Day 2 of Weekend 2 of the
But now that we've gotten a good rest, ingested a surprisingly good hotel breakfast and poured a terrible, but life-altering, cup of coffee it's time to look back at the past 24 hours and the moments that made us shake, shimmy and sweat.
COACHELLA 2015: Full coverage
Here are seven highlights from Friday:
Azealia Banks--Three years ago the brash, Harlem spitfire made her Coachella debut (it was actually her first gig in the U.S. too). She had much to prove, after being lobbied with so much hype due to her deliciously profane firecracker of an anthem, "212." She stunned with an explosive, career defining performance that proved a star had arrived. But in the years since, her story has become a bit of a mess -- mostly due to label drama, stalled singles and an exhaustive list of Twitter beefs (many of which she started). By the time her fantastic debut, "Broke With Expensive Taste," arrived late last year by surprise, those turned off by her knack for provocation had moved on. Banks' Coachella return on Friday served as a reminder that her bawdy flair isn't a bad thing. Her main stage set put the focus back on her music, with her intensely tearing through some of her debut's more brilliant offerings alongside her trusty dancers who brought a little ballroom house to the desert.
Ciara--The R&B-pop diva has been working hard on her post-baby comeback and she was one of Friday’s surprise guests. Popping up during R3hab’s evening, she commanded the dance tent with the Dutch
COACHELLA 2015: Tell us your Weekend 2 schedule
Vic Mensa--The 21-year-old got on most of our radars after getting a co-sign from fellow Chicagoan
George Ezra--The British singer-songwriter made his first impression after an illness sidelined him last weekend, and it was a solid one. Of the class of brooding soul men from across the pond --
Ab-Soul--There wasn't a shortage of hip-hop on Friday. Unfortunately for rap heads, a trio of emcees overlapped (Action Bronson and Lil B played nearby). I opted for the Top Dawg Entertainment rapper who won me over with 2012's thoughtful and enlightening "Control System." His set was an energetic kick, but it was hard not to think of what was being missed.
DMX--Yes, DMX. While the gravel-voiced rapper has become mostly known for his endless arrests, his surprise medley during DJ Snake took the thousands of fans inside the dance tent back to a time when the Yonkers rapper dominated the charts with records like "Party Up (Up In Here)" and "Ruff Ryders' Anthem." Now, if only he could stay out of trouble.
Surprises--Ciara and DMX weren't the only pop-up guests on Friday. Hip-hop sibling duo Rae Sremmurd and electronic act AlunaGeorge were also guests during DJ Snake's late-night set, and alternative R&B singer Tinashe dropped in during Ryan Hemsworth's afternoon slot. Sorry, none of the guests made out with their collaborator.
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