by Terry James

The Empire Polo Grounds in Indio would probably seem to be the most unlikely of contexts in which to experience cutting-edge music at its quirky, crushing, elegant best. A venue normally associated with the elite equestrian set couldn’t possibly cope with common "rock and rollers," could it? That may have been the party line among the nay sayers, however, with aplomb and foresight, the promoters of the 1999 Coachella Festival proved the doubters wrong and showed us all that wherever we hang the P.A. is home. They did an excellent job of mixing music, social consciousness and gee-whiz science all on the digital tip.

I found myself there on Sunday, mainly to see Rage Against the Machine and Tool, but sporting interest in the techno-lunacy of Cibo Matto and a few of the lesser acts on the bill. The day was hot - Africa hot! People crowded the few spots of available shade like survivors clinging to a life raft. The folks from ArtistDirect.com giving away free ice-filled Gilligans and the guy spraying us all down with the hose were easily the most popular folks on the lawn. H20 rules!!

After coping with the environment, it was time to face the music. On the main stage, one of the first folks on the bill was Money Mark. He and his crew offered up an eclectic brand of funky folk-jazz that was breezy and swingin’, a nice counterpoint to the blistering heat. Moments of offbeat experimentation, including a salute to Art Farmer involving a coronet and a pink balloon, were particular highlights.

Following Money was the Bay Area’s own Pavement, a band I had heard a lot about, but not had a chance to hear. Plagued with poor vocals and even more poorly-tuned guitars, they were basically a disappointment. I wanted to enjoy their set, I really did, but the generally half-assed nature of their entire presentation prevented it from happening. Even the band themselves left the stage in shame, saying "don’t judge us based on what you heard here today!" Hard not to.

Japan’s premiere techno-bubble-gum-funk-pop divas Cibo Matto were up next. And who was that playing the oh-so-groovy bass? None other that Sean Lennon - hisself! Together the Hello Kitties of hip-hop gave a rousing set, the highlight of which had to be the crowd-pleasers "Sci-Fi Wasabe", "Beef Jerky" and "Chicken." These grrrls prove that FUN is a most important factor in making a cool tune. It’s not all about the Gangsta "fear me-I’m bad" hype. Sometimes you just need to get weird. "You got to know your chicken!" Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals came on next, and served up a truly tasty selection of soul, blues, and reggae-tinged tunes. Hailing from the Inland empire, Harper described this as a homecoming of sorts, and indeed, the entire band seemed damned happy to be there. Their feel-good vibe permeated the crowd, who were soon all swaying together to the highly infectious grooves sliding off the stage. This band was the "nice surprise" I look forward to at these types of events. I always hope to stumble upon a great band like this that I’ve not heard before. Sunday, I got my wish. Sure, I’d heard the name here and there, but after hearing them live, I went right out and picked up their CD. Highly cool! After Harper and the Criminals got the crowd good and worked up, they left the stage to KROQ DJ Jason Bentley, as crews cleared the way for Rage. Anticipation was high in the crowd, and soon the crush was on, as people pushed their way in to the stage. My peeps and I were right on the front lines, close enough to sense fear in the eyes of the event staff, and to see the security barrier threatening to give way! The guy to my right was already planning his escape route. Finally, Bentley made a plea to the crowd to chill and help us all avoid an ugly scene, and fortunately, common sense prevailed.

When Rage hit the stage, all motion changed from forward and back to up and down. The entire mass of people was hypnotized into a state of rhythmic fury. Some moshing broke out, but most of us were just lost in some sort of tribal herk-and-jerk as the band tore off a tight fifty-minute set chock full of older hits, ("Bullet in Your Head", "Bulls on Parade", and "People of the Sun"), along with "Guerrilla Radio" from the forthcoming "Battle of Los Angeles" CD, due for release on Nov. 2. It was truly a communal experience, as all of us were swept away by the mighty wave of power flooding us from the stage.

When the band left at the end of the set, it was just too soon. Screams of "Rage! Rage! Rage!" filled the air as the crowd all jonesed as one for more. Despite being sick as a dog, a fact only revealed later, Zack brought the Machine back out for a final smashing encore with "Killing in the Name." This anthem of rebellion fired the crowd up to an even higher level, as they shouted every word back to the band.

There may have been all sorts of displays of technological gew-gaws and digital daydreams in the tents scattered about the Coachella Festival concourse, but the truly interactive experience of the day could only be found at the foot of the main stage, ragin’ in the pit.