The Stagecoach Music Festival Arrives in Indio on the Heels of Coachella

Written by RJ Williams

The polo fields of Indio, California, sure are seeing a lot of traffic these days. First, the insanely popular Coachella Music Festival breezed through town; followed by The Big Four, which showcased the head-bangin' likes of Metallica, Megadeath, Slayer, and Anthrax; then, finally, The Stagecoach Music Festival.

They had a very big field to fill, but country music lovers of the West Coast seemed to have no problem doing it, as the fifth year of Stagecoach went off without a hitch on the very same turf that Coachella occupies annually.

Saturday, April 30th, and Sunday, May 1st, collectively drew over 120,000 people bearing the warm weather for a good ol’ California get-down, and just like its more famous festival cousin, some big names hit the stage, including Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker (yes, of Hootie & the Blowfish!), Josh Turner, Easton Corbin k.d. lang, and Rascal Flatts, who announced to the crowd that Osama bin Laden had been killed... surely a memorable moment for the patriotic patrons. Even one of my favorites, the First Lady of Rockabilly Wanda Jackson (who actually dated Elvis once) joined in on the celebration.

Amongst all of the hootin’ and hollerin’, the '70s hippie fashion that was infused at Coachella was no doubt replaced by cowboy boots and hats, with the occasional farmer’s tan!

It was a very country couple of days, but that didn't mean that the influence of other genres weren't heard loud and clear -- The Gourds put on their rendition of Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice,” and Mr. Rucker took the crowd back to the '90s with some old-school Hootie, all of which deserves a big Yee-haw!

I’m already shining my boots for next year.

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