know the turnout will be small. They continue to book these acts all the same.

And I'd say the VQ/CR stuff is waaaaay more popular in the US, specifically the west coast, than Sven Vath.

[Newro7ic]

What about DJ Shadow? Or does he end up a refugee over in the Mojave because he doesn't sound like Swedish House Mafia

Last time he was at Coachella he played the outdoor. He also started about 30 minutes late. I think that was in 2007? Just going off of memory.

[Ross1492]

I can kind of understand why they'd want to book Avicii over Derrick Carter or even Hawtin or something.

Sure, but all Avicii's and no Hawtin's? I can't understand that. At all.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

I don't really get it either, I just see why it might be the case. Especially since Coachella is basically guaranteed to sell out at this point, it seems like they could do both pretty easily. A few years ago Dimitri From Paris played at like 3pm and it was amazing... this year during that time it's going to be fucking Borgore. Terrible.

[Monko760]

Thats a pretty slim list for the entire three days.

[Trick Loves The Kids]

It's possible the dome/Do Lab will fix this but the dome was in such a terrible spot last year it was hard to justify raving there

[Kyliediscope]

Raving in DIRECT sunlight.

[Ross1492]

I could see some VQ/CR guys guesting in the do lab, a la burridge last year.

[Ross1492]

Raving in DIRECT sunlight.

Hahaha.

[Kyliediscope]

You have slight hope in the Do Lab. Slight
They've been booking some great stuff at Woogie Nights. Generally, pretty terrible stuff, though.