COACHELLA KICKS OFF

By Jennifer Buonantony

The Coachella Valley Music Festival has begun! This weekend kicks of the music fest which for the first time has been expanded to include two back- to- back three-day weekends of music. The fest, which takes place in Indio, is expected to see over 75,000 fans. It's the Woodstock of today and competes with cousins like Lollpalooza, Bonnaroo, and Summerfest. Well worth the two hour drive out of LA for a weekend of camping in the desert!

Just outside Palm Springs, the event features a mix of rock, indie, hip hop, and electronic music plus sculpture & art. The grounds include several stages and tents set up throughout which play live music continuously. Opening night started off with a bit of high winds and rain, but that didn't stop music lovers from turning out to see their favorite bands. Some of the most popular artists in the day one lineup include The Black Keys, Afrojack, Jimmy Cliff & Tim Armstrong, Neon Indian, Mazzy Star, and David Guetta.

With an amazing lineup for the weekend which includes Radiohead, Bon Iver, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, The Shins, Gotye, and Florence & The Machine still to come, Coachella promises to give attendees a little taste of everything! For the full list of bands & artists visit Coachella.com