It's Coachella Weekend and the poor people of Indio California who aren't going to the elustrius music festival have to put up with the chaotic traffic. My word of advice for Indioans..Indioanians...indioites? is to say inside till the hurricane is over. The three day sold out festival kicked off Friday with headliners Interpol and Bjork.

For me it kicked off Thursday night with the Filter Magazine Pre-Party. It was amazing. This was my first year attending a Filter Coachella party and it won't be my last. First I had to get an email confirmation that I am attending with a map of the secret parking lot location. I work there and I was almost denied the guest list! When I got to the parking lot which was out in teh middle of nowhere I checked in at a table that gave me a wrist band allowing me entrance into the party. Then a shuttle came and picked me up and drove me and other party goers about fifteeen, twenty minutes further into the desert to a secluded spanish ranch.

Quick aside: This is where my camera broke and I am pissed that I have no pics of my own of the weekend! Regardless..breathe...I will still manage a good time. When I get my friends pictures I will put them up (if they are any good).

Back to the party: At the party there were two Dj stations - one on a man made lake and one on the east side of the property. It was gorgeous and there was free alcohol! So I go my margarita on, got my free swag on, and then go my dance on. The special guest DJ was Sam from Interpol and a lo of acts playiing Coachella were there relaxing like The Noisettes, Rilp Kiley, and Of montreal. Lord knows I'm not good at spotting people. Unless someone points it out to me, i never recognize them. After the party, the Filter people crowded into a house ment for six. There was 14 of us! Yikes.

The next morning I got up super early. I had to put Filter minis adn CD samplers on cars in teh parking lot and hand out the compilation CD of teh bands playing coachella as people came in. Unfortunately tat does not make me staff nor backstage royalty so I wasn't rubbing elbows with Arctic Monkeys. I certainly wish I was though. The lead singer, Alex is such a hottie. After work I made my rounds around the stages checking out Silver Sun pick-ups, Amy Winehouse, Perry Farrel's Satelite Party, Arctic Monkeys, Interpol, Of Montreal, and Tokyo PoliceClub. I did not however, stay for the headliner Bjork. I was exausted by a lack of sleep, dehydration and heat. The truth is, by the time Bjork went on I was so sufficated by people ppushing and smashing up against one another that I hought I might flip out. I have done mosh pits and slam dancing, but suddenly i got closterphobic. I started thinking about if Bjork was worth it. Rage Against the Machine is worth it, but Bjork? Not so much. So I left the crowd and went to the front where I went back to work of handing out CDs, and Filter Minis to the people leaving.

Believe me, it is not as glamorous as it sounds. I went to bed with a huge migrane and thought i might die. I took two Vicidine and got better though! Got to love them pain killers. So today I start fresh and new!

--Sue

ps. sorry or the lack of clarity and spell errors - I'm writing this in a rush - I gotta get to work!