Hello desert people!  Coachella 2008 is officially in orbit with a Friday line up that included, among other spectacles, my future husband Jack White. 

Vampire Weekend brought afternoon afro-pop to the preppies and ivy league hip set,  Tegan & Sara took dual action control of the massive main stage (which is remarkable considering that the first time I saw them play was in a tiny conference room on the FOX lot), The National's bruised and smoky rock was unexpectedly superior in a daylight setting, and The Raconteurs just plain melted the desert. 

Their set rocked radical with double big guitars, power arrangements that wailed retro and hard, sweet and screaming vocals, blessedly indulgent old timey effects and even a good down home call and response during Steady As She Goes.  Shades of Black, from their new record Consolers of the Lonely, was deadly live.

After catching a bit of the bouncy (and hard to capture...you'll see...) stylings of the red jumpsuited, electrodance outfit Datarock, it was time for the most surprising success of the day, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.  They win, no contest, for best audience participation.  And yet I get the feeling most of the audience was hearing them for the first time.  It doesn’t really matter.  It’s a love at first sound kind of thing. 

We all did the time warp with Ms Sharon Jones who lives in an ageless soul dimension where mortals are not permitted.  She channels un-gimmicky 60s Motown and 70s soul as if it were as natural as brushing her teeth.  And the people turned up in kind to give praise.  The sweaty worshipers packed the tent spilling out onto the grass, hands in the air, giving thanks for the music that moves from your toes to the top of your head. 

Black Lips closed the night with an offering of messy, loud, neo-psychedelic, retro-rock that was as fascinating and odd as they were.  One of the gents looked as if he was about to go yachting, another was tall and lanky with gold grillz, the drummer looked like a clean cut everydude, and there was also a giant mustache in play (SIDE NOTE:  I saw perhaps the best t-shirt of the day that read “Guns Don’t Kill People.  People With Mustaches Kill People.”).

Day 2 is upon us…  Stay tuned…  and check out all of our full Coachella coverage.