Country music controls a small, yet vibrant, college fan base in Southern California. Nevertheless, USD's own band of country enthusiasts are thrilled by the imminent prospect of Stagecoach, country's premier music festival. Hosted in nearby Indio, Calif. a mere week after Coachella, the venue is conveniently located and possibly even familiar to past festival veterans. And at only $99 per pass, Stagecoach is both an affordable and value packed weekend of country concerting, and for those feeling the sting of the economic crunch, layaway options are available.
Spread out over two days, Stagecoach 2009 will take place on the weekend of April 25 - 26. From Friday evening till Monday morning, Indio's dusty parking lots will be lined with RVs, littered with beer cans and replete with cowboy hats.
Though it appears to be conceptualized in the same vein as Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, Stagecoach is unique in featuring exclusively country music; no rock, no rap, just straight country and blues. Its country nature is reflected in both the activities offered such as a very serious BBQ competition and in sponsors CMT, Budweiser and Boot Barn.
Based on the principals of listening to music, partying and sleeping under the stars, Stagecoach hopes to attract around 120,00 fans. In its third year as a festival, it looks as if Stagecoach is still getting acquainted with the festival scene, having never sold out a show, despite both 2007 and 2008's huge industry headliners.
A major change the festival's organizers are making this year is a big addition to the RV parking, because the 4,000 spots allocated last year proved to be insufficient. For those who prefer traditional tented camping, camping permits will also be available.
This year's main headliners are Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney, playing on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Both artists are Southern, born and raised, but have played highly successful tours which have sold out throughout California. Considering both singers are known for their die-hard, beer-drinking masses of fans, their sets both promise to be nothing short of rowdy.
Paisley and Chesney's sets will be flanked by household names such as Reba, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and newly minted country artist, Kid Rock. There is another 20 or so artists rounding out the weekend lineup, of comparable talent but lesser known.
Stagecoach remains the only entirely country festival on the West Coast, making it a magnetic attraction for country fans all over California. If you're a student looking for more country for your cash, consider Stagecoach; with several weeks until the festival kicks off, you still have plenty of time to get tickets.
