Power Trip 2023: The good, the bad, the sweat on Day 2 of Goldenvoice's metal festival
Power Trip continues to provide, whether you're talking about sweat or epic live performances.
Day 2 of the three-day heavy metal festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio was another scorcher, but we pushed through in the name of rock (and I salute you all, my comrades). Judas Preist kicked things off with a straight metal showcase any fan would go wild for, and AC/DC was ... well ... simply legendary. Seriously, if I didn't know coming in that these guys hadn't played lived together in seven years, I would have assumed they'd just played SoFi Stadium this summer.
Here were our three favorite parts of the day, as well as our three least favorite.
The lows
Let's get these over with.
The amount of sweat dripping down my back. Yes, I know I wrote about the heat yesterday and yes, I know I should get over it because I'm a desert local but it's just a lot for October, OK? Especially for a festival with an unofficial all-black dress code! Hello, I needed to blend in. Anywho, the amount of sweat my body produced today was disgusting, but it was worth it.
The cigarette smoke. Sure, I sound like some lame health freak, but sometimes it's distracting when you're watching an awesome performance and you get such a big whiff of secondhand smoke that you can feel it fill your lungs for a few moments. I had to take a break during AC/DC and head to the press tent just to feel better.
The lack of places to sit and eat. This is going to make me sound old (LOL I am almost 30, after all), but it's surprising how few benches, tables, etc. I've been able to find by all the food stands. I know Coachella and Stagecoach aren't necessarily great for this either, but at those festivals you at least have the chance to snag a spot at the Indio Central Market. Here, I see most people eating and drinking while standing or sitting in the grass because there are so few other options.
The highs
Now, onto the good stuff.
Judas Priest (just in general). OK, so I came into this festival not knowing much about Judas Priest, I'll admit. I learned a lot about Rob Halford's legacy from our writer Brian Blueskye's reporting on Halford's history as a leather icon, but otherwise I just thought of these guys as some other Englishmen filling in for Ozzy Osbourne. However, I was pleasently surprised by how much I enjoyed their set. The heavy metal vocals aren't necessarily my jam and they never have been, but these guys are master musicians and I was especially impressed by the guitarists.
The crowd. Honestly, people have been pretty chill and overall very friendly at this festival. Other than a few moments of being angry at security for not letting us through the gates on time or just being pissed at the weather, everyone I've witnessed and/or spoken with has just been in a good mood, and it's probably because they came for the music and not just some Instagram pics. My coworker and I joked that I must look like I'm working constantly because several people have come up to me asking me questions about the festival, even mid-dinner bite, but I've enjoyed speaking with them and have met some really cool, kind folks who were a pleasure to be around.
Getting to hear all my favorite AC/DC songs live. No, I'm not a diehard AC/DC fan, but I grew up in a household that appreciated rock music and played it often, and just being someone who was constantly watching movies and TV so I heard those songs all the time, I developed a genuine love and appreciation for a lot of AC/DC's music (hello, "School of Rock," anyone?). I got chills when the first few notes of "Back in Black" started playing, and had to turn around and look at all the people around me to soak in the once-in-a-lifetime (or at least once-in-seven-years) moment we were all sharing.
Power Trip live: Reviews and more as AC/DC rocks, Guns N' Roses delivers, Judas Priest slays
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Power Trip 2023: The good, the bad, the sweat on Day 2 of the festival
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