As is customary with the release of the set times, the inevitable conflicts are bound to come to light. Of all three days, Friday seems to be the most stacked with quality sets -- at least in my humble opinion. The biggest conflict for Friday seems to be The Chemical Brothers vs. Boys Noize -- two solid electronic acts, with the more established and well-known Chemical Brothers closing out the main Coachella stage while Boys Noize -- the moniker of German producer/DJ Alex Ridha -- closes out the newly updated Sahara tent.
Saturday's main conflict appears to be Arcade Fire vs. Scissor Sisters, yet there really seems to be no major conflicts for the day. This, of course, depends all on who you're asking, since tastes vary from person to person. Saturday's lack of conflicts, then, spills over into Sunday -- the day with arguably the most big name acts. Kanye West, Death From Above 1979, The Strokes, Leftfield, The National, Ratatat, The Presets and Chromeo all add to a ridiculously stacked day, with the bands all bunched together after 6pm. The Strokes/Chromeo/Ratatat/Phantogram conflict, for instance, is one the fans are already lamenting.
Hopefully for 2011, the set times will present the only major conflict for the festival. After what transpired in 2010, Coachella has been taking steps and precautions to show their fans and patrons that last year was a one-time aberration. More room in the festival grounds, an updated wristband system and higher security surrounding the festival grounds -- not allowing anyone without a ticket within a mile of the festival grounds -- all constitute a calculated effort to help ensure that 2011 will be remembered for its positives rather than negatives.
Goldenvoice -- Coachella's long-time organizer -- made a lot of money off last year's festival, in lieu of all their mishaps and troubles. It appears, at least at this point, that they are putting that profit to good use by trying to give their fans the best experience possible for 2011. Only time will tell how 2011 will be received, yet it seems the general consensus, right now, amongst long-time Coachella attendees (myself included) is that 2011's version will be a positive one -- the year of the anti-clusterfuck.
