Coachella and Outside Lands are two of the biggest multi-genre music festivals on the West Coast. One is a sun-soaked flower fest of giant, weird sculptures and tents, and the other is as much San Francisco as you can stuff into one park while holding one beer in each hand. While looking for more outlets into which they can blow their life savings, many college students have chosen these two as lucky recipients. If you’re interested in seeing what it’s all about, but aren’t sure which one you want to go to, I’ve created a guide for deciding.
People
Coachella: No, it’s not the drugs, you’re seeing it correctly. The thousands of people around you are all 18-22 year-old members of Greek Life from a) UCSB b) USC or c) UCLA, and they're all wearing the same exact things. Male attire includes their frat’s formal tank from Spring and, if they’re really feeling it, a dumb hat. Female attire includes microscopic jean shorts, a crop top, and flowers everywhere you can fit them. Everyone you see is the most attractive person you’ve ever met, and they’re all terrible. Most people there probably thought “Alabama Shakes” was one of the food vendors, and they're typically just there to abuse substances.
Outside Lands: Here, you’ll find plenty of the one type of person explicitly prohibited from entering Coachella’s main gates: someone over the age of 30. There are a lot of adults here, but all of them are what you pretend you’re going to be when you’re 40. They’re rocking harder than you to bands who peaked in 2005 and have seemingly replaced their hands with Heineken cups. Everyone else is a relatively normal, functioning member of society, who seems legitimately interested in the music. Except for the people who pick up your trash for you, but they rock in their own way.
Winner: Easy win for Outside Lands.
Environment
Coachella: Your parents are never going to surprise you with a fun-filled family trip to Indio, California, but during Coachella, it becomes the coolest place in America. Because it’s so far away from everything, you feel disconnected from reality and fully immersed in the environment. The palm trees are iconic, yet they somehow seem otherworldly. All the desert names and weird, inexplicable giant sculptures make you feel like you’re on an alien planet. And nothing compares to watching your favorite artist perform in the middle of a desert sunset. The problem is that the weather at Coachella is the only thing on Earth hotter than the people that go to it.
Outside Lands: It’s summer camp. There are trees, dirt in your shoes, hot dogs, and an omnipresent figure named Ranger Dave. There’s a whole lot to do besides the music; including drink, eat chocolate, watch artists make live art, wait in the bathroom line, and get really, really, lost. It’s a super laid-back environment that feels pretty welcoming, and the weather is pretty much perfect.
Winner: Although it’s a close call, and both have their strengths and weaknesses, Coachella wins for being sublime.
Price
Coachella: An arm, a leg, and your dog.
Outside Lands: An arm, and your dog.
Winner: Outside Lands, for letting me keep my leg.
But could I sneak in?
Coachella: You could try, but if you get caught, you will be forced to dig an endless amount of holes in the desert under the mean and watchful gaze of Mr. Sir.
Outside Lands: Yeah, probably.
Winner: Outside Lands.
Music
Coachella: It’s like a dream come true. Bands you thought you would never see live, bands you’ve already seen live but loved, and bands you’ve never heard of but end up being one of your favorite bands after the festival all come together to blow your mind. Even a “weak” lineup for Coachella is very strong. Performers understand the reputation of Coachella and play for you like it’s the most important show of their lives, which, for some, it might be. It also has a good mix of EDM and alternative music for both major camps of festival goers.
Outside Lands: A classic rock/alternative fan’s dream come true. They always bait one classic rock legend and a modern alternative behemoth, but beyond that, the smaller acts tend to appeal to this crowd as well. Electronic music is certainly present, but a strict EDM fan would find themselves having to sit through their friend’s favorite guitar-bass-and-drum acts many times. Also, it feels like the acts interpret Outside Lands as just a large San Francisco concert. Overall, a great fit for the alternative crowd, and a passable one for the EDM crowd.
Winner: Coachella, for being absolutely top-notch and diverse.
Overall
Go to both. Music festivals are expensive, but they're one of the greatest things you can do with your youth. It’s an invigorating experience that puts you out of your comfort level in the best way possible, brings you a lot closer to the people you go with, exposes you to new music while allowing you to fully appreciate the music you already love, and is overall one of the most fun experiences you could have.
