Thursday, April 24, 2008

Clasico or Coachella?

Saturday will be a memorable day in Southern California, but like so many other days the choices are vast. Saturday, though, may be a particularly tough day for some to choose an event to attend. You'll have the Chivas USA-Galaxy match in Carson and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a three-day event which starts on Friday.

It seems like a tough choice: soccer or music? music or soccer? Well, we decided to try and help sort out which event would be the better to attend.



LINEUPS

David Beckham and Landon Donovan bring the starpower while Maykel Galindo, Sacha Kljestan and Brad Guzan also add talent.

Out in the desert, you'll have a bit of everything: Flogging Molly, Dwight Yoakam, Cafe Tacvba, Death Cab for Cutie, Scars on Broadway, Portishead, and Prince are just a handful of the acts that will be there. And that's just on Saturday.

Advantage: Coachella

SONGS

"Soy de Chivas" by Legion 1908
"Hey ___ you suck" by LA Riot Squad

"When Doves Cry" by Prince
"Maria" by Cafe Tacvba
"Salty Dog" by Flogging Molly

Advantage: Coachella

AFFORDABILITY

Clasico tickets may cost you at least $30 per at this point. I found four tickets for $42 this morning on Ticketmaster. Add parking and it may run you well over $100.

Single-day Coachella passes are sold out. At this point, you'll need to fork over $269 for then entire-three day event. Add costs for gas and you're looking at quite a bit of money.

Advantage: Clasico

AMBIENCE

When it comes to soccer games in the United States, the Clasico provides about as good of a soccer atmosphere as there is. Regardless of who plays and who doesn't, a Clasico environment is unmatched.

With Coachella, there is something about being one of tens of thousands of people that makes you feel both special and insignificant at the same time. The tension and excitement and anticipation of seeing band after band, act after act and hearing song after song after countless song will only rise throughout the day and culminate with what should be energetic and memorable performances from the headliners.

Advantage: Coachella

COMFORT

At Home Depot Center, you'll have a seat - whether you choose to sit in it is a different story. Carson, also, is within easy driving distance for much of Southern California.

It's supposed to top out at 103 degrees in Coachella on Saturday, and you'll need to get there early if you want to be anywhere near the main stars, and even the minor ones. Oh yeah, and you'll need to stand for a lot of the time. Nevermind the drive out to the desert.

Advantage: Clasico

MEMORABLE

Each Clasico match is special and memorable. We've heard that from the start, and now it's really true.

When are you going to have another chance to watch Prince and Flogging Molly on the same day?!?

Advantage: Coachella

VERDICT

Go to the desert, enjoy the music, recover on Monday... and Tuesday if need be. There will be more Clasico games this year.

27 comments:

Mister Zero said...

"Turn it on, Turn it up, Turn me Loose" by Dwight Yoakam would be reason enough for me to go. Plus, you have TAFKAP.

A.C. said...

Prince, baby! Coachella rocks.

Bonji said...

LB, I am very jealous of you going to Coachella. A good friend of mine is there if you need some people to hang out with. Make sure to check out Spiritualized. They're playing acoustic and it has been known to bring people to tears. I saw Kraftwerk here in Denver last night and their show is certainly entertaining if not different. Email me if you want to hook up with a couple cool folks from Denver.

L.B. said...

Bonji, I wish I was going to Coachella. I'll be at the game on Saturday but my mind will be partially in the desert. Sad.

Anonymous said...

This blog or Mark Cuban?

Andrea Canalaes or Laura Canales?

Luis Bueno or Luis Miguel?

Anonymous said...

This game is going to suck. Two ok teams with racially divisive fans.

Go to coachella , LB.

Anonymous said...

Are you sure you guys are soccer fans? Are you trying to sell soccer or music? Advice: Put Yoakam, Cafe Tacuba, whoever on the CD and get out to the HDC. Gol!

Anonymous said...

MUSIC!!! whatta question, man.

A.C. said...

Poor Laura

Jess said...

Let me see...watching Landon and Becks hook up on some more goals against the goats??? Or...seeing drunk/high on something chicks squatting to pee in plain view? HDC for me baby. I know, I focused on a small and insignificant aspect of Cacachella but hey, I don't like music or art. Football...Yes!

Anonymous said...

I'd go just to see Cafe Tacuba. It's been more than a decade now since my sister got to go to their Unplugged session in Mexico City. I was so jealous I think I might've cried.

Anonymous said...

this game is going to suck? please, this game is going to be insane. two bad defenses against two potent strike forces (13 GF, 17 GA). cards will fly, goals will flow, the crowd will be so loud the ref's whistle will be drowned out.

Anonymous said...

Good. If you dont go to the Classico, we won't have to filter through all the shitty LB stuff to find good AC stuff

Anonymous said...

Bob Marley, the late great reggae master, would also have a tough time deciding on which event to take in if he were still with us. He once said that the two greatest passions in his life (outside of family) were music and soccer.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jamesey,

LB posts in blue and AC posts in green so I don't really know how anyone would have trouble filtering "through all the shitty LB stuff to find good AC stuff." Likewise, it isn't that hard to filter through all the shitty Jamesey comments to find good comments. That's just a roundabout way of saying that you're a moron.

Anonymous said...

haha, LB just posted as anonymous.

Anonymous said...

Stay in Carson, have a beer, watch the plastic fans be humiliated again. Cheers

Anonymous said...

Soccer is great but music is better. Tape the game.

Anonymous said...

I actually like roller derby more tha soccer.

Dan Haug said...

I like all the shitty LB stuff
;o

A.C. said...

Not that I can control it at all, but I'd rather people who insult my friend Luis never read any of my stuff.

Anonymous said...

I'll pass on all the emo-pop stuff that passes for music these days. See y'all at the game, and see you at the Death Angel/God Forbid show May 24!!

\m/

Anonymous said...

I get the best of both worlds...going to the game on Saturday (which I wouldnt miss) and then going to Coachella on Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Prince Sucks! so it's an easy decision for me.

Eric PZ said...

C'mon Luis....You've never heard LARS sing "never rest easy"? It rocks all over anything goats fans sing.

A.C. said...

The song comparison wasn't LARS versus Legion, so it doesn't really matter what song was mentioned, because Prince still wins over any fan group.

Anonymous said...

Personally, I like "We are 138" from LARS and "Somos la banda loka" from Union Ultras.

"When doves cry" is all time favorite song to play in concert.