If you tried to visit a number of websites today and were unable to view their content, don’t be alarmed: it’s due to the protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) bills, which were created to stop online piracy and protect copyright owners, but could allow the government to censor practically anything on the Internet. You’d think musicians would be all for protecting their music from piracy, but artists, such as B.o.B, Kreashawyn, OK Go and more, have made it clear that this bill, if passed, will do more harm than good.

B.o.B sees this as an issue about freedom. “I’m not usually into politics but…. this has gone too far… we have to fight for our freedom,” the rapper tweeted out to his 383,000 followers. “Any attempt to hide people from the truth will crumble.”

“Think about it,” Bobby Ray continued, “All the information we obtain and all the people we communicate with via Internet. This a blow to the heart of the American people who have been able to put food on the table from the opportunities provided by web.” He also included a link to Google’s “End Piracy, Not Liberty” petition.

Other music acts have also rallied against the bill — MGMT, OK Go, The Lonely Island and Trent Reznor are just a few of the musicians and entertainers who have signed an open letter to Congress protesting SOPA. They write:

We fear that the broad new enforcement powers provided under SOPA and PIPA could be easily abused against legitimate services like those upon which we depend. These bills would allow entire websites to be blocked without due process, causing collateral damage to the legitimate users of the same services – artists and creators like us who would be censored as a result.

We are deeply concerned that PIPA and SOPA’s impact on piracy will be negligible compared to the potential damage that would be caused to legitimate Internet services. Online piracy is harmful and it needs to be addressed, but not at the expense of censoring creativity, stifling innovation or preventing the creation of new, lawful digital distribution methods.

Kreayshawn also took to Twitter to help spread the word to stop the bill. “Alot of you might be seeing this #SOPA thing and not understand it but watch this simple video and SPRED THE WORD!!” Here’s the video she linked to, explaining what SOPA could potentially do to the freedom we enjoy on the Internet (as well as it hurting independent artists and start-up companies):

Sites like Wikipedia, Reddit and Oh No They Didn’t have gone dark in protest. Other sites, such as Google, continue to run today, but have blacked out their logo in support of stopping SOPA.

The bill goes to the Senate on January 24, though the Internet blackout seems to have already influenced some members of Congress — PIPA co-sponsor Florida Sen. Marco Rubio pulled his name from the bill Wednesday, a day after SOPA co-sponsor Arizona Rep. Ben Quayle pulled his name. Senators from Utah and Missori also announced that they would no longer be supporting the bill.

Did You Hear?

:: Adam Lambert felt generous over the weekend, and tweeted lyrics from three of his new songs. A taste of the delicious double entendres to come on his sophomore album: “Lost inside communication breakdown, better just read my lips. Comin’ in clearer when we get down. iceberg. Just the tip.” [Neon Limelight]

:: “Moves Like Jagger” gets a Benny Blanco remix. [Arjan Writes]

:: Preview two new Florence + The Machine tracks, as performed live: “Only If For A Night” and “Heart Lines”. [PopDust]

:: Courtney Love is writing a tell-all memoir. We’d rather she just tweet it. [Pink Is The New Blog]

:: MGMT are getting their art on — the psychedelic duo will play NYC’s Guggenheim Museum on November 10 and 11. [Consequence Of Sound]

Below, find out which music acts will be appearing on the tube today.

Music On TV:

:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Radiohead
:: Late Show With David Letterman (CBS) — Sting
:: Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) — Death Cab for Cutie (repeat)
:: Conan (TBS) — Hanson (repeat)
:: Live with Regis and Kelly (ABC) — Tim McGraw
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — Blink 182

Kid Cudi’s pals MGMT released a none-too-cheery album last year (that had what we deemed to be one of the worst album covers of 2010), so it’s not surprising that their latest move was to record a cover of  “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” by seminal goth rock band Bauhaus, for the compilation series Late Night Tales. Meanwhile, NME notes that MGMT’s next album, due out next year, will be “fun” and “happy.” We remain skeptical. Listen to the duo cover Peter Murphy & Co. below.

Former Lonely Stoner Kid Cudi recently gave up the latter half of that moniker by pledging to abstain from the herb, and after sharing the stage with MGMT at the last of three Roseland Ballroom appearances in New York City, he’s got no reason to be lonely, either. The duo whose cover art earned the opposite of Congratulations from us on our “Worst of 2010″ list joined the 2 Be Continuum member in performing their 4/20-friendly anthem “The Pursuit of Happiness” together for the first time. For your own pursuit of happiness, we suggest you watch the video of Friday’s performance below.

After turning Coachella on its head last year and preparing to rock the stage at Reading and Leeds, Muse have yet to tire of headlining music festivals. The Brit rock trio is set to perform at the 2011 Outside Lands fest, taking place August 12-14 at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Joining Muse on the bill are MGMT, Big Boi, Sia, OK Go, Girl Talk, Erykah Badu, and unheard-of Grammy winners Arcade Fire, among others. Jump below for the full lineup — in super adorable animated video format!

Yesterday we took a look back at the biggest fails from the pop music landscape in 2010, but we easily could have included the following 10 album covers. Whether they were bizarre, badly designed or just straight up stupid, these covers were full of fail in their own unique way. Last year’s title belonged to Cobra Starship’s grotesque Hot Mess, and although this year’s winner/loser doesn’t make us gag in the same way the punk-pop band’s tattooed lip did, it’s still a colorfully ridiculous hot mess. Flip through our gallery (in order of “Sorta Terrible” to “Are You Kidding Us?!”), and to balance things out, check back tomorrow to see some of the year’s best album cover art.

Did You Hear?

:: Chris Brown is readying a “Deuces” remix with no less than Fabolous, T.I., Drake, Kanye West, and André 3000 on the bill. Wow! [Rap-Up]

:: Weezer is reissuing their second album, Pinkerton, with a second disc full of B-sides, live performances and unreleased tracks. Yeah! [Spinner]

:: Florence Welch talks about hugging Lady Gaga’s meat dress backstage at the VMAs. Gross. [MTV Buzzworthy]

:: Let’s clear this up right now: MGMT did not get soaked in urine during a recent gig. Instead, the band’s drummer was smacked in the head with “a celebratory cup of hearty Manchester ale.” Yum? [Pitchfork]

:: Some of the names nominated to be inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame include the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and Bon Jovi—but for some reason, Joan Jett didn’t make the cut. We call shenanigans on that slight. Boo! [EW Music Mix]

After the jump, check out which stars will be lighting up the tube tonight.

Music On TV Today:
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Seal
:: Lopez Tonight (TBS) — Far East Movement
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Justin Timberlake, Belle & Sebastian
:: Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) — the Morning Benders
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
:: Ellen DeGeneres (ABC) — Zac Brown Band

Did You Hear?

:: Joe Jonas is making like his little brother Nick and planning a solo album, slated for an early 2011 release. The middle Jonas is reportedly seeking a “dangerous sound” with a “sexier, Justin Timberlake” vibe. Ooh, planned edginess! [E! Online]

:: Watch Michel Buble play dress up as Justin Bieber (and poke fun of the Black Eyed Peas’ “Imma Be Rockin’ That Body” vid) in his latest clip for his song “Hollywood.” [EW Music Mix]

:: Get your glow sticks ready—Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy soundtrack will drop November 22, just in time to keep the party going straight through Thanksgiving weekend. [Consequence of Sound]

:: Buzzworthy interviews Trey Songz, who must have summoned the power of Zeus to keep himself from taking his shirt off. [MTV Buzzworthy]

:: MGMT’s drummer Will Berman walked out during the band’s Manchester show after being hit in the head with an object thrown by the crowd. More offensive to us as music lovers: they played to a backing track of their hit “Kids.” Apparently, they still really don’t want to play that song live anymore. [Spinner]

After the jump, check out which stars will be lighting up the tube tonight.

Music On TV Today:
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Train
:: Late Night with David Letterman (CBS) — N.E.R.D.
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Teenage Fanclub
:: Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) — Menomena
:: Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) —
:: Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) — Maroon 5
:: The View (ABC) — John Legend
:: Ellen DeGeneres (ABC) — Vampire Weekend

Do MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden ever enjoy themselves? Last time we saw the Brooklyn electro-pop duo, they were suffering through a mildly creepy dinner party. Now they’re back with the sad, slow clip for “Congratulations”, the title track from their sophomore album. Watch Andrew, Ben and their disintegrating prehistoric Dark Crystal-style bird-camel cross the desert. At this point, we think they’re trying to bum us out on purpose. When you start featuring sad Muppets, it’s just intentional. See below.

Look, we’re falling to pieces too as we consider that summer’s slowly winding down. But c’mon guys! Cheer up! Can’t someone play “Kids”? Oh, thanks.

Did You Hear?

:: If you thought Kanye West’s evidently-for-real (no, seriously) team-up with Justin Bieber and Raekwon sounds odd, regain perspective by recalling all the other strange-but-true hip-hop collaborations from the past. Yes, Aerosmith and Run D.M.C. are on Popeater’s list. [Popeater]

:: A photo history of Mr. West at the VMAs, from his triumphant debut (a performance of “Jesus Walks”) to the Hennessy-fueled Swiftgate. [Buzzworthy]

:: Madonna is facing a lawsuit for adopting the name “Material Girl” for the fashion line she started with her daughter. Apparel maker LA triumph claims it and another company have been selling a young womens’ fashion line under that name since 1997. But gosh, what could have inspired them to use that phrase? Certainly a huge pop song. [EW Music Mix]

:: Wyclef’s longshot bid for the presidency of Haiti isn’t quite dead yet. Though the nation’s election board disqualified him, he says his lawyers are planning an appeal. [E! Online]

:: MGMT posed at Radio City Music Hall with the friendly monsters of Yo Gabba Gabba. Sadly, they didn’t perform “Art Is Everywhere,” one of the best pop numbers ever to air on the Nick Jr. show. [Just Jared]

After the jump, check out which stars will be lighting up the tube tonight.

Music On TV Today:
:: Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) — Big Boi
:: Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC) — Lee DeWyze (repeat)
:: Last Call With Carson Daly (NBC) — Chiddy Bang, Daniel Merriweather (repeat)
:: Ellen DeGeneres (ABC) — Maxwell (repeat)
:: Tavis Smiley (PBS) — Rufus Wainwright
:: Lopez Tonight (TBS) — Los Lobos
:: Live with Regis and Kelly (ABC) — Kris Allen (repeat)
:: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — Big Boi (repeat)

MGMT are offering a remix bundle of their latest single “It’s Working”, and truth be told, the remixed versions are better than the original. French electro-pop duo Air contributed a remix of the Congratulations track, and we finally feel like the ecstasy-inspired song got the trippy beat it deserves. Listen below.

There’s also a second “It’s Working” remix by New Wave group Violens, who played a handful of tour stops with MGMT in April. Both mixes are available on iTunes.

Ben Goldwasser, Andrew VanWyngarden and the rest of the Brooklyn-based outfit recently headed over to Glastonbury Festival, and appeared more than happy to perform their hit “Kids”—guess they’ve had a change of heart since playing  Coachella.

[Spin] ]]> 0 http://idolator.com/5537561/get-ecstatic-for-mgmts-trippy-its-working-video http://idolator.com/5537561/get-ecstatic-for-mgmts-trippy-its-working-video#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:40:43 +0000 Becky Bain http://idolator.com/?p=5537561
When describing their third single from Congratulations, the psychedelic “It’s Working”, MGMT likened the track to “surfing on ecstasy.” (Basically, the cover art for their album.) The song’s video is bereft of any wave-catching, but makes up for it with one serious mind trip. Is it anywhere near as creepy as the vid for “Flash ... More »]]>

When describing their third single from Congratulations, the psychedelic “It’s Working”, MGMT likened the track to “surfing on ecstasy.” (Basically, the cover art for their album.) The song’s video is bereft of any wave-catching, but makes up for it with one serious mind trip. Is it anywhere near as creepy as the vid for “Flash Delirium”, which included an eel tracheotomy? No, but there’s plenty of absurdity to keep you scratching your head all day long.

MGMT – “It’s Working”

That made perfect sense, right? Andrew Vanwyndarden and Ben Goldwasser find a box, decide to build what’s in the box, and then… okay, we’re a little lost after that. Although if we ever went shopping for furniture at IKEA high as a kite, we have a feeling it would turn out something like this video.

Let’s just let the boys in the band explain what the video means. Andrew Vanwyngarden discussed the meaning behind the clip (directed by So Me, who helmed the vids for Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” and Kanye West’s “Good Life” ) to Pitchfork:

“Ben and I find this box and these instructions to put together a machine that’s constantly changing, and we end up losing control over it. Saying this now, it sounds so metaphorical for our musical career, which is really funny.”

Okay, we can buy that. But there’s a little bit more to it, right? Something a little more… chemical-based? Yes, indeed. Andrew also tells Spin:

“Lyrically, it’s about doing drugs. I didn’t realize it until now, but it’s kind of funny, because the first song on our first album was ‘Time to Pretend,’ which was about the imagined rock star scenario. So, ‘It’s Working’ is like, ‘Yeah, we went out there and we did a lot of drugs and it’s not that great.’ The song is mostly about ecstasy… it’s like surfing on ecstasy.”

Speaking of beach-specific activities and trippy visuals, anyone else think Ben and Andrew wandered off the set of “California Gurls” while wearing these outfits?

MGMT has made it clear they’re not going to play their hit song “Kids” just because you want them to. Good thing, more than enough other musical acts are more than willing to pick up the slack. Catch “Nothin’ On You” rapper B.o.B score some indie rock cred by covering the Oracular Spectacular track below.

A ray of light has ripped through the Billboard Top 200 Albums, as Glee‘s soundtrack to last week’s The Power Of Madonna episode debuts at #1 following sales of 98,000. This bumps last week’s chart champ Justin Bieber down to #3 with My World 2.0. Sorry, Bieb—but this is what happens when you leave the country.

The Power Of Madonna is now the third Glee soundtrack to hit the Top 10, though it’s the first one to actually reach the top of the chart. Glee: The Music, Volume 1 peaked at #4, while Volume 2 made it to #3. Volume 3 is scheduled for a May 18 release.

Another soundtrack debuts at #4 in the form of Iron Man 2, which is comprised of older jams from AC/DC. Billboard notes that this week now marks the first time in the Top 200 chart’s nearly 54-year history that two soundtracks have simultaneously debuted in the top five. The Robert Downey Jr.-starring Iron Man 2 flick hits theaters Friday, May 7.

As for last week’s big debut from MGMT’s Congratulations, which went in at #2, Hits Daily Double is showing that the band’s sophomore LP has suffered a 74% decline in sales and therefore drops to #20 this week. (Billboard‘s official chart details will be published tomorrow.) Looks like that lackluster SNL performance failed to garner them any last minute boost in copies sold when all was said and done.

The Top 10 of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums:

1. Glee Cast, Glee: The Music—The Power Of Madonna *new*
2. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
3. Justin Bieber, My World 2.0
4. AC/DC, Iron Man 2 soundtrack *new*
5. Usher, Raymond v. Raymond
6. Various Artists, Now That’s What I Call Music!
7. Jimmy Buffett, Encores *new*
8. Justin Bieber, My World
9. Zac Brown Band, The Foundation
10. Lady Gaga, The Fame

Sadly, recent Coachella performers MGMT did not surprise with a group of backing ukulele players or an electric eel being yanked out of Ben Goldwasser’s neck during their two-song stint on Saturday Night Live last night. Instead they rocked out pretty straightforward, uneventful renditions of their Congratulations tunes “Flash Delerium” and “Brian Eno.” (The least they could have done was gotten resourceful and armed host Gabourey Sidibe with a tambourine and employed her for a little backup shimmying during their gig.) Watch below.

“Flash Delirium”

“Brian Eno”

Who’d have thought Ke$ha would would prove to be a tough act to follow? Oh, well—there’s always the next OTT MGMT video to look forward to. And at least their album is #2 this week on the Billboard Top 200—although they might want to amp up the on-screen energy a bit if they expect it to stay there.

Who knew that underneath the synthpop sound of MGMT’s “Kids” was a toe -tapping acoustic hoedown of a song just dying to get out? Apparently, The Ooks Of Hazard knew. The nine piece band which includes seven (yes, seven!) ukuleles, an accordion, and a cajón recorded themselves performing a version of “Kids” far better than MGMT performed at Coachella this past weekend (which is to say, not at all). Watch The Ooks after the jump and like us, we promise you’ll agree with the YouTube commenter who said, “im in love. who are you guys and why can’t i find anything- other videos, info, anything!- on the internet?”.

What songs would you like to see The Ooks Of Hazard cover next? Comment below!

It’s a third non-consecutive week at #1 for Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 on Billboard‘s Top 200 Albums chart, meaning Coachella performers MGMT have to settle for debuting at #2 with Congratulations. When all was said and done, My World 2.0 sold 92,000 copies last week, while Congratulations moved 66,000. Over on the Hot 100 singles chart, things are a little more easily shaken up as B.o.B and Bruno Mars’ “Nothin’ On You” ends Rihanna’s five-week reign at the top with “Rude Boy.”

B.o.B, who performed “Nothin’ On You” with Bruno Mars on The Ellen DeGeneres Show yesterday, talked to us at Coachella about having a hit single. “I couldn’t tell you what it takes to write a hit song any more than Rihanna could tell you how to write a hit song, no more than the person on the bottom of the charts could tell you,” he said. “A hit song doesn’t necessarily mean a good song, which doesn’t mean to take away anything from a hit. But people write great songs all the time, but what makes it a hit? Who knows. Organized chaos.”

But let’s get back to the album chart. Billboard points out that while MGMT’s previous album Oracular Spectacular only peaked at #38, the LP has been a consistent seller into this year, and has continued to sell at least 2,000 copies per week since January 2008. Will Congratulations fare as well, despite it’s high debut this week? (Uh, how does “Flash Delirium” go again?)

The other debut in the Top 200 is from rockers Coheed And Cambria, who enter at #5 with their fifth album Year Of The Black Rainbow after selling 51,000 copies.

The Top 10 of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums:

1. Justin Bieber, My World 2.0
2. MGMT, Congratulations *new*
3. Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
4. Usher, Raymond v. Raymond
5. Coheed And Cambria, Year Of The Black Rainbow *new*
6. Various Artists, Now That’s What I Call Music!
7. Lady Gaga, The Fame
8. Ke$ha, Animal
9. Monica, Still Standing
10. Justin Bieber, My World

In a move that disappointed fan-abees (at least those displeased with the woozy, surfy stuff on Congratulations), MGMT did not play their Grammy nominated hit “Kids”. Yes, you read that right: MGMT did not play their ringtone-sounding hit, which is riding yet another wave of popularity after being sampled recently in Chiddy Bang’s “Opposite Of Adults”. The group did manage to create a singalong moment when they burst into “Electric Feel”, but MGMT mainly kept to their ambitious, arty new material. We think congratulations are in order for Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, two dudes who how to stick to their guns.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival started out with a bang—and yes, Beyonce’s bangin’ bod in her hipster desert-wear. Could Day 2 of the music fest, featuring giant acts like Muse and MGMT, keep the party going? Well, yes and no. Find out which band’s performance bummed us out the most, which artist proved unexpectedly patriotic, and who did Madonna proud in Idolator’s daily Coachella round-up below:

Least Delusional: “Who’s on drugs here?” asked MGMT before playing “Time to Pretend.” And yes, thunderous cheering followed. At least they know their fans, though it’d be nice if the band didn’t alienate them and then awkwardly apologize.

Biggest Bird: This one.

Biggest Non-Surprise: As expected, Muse put on a dramatic, powerful show as Saturday’s headliner on the Coachella stage, closing with their epic “Knights of Cydonia.” Absolutely perfect. (Check out Matt Bellamy’s Kanye-style glasses in our pics).

Biggest Surprise: That MGMT didn’t. (Though Coachella vet Paris Hilton evidently enjoyed both bands.) First off, MGMT kicked things off with their mellow, sprawling new single “Flash Delirium,” and whatever your opinion of the song is (mine is unfavorable, to say the least), everyone seemed to agree that that was the wrong song to start with. What’s worse? Following it up with the meandering psychedelia of their Congratulations album and the lesser-known album tracks from their 2007 breakthrough Oracular Spectacular, when all the crowd really wanted was to get revved up on their electro-pop. Finally, about six songs in (after many fans had dispersed out of lack of interest), they played “Electric Feel” and the place went nuts. Same with “Time to Pretend.” But the most heinous part of their show?

Biggest Disappointment: Those crazy kids in MGMT did not play “Kids.” We all expected it to be the closing number, but… it wasn’t. I even stuck around, missing the beginning of Muse (blast!), thinking they would play it as an encore, but no. Does a band need to play all of their hits during a live show? No, but when you’ve only got three hits, and one of them is on Rolling Stone’s Best Songs of the Decade list, and you know everyone loves it and wants to hear it, refusing to play it is really obnoxious.

Most Confused: These guys, who looked like they got a little Lost on the way to MGMT.

Best Cover: Sia singing a beautiful, dreamy rendition of Madonna’s “Oh, Father.” “This one’s for Madonna,” said Sia. “Maybe she’s here. As if!” Well, she was in 2006, it’s not a complete impossibility. No word on whether Sia caught sight of Ke$ha straight-up stealing her style last night. UPDATE: she did, and she’s not mad. On a separate note: Was Sia competing with Matt Bellamy for coolest glasses? See her glow-in-the-dark specs in our new Sia gallery.

Most American: Muse (a British band, mind you) performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the electric guitar. How very American and Jimi Hendrix-at-Woodstock-y of them.

Best Outfit: Beth Ditto looking like Liza Minnelli during Gossip’s set—Cabaret haircut, Egyptian eyes and a black sparkley frock I swear she stole from out of my Great Aunt’s closet.

Best Quote of the Day: “Aww, straight boys holding hands!” said a random girl, pointing out a line of macho men having to hold hands to wriggle their way to the front of the Outdoor Stage to see MGMT.

Best Ride: Although I drove myself alone, in my own car, like a chump, if you carpool with four or more people and write “Carpoolchella” on your vehicle, you stand a chance at winning a lifetime VIP pass to the fest. (One given out per day.) I hope this yellow submarine won, cause it’s uber-adorable (although it might have been more appropriate last year, when Paul McCartney headlined.)

Alright folks, time to head back out into the constant traffic that’s headed straight to Coachella — if I leave now, I may just get there sometime in July. Come back tomorrow to check out all the deets on Gorillaz, Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace, B.O.B., Little Boots, and every other act I can catch.

It’s almost upon us: our annual trek to the California desert, where we feast on the musical banquet that is the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, headlined this year by Jay-Z, Gorillaz and Muse. You already know who we’re willing to suffer the sweltering heat for. But, as you might suspect, Coachella also enjoys the regular attendance of Hollywood stars, who take the short drive (or, ahem, shorter helicopter flight) from L.A.. We’ve been wondering just what the weekend is like for the stars — so we asked Whitney Port, star of MTV’s The City and now an up-and-coming fashion designer, to walk us through just how she handles Coachella weekend, and what wisdom she has to impart to everyone crossing the desert (VIP-style or not). Heed her advice on mimosa intake, and see her full survival guide below:

Whitney’s Coachella Survival Guide:

As an experienced Coachella-goer, I wanted to share some important survival tips with all of you first-timers.

Tip #1: Load up on the sunscreen, people! I got crazy burnt my first year, and I’ve never worn anything less than SPF 30 every year after. Also, wear a hat or sunglasses, because the sun is really strong until about 7:30pm.

Tip #2: Wear really comfy shoes — sneakers are definitely best. Feet get really sweaty. NO SANDALS! Your feet will be covered in dirt within the first hour.

Tip #3: Setting up meeting places and times with friends is key to Coachella survival. It’s really easy to get lost, and cell phone reception is not great.

Tip #4: A sheet is definitely a good thing to bring, and it’s easy to fit in your backpack. You’ll be doing a lot of walking around so it’s always nice to have something to sit on.

Tip #5: For your favorite acts, make sure to get to the stage super early. The same goes for when you’re seeing shows in the dance tent, because it fills up really quickly.

Tip #6: Don’t wear anything you don’t mind getting really sweaty or spilled on. If you do, chances are you won’t be wearing them again.

Tip #7: If you are hungry, eat spicy pizza. It’s worth the $7.

Tip #8: Pace yourself, don’t start drinking mimosas at 3pm. Also, drink a LOT of water — it’s good to rotate between alcohol and water to stay hydrated.

Tip #9: Bring a lightweight hoodie — it gets cold once the sun goes down.

Tip #10: This year, since there are “ins and outs”, don’t be afraid to get there early, then leave for a pool/food break, and then come back strong for the evening sets.

Hope my Coachella Survival Guide was helpful to all of you. Coachella will be one of the best weekends of your life, so enjoy every minute of it. As a little bonus, Idolator asked me what top five shows I’m looking forward to most. I thought long and hard about it… here goes (in no particular order)!

1. Jay-Z – Jay-Z is king. From his cameos to his albums, he dominates. His lyrics are now catchphrases ingrained into our culture. His shows usually cost $100+, so seeing him at Coachella is a deal not to miss.

2. La Roux – I like La Roux’s style as much as her songs. Can’t wait to hear “Bulletproof” live!

3. Vampire Weekend – These guys kind of called it early. Their look and sound is now driving the current indie movement, as well as Urban Outfitters’ Spring campaign. East Coast beach is in.

4. Miike Snow – Miike Snow (aka Bloodshy & Avant) produced Britney’s “Toxic”. Needless to say, they know how to make things sound epic. Expect nothing less from their danceable sets.

5. MGMT – “Electric Feel” was probably the song of the decade for many of you. Their new album is more beachy but I’m hoping it will really shine through from the Coachella Stage.

For those of you attending Coachella, what artists are you most excited to see?

*

Whitney will be posting plenty of Coachella pics on her blog, and you can catch her on the tube when the second season of The City premieres April 23. See you in the desert.