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AC/DC

Yeah. It’s that time of year again, Coachella.

Each year you say you’ll buy tickets, and those of you who don’t are left feeling blue. Yes, you saved yourself a lot of money, but now you’re stuck rolling your eyes when your friends who did go, bring it up. So get your sunblock, your cash, your flower crown and get ready.

Festival dates fall on April 10 and 17 with acts like AC/DC, Tame Impala, Interpol, Ride, Steely Dan, and many more. You can catch Jack White, Hozier, Bad Religion, Tyler the Creator, FKA Twigs on April 11 and 18, and last but certainly not least, you have Drake, Florence and the Machine, Ryan Adams, Marina and the Diamonds, Brand New, and David Guetta on Sunday April 12 and 19. These are just to name a few, there is a huge variety of performers.

If you haven’t heard of this music festival, you must have been living under a rock. Founded in 1999 by Paul Tollett, Coachella is organized by Goldenvoice and caters to basically every genre of music.

Every year, thousands descend to Indio, Calif. for a weekend that is nothing short of heaven for any music lover. Tickets sell out within hours, if not minutes and every year.

Sure, going out to the desert with your friends and hanging out for the weekend is already fun, now imagine going with thousands of strangers. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by lights, attractions, art, smoke, alcohol (which is allowed in the camping area), and tons of awesome music. Not only do you get to see some of your favorite performers, but you get to experience all new music, and more than that, you get to witness a truly special event. You get to experience all of these people coming together for something they love. It’s a huge party, let’s face it.

If you go to Coachella, it is impossible to go for just one band or one artist. You need to branch out. You paid enough, (we’re talking upwards of $375, at the least) you have to enjoy every single second of it.

So now, if you’re one of the lucky ones who are going, be prepared, it’s pretty much controlled chaos.

Whether you’re camping on the grounds or staying at a nearby hotel, get there early. I repeat, get there early. Venue gates open at 11 a.m. each day. You will be angry at least once, you will be angry and hot, and probably hungry. All of this can be resolved. Get there early, if you want to see a specific artist, find which stage they’ll be at and wait it out. If you’re hungry, there will be plenty of food to purchase (including gluten free and kosher), don’t worry. As for the anger and heat? Stay hydrated and good luck.

Things to know: all vendors will accept cash and most will accept credit and debit. There will be free phone charging stations available throughout the festival, day parking is free and everyone in the vehicle must have their festival pass on their wrist, otherwise, you’re screwed and won’t be admitted into the parking lot. The festival usually ends at 12:30 a.m., usually. No, you cannot switch your tickets for a different weekend. And no, tickets will not be sold at the venue.

If you’re not going, you may want to stay off of social media for those weekends as you are guaranteed to see a surplus of Coachella photos and videos. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

For a complete list of performers, general rules of what you can and can’t bring, and a complete list of amenities available, visit www.coachella.com.

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