Georgia rapper 2 Chainz drew one of the biggest crowds so far this weekend at Coachella, a stop on his ongoing B.O.A.T.S. tour, named for his new album, “Based on a TRU Story.”
Thousands converged on the overflowing Mojave tent, with people having to push through the throng just to be able to see the video screen, let alone the stage.
The crowd size was enough to make one wonder if the fest bookers made a mistake placing him in the relatively small tent stage instead of one of the bigger outdoor stages.
Things got off to a very slow start indeed. Somewhat surprisingly, a live band and two DJs took the stage, ready to hype the patient crowd.
Chainz’ scheduled start time was 4 p.m., and so far the fest has been pretty much on time at all stages. The band began, 5 minutes of ominous and generic arena rock ensued and then…nothing. By 4:20, the band was simply standing around, apparently tuning and checking the mic.
By this time, the audience had decreased to a still huge, but more manageable size, and once the rapper hit the stage, he quickly got had the faithful chanting along to hits “I’m Different” and “No Lie” from his official debut album “Based on a T.R.U. Story.”
Alas, any wishes for guest appearances went unheeded, as Chainz plowed through a number of his famous collaborative songs, minus his duet partners.
He rapped his verse to “Mercy,” minus Kanye West and co.; he teased “Beez in the Trap” minus Nicki Minaj; and he dropped “Bandz A Make Her Dance,” minus Juicy J and Lil Wayne.
Overall, he was onstage maybe twenty minutes of an advertised 45 minute set.
Earlier, Detroit rapper Danny Brown got dirty (lyrically, of course) on the outdoor stage, unleashing salacious songs from his free download “XXX” and his anticipated new release “Old.”
On the other end of the spectrum (and festival grounds), former angry young man Ian MacKaye (founder of punk icons Minor Threat and Fugazi) continued to show his somewhat softer side with his latest musical endeavor, The Evens.
He and bandmate Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers) sat close together as he played tricky, punky riffs on an acoustic baritone and she played half-time on her drum kit. The two both sing, lending their sound a folksy, down-home feeling accentuated by the pair of living rooms lamps they used a simple set dressing.
One of the downsides of Coachella (and most large fests) is the constant bleeding over of music from other stages. MacKaye noted how distracting it could be, saying he had no idea who was making all the noise on the main stage at the time (it was Biffy Clyro).
The bigger acts scheduled to hit the fest tonight include Phoenix, Janelle Monae, New Order, The XX, Sigur Ros, Pusha T and The Postal Service.
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