Marina and the Diamonds
Where? Coachella stage
Most ardent fan: The man wearing nothing but a pair of scanty swimming trunks and a blue bandana singing along with arms aloft. Although he was later spotted doing the same thing to Florence – so perhaps his affections are fickle.
The context: The Greek/Welsh pop star Marina Diamandis has been chipping away with her brand of idiosyncratic art pop for a few years; and now, about to release her third album, it’s time she made her breakthrough.
The highlight: Taking the stage in a poison-green lamé trouser suit with a hat shaped like a pair of cherries, Diamandis declares that she’s “as hungover as fuck”. Yet her five-year-old almost-hit Hollywood sounds glorious in the afternoon sun, and selections from her new album Froot prove there’s plenty more where that came from.
The lowlight: Forget aims to soar but doesn’t quite get there – however, it’s all forgotten when Prima Donna goes off like a pop/electro rocket.
In summary: The thinking person’s Katy Perry.
OMG FIRST LANA AT COACHELLA 2014, NOW MARINA AT COACHELLA 2015!!!! Excuse me while I sob
— Aidette (@albxoyt) April 13, 2015
Florence + the Machine
Where? Coachella stage
The context: It’s album number three time for Florence, and this is its grand unveiling. No stop is left un-pulled as Florence Welch performs with an enormous band including a horn section, backing singers and harpist, all lined up on a stage boasting a supper-club style mirrored backdrop and multiple floor lamps.
The highlight: The climactic Dog Days Are Over sees a new twist on audience participation: Welch asks everyone to hug someone and then remove an item of clothing. The Coachella audience is pretty amenable to the idea - but then they’ve spent the festival half-naked anyway. To encourage them, Welch gamely strips down to her bra. Perhaps more saliently, Welch’s formidable pipes are in full working order.
The lowlight: If you like blowsy pop delivered at hurricane velocity you’d have been in hog heaven at this show. The new album is called How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which Welch tells us – in a speaking voice which sounds posher than Kate Middleton’s – is inspired by the Los Angeles sky. Judging by the new songs Welch performs, the album continues in the bombastic vein of its predecessors, with slight tunes blown up like cumulonimbus. It’s all about her voice, which is undeniably impressive, but to my ears too hectoring to love.
In summary: It sounds massive, but it’s full of hot air.
Apparently Harry went both Florence and the Machine and Drake's set at Coachella last night! (via @1DCheckups)
— 1D Updates (@WeUpdate1DFans) April 13, 2015
Drake
Where? Coachella stage of course.
The context: Drake’s is the show everyone wants to see. For the whole festival bands have been covering his songs; his If You’re Reading This ... album sleeve has been turned into Coachella-themed T-shirts and signs, and the crowd has been anticipating guest appearances that haven’t arrived. Finally, it’s time.
The highlight: Well, to get the talking point of the show out of the way, after Drake performed Madonna the woman herself strutted onto the stage, played Human Nature and Hung Up, then slithered over to a seated Drake and kissed him. Unfortunately, Drake looked horrified, and the response in the audience was quite mixed too.
drake's reaction tho 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/0gDbs9z0dU
— World Star Videos (@WorIdStarVideos) April 13, 2015
The stunt overshadowed the rest of the show. Performed on a strange jungle-themed set; part villain’s lair, part bachelor shag pad, it was a fairly straight canter through the Canadian’s many hits – though, in the frustrating style almost inevitable at hip-hop shows, many of them were truncated. Yet Started From the Bottom and Hold On, We’re Going Home are undeniable, while Know Yourself has become an anthem in mere weeks.
The lowlight: The Madonna incident exposed a slight lack of energy in the rest of the show. Yes, there were fireworks and fake rain, but the passion in the audience often didn’t seem to reach all the way to the distant figure alone on the stage – well, until Madonna showed up.
In summary: The show will be remembered, but probably not for the reasons Drake would have wished.
Drake and Madonna have similar styles of insatiable insecurity and need for validation masked as insatiable sexual thirst
— Molly Lambert (@mollylambert) April 13, 2015
