Attending the launch events for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s SingStar (for PlayStation 3) was our primary focus this past weekend but the added bonus of a wristband to that little festival going on in Indio, California was a welcome perk we could not pass up. Our two day experience at Coachella 2008 kicked off with SebastiAn’s remix of the Justice anthem “D.A.N.C.E.” Non-stop beats invigorated an extremely hot Sahara tent as flashing lasers and lights made the 3 p.m. set seem more like a 3 a.m. one! Battles were next for us. The band’s shifting rhythms and changing tempos were well received by the swaying crowd, bottled up in the Gobi tent which was bursting at the seams. Another quality set during the afternoon was over at the Mojave tent where Black Kids furnished the festival with dance-pop accentuated by a variety of synth output. Tracks like “Hurricane Jane” and “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” were instant hits with the crowd, some just getting to know this talented Florida outfit, others apparently already big fans.

Dan Deacon brought the party to the Gobi tent at 4 p.m., readying the masses by inserting himself into the crowd and requesting them to follow orders like “Everyone raise your left arm...squeeze your fist...and point your index finger to the ceiling." And why should we obey? Because we must pretend that we live under a tent to be protected from the sun in a Utopian future. Regardless, the people were happy to oblige and follow more instructions like looking into a stranger’s eyes next to them and think about the worst thing that other person may have done. WTF? He then had the entire tent yell out in unison, “Matrix 3 -- actually a good movie.” Anyway, the comedy routine ended with another classic Deacon quote -- “I play this sorta dance music” as he immersed himself (and the riled up crowd) into a plethora of throbbing beats, including “Crystal Cat” and then some “new stuff” as he put it. Aussie acts Cut Copy and Architecture In Helsinki also provided solid sets, inducing much needed energy into the desert especially as the temperature reached three digits at Empire Polo Field. Later in the evening, the legend of Aphex Twin satisfied an extremely excited crowd at Sahara, starting off with some old school acid-techno and hip-hop scratching before delving into newer material.

Some disappointing sets included The Breeders on the Coachella Stage and Goldfrapp in the Mojave tent. The former had a couple of false starts and sounded disjointed at least early on in their performance, and with the 5 p.m. sunshine beating down on our face, it was all a bit much: a Camus-esque moment that caused us to rush to a shaded tent. Goldfrapp seems to have abandoned the glistening synth sound we loved on their earlier records and although this “full band” incarnation is more than able, the material off Seventh Tree and the lacking rendition of “Ooh La La” did not satisfy us.

Our three favorite sets from day one had to be Tegan and Sara and The Verve on the main Coachella Stage, and also a magnificent show by The National as twilight set in on the boringly named Outdoor Theatre. Tegan and Sara were as cute and bubbly as always, with banter ranging from “I hope I don’t have boob burn” to “I’ll never get over playing after The Breeders and before The Raconteurs.” Their set included So Jealous classics such as “Speak Slow”, “Walking With A Ghost”, “I Bet It Stung”, and a moving performance of the title track. Newer material off The Con included the annoying single that gets stuck in our head, “Back In Your Head” and a superb rendition of the title track. The National began with “Start A War” and immediately followed it up with a riveting “Mistaken For Strangers” performance, complete with the requisite horns and Matt Berninger’s somber delivery. Other highlights included “Brainy” and a heart wrenching “Baby, We’ll Be Fine” culminating with affecting chants of “I’m so sorry for everything.”

The Verve reunited last year and based on the A-game they brought to Coachella, they might as well have never disbanded! The set started with the anthemic “This Is Music” off A Northern Soul and then launched into many selections of their U.S. breakthrough Urban Hymns. “Space and Time”, “Sonnet”, “Lucky Man”, and a stirring performance of “The Drugs Don’t Work” were all included, while there were also places for our personal favorites off the record, “The Rolling People” and “Weeping Willow.” Richard Ashcroft packed more charisma and emotion into his performance than most leading front-men of today, often closing his eyes and moving with the guitar solos and rhythm section as the sizzling compositions seemingly possessed his body. We would have to proclaim him as one of the greatest vocalists, songwriters, and performers of our generation after watching the band in all its glory on Friday evening. Some fresh material was also included, “Sit and Wonder” was preceded by Ashcroft’s claim that “This band is about making new music” while the U.K. act also reached into the archives to perform “Life’s An Ocean” from 1995. And finally, the “Will they, won’t they?” questions arising from the audience were appeased when the band broke into “Bitter Sweet Symphony” triumphantly. And surely we were the winners, being able to witness this magical set by The Verve -- an experience we could not have anticipated just two years ago. Next stop, day two!