I went to Coachella without my phone
Didn't take a photos. Didn't buy merch. Just soaked it in.
Thank you Pinterest for sending me to Coachella for their no-phones party <3
I grew up with an image of Coachella. Vanessa Hudgens, flower crowns, ferris wheels. I don’t know exactly when that image switched to GRWM TikToks, insane PR giveaways, and what we now know as influencer olympics.
We used to go to Coachella to see performances, not perform. It was gutting to experience Madonna’s Like a Prayer live and have NO ONE ELSE CLAP!!!
I thought, maybe if I put my phone away for the weekend, I can experience just an ounce of what Coachella used to be like.
What I gave up: my phone at Coachella
How did I cope: radios, a watch, and pre-planned meet up spots
Would I do it again: yes, with some additional planning
Early 2000s Coachella was friendlier
The first Coachella was held in 1999, eight full years before the first iPhone. Festivals were a grimey, sweaty affair. People took photos on disposables, kept track of each other using buddy systems, and wore… fedoras?
According to a few festival veterans (shoutout Kate), lot of planning went into each trip. In an almost military fashion, strict meetup times would be enforced. If you got lost, well, you’re off to making new friends (also fun). There used to be an official Coachella message board where you could gossip, find your fandom, even organize carpools. It unfortunately got shut down in 2018.
Coachella was scrappier back then. Maybe because everyone had to work just a little harder to do anything. There used to be a sense of camaraderie: folks knew how much it sucked to lose your friends, miss a show, get lost on festival grounds. Now, with the promise of smartphones and round-the-clock internet, we’re expected to fend for ourselves. Do people make new friends at festivals anymore? Is PLUR dead?
There wasn’t phone service anyway
I learned that one must time-stamp texts so friends know when you tried to reach them. It’s funny, how diligent we can be, when we anticipate a lack of cell service.
Wifi is water
Wifi stations were sprinkled across festival grounds, like water stations. Like animals to watering holes, there’d always be a pack of people gathered in these corners charging their phones. How much battery could they be using each day? What are they using it on? Beyond filming concerts, turns out brand activations was core to the Coachella experience. The formula was simple: sign up for something on your phone or post a picture for a free sample.
Pinterest told us to put our phones away
Because I didn’t have my phone with me, one of the only activations I did manage to enter was Pinterest. As we walked in, instead of nudging us to photograph the space, the hosts asked nicely if they could lock my phone away. Easy.
The space was designed for whimsy, inspired by the top trends on Pinterest. There were craft stations, makeup booths, letter-writing stations. We were free to tinker and meander, there was no set photo-focused “happy path.” I found it refreshing to engage with inspiration without the pressure of capturing or recreating its perfect version.
Who knew, that there’s so much we can do when both are hands are free?
The chosen Belieber wasn’t filming
Ever since the Substack post Everyone Wants To Be A DJ, No One Wants To Dance went viral, I’ve been thinking about how this one line applies to pretty much everything in our internet age. The article talks about the death of connoisseurship, but people are also actually just… not dancing.
The best part of concerts is seeing how fans experience something almost religious when hearing their favorite song live. I love spectating those dancing like no one’s watching. I certainly lost myself in The Strokes’ closing with Oblivius. However, for the sake of stable footage, movement was limited. Hips were not shaking. Heads were not banging (though Wet Leg’s crowd did not disappoint).
Waiting a full day in the heat just to… hold your phone up?
Of course, a post about Bieberchella wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the man (legend) himself. One of the most impressive feats of the festival was seeing how die hard fans camped out at the barricades for the day, having spent the entire morning waiting to get in.
Bieber certainly understood the assignment when he stepped down from the main stage, serenading fans who (I can only imagine) have dreamed of this moment their whole lives. The one fan he chose —the girl everyone on the internet is jealous of— was the only girl who didn’t hold their phone up against his face. Go figure.
I’ve always wondered: what does anyone do with concert footage anyway? It can only be bad compared to the professional recordings of the show. I get wanting to document a personal piece of the evening, but why film the WHOLE set? Odds are, all of this is documented somewhere anyway.
More than just an aesthetic
The constant anxiety of wondering if I have my phone with me is usually so draining. This weekend, I broke free. I survived, but a few things to keep in mind…
Planning goes a long way: who do you want to see? where is it?
Plan Bs are important: where are our emergency meetup spots?
Shouting into the void works: calling out Christina’s name when I lost her yielded surprisingly effective results.
Be alright with being lost: things don’t always go your way and it’s okay. I learned to sit with my discomfort, social anxiety… what have you.
We’re always trying to document the essence of an experience. Does this picture represent how I’m feeling right now? Does it help me freeze time? Remind me of the ineffable joy of dancing to Someday? We get so caught up with capturing the perfect moment (to cherished later) that we never really get to experience the moment itself.
Surprise yourself with how much you can do when you’re not constantly holding onto your phone. For one, you get to hold a second beer. Live in the moment! Put down your phone! Let Justin Bieber choose YOU!
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I really resonated with this post! when I saw harry styles 3 years ago, I recorded so much that I felt like I hadn't actually seen the show properly. I regretted being on my phone so much and now that has spurred me to not use my phone at shows anymore. I take one pic or video and that's it. I want to be able to enjoy the moment, rather than trying to capture it.
Even though I'll only take my phone out once or twice during a set, this still gave me a lot to think about. I think nowadays I'm just as adamant about taking photos with friends at shows as I am taking a photo or vid of the performer because lately I've been thinking about the people I meet and relationships I build from the communal activity of the shared interest. Even recently there have been times where I've found myself engaged for a band's full set that I don't even think about taking my phone out. This has me honestly considering challenging myself with keeping my phone in my pocket for a whole show.