Enjoying the Chili Peppers from a safe distance

By Ali Standish

My first exposure to this kind of mega festival was last year at Lollapalooza, and I've learned a little how to better handle the scene. On that day in Chicago's Grant Park, I couldn't wait to see Red Hot Chili Peppers play. But wait I did—through people crowd-surfing as Matisyahu sang about love and peace, through people moshing during Queens of the Stone Age, and through the sweltering, sweaty set breaks in between. I had probably been at the main stage for six or seven hours by the time RHCP actually came on, and by that time my friend and I had weaved our way up to about the fifth row.

Now understand, I am a pretty petite person, so getting through Queens of the Stone Age was, for me, a miracle. I watched girl after girl crowd-surf out until only a few others remained near me. I was pretty proud of myself, but as soon as RHCP came on the stage, that pride melted into fear caused by a sudden realization: I was going to die. I kept looking over at the ambulances that were parked on the right side of the stage and feeling thousands of people pushing me forward. My shoes were gone by the first chorus of their first song. Soon to follow were my contacts, everything in my pockets, and yes, temporarily, my top. By about the fourth song, my friend lifted me up, and I crowd-surfed into the big burly arms of the security guards. Safety.

This year, I was just as excited to see RHCP at Coachella. But I took a bit of a different approach. From our spot in the crowd, my group could see thimble-sized people on stage, if we stood on our tip toes. But when I recognized the first chords of “Can’t Stop,” I felt that same electricity, the same excitement as the first show I went to. People around me danced, as did I, but I wasn’t about to have a panic attack. Except for the unfortunate choice by frontman Anthony Kiedis to grow a handlebar mustache, the show was pretty much perfect.

Do I regret how I saw my first, or part of my first, RHCP concert? Absolutely not. Would I do it again? Absolutely not. I enjoyed it more taking the more relaxed stategy I employed at Coachella. Figuring out that you don’t always need to be in front and center to enjoy a show was pretty liberating. By luck, or chance, or will, or whatever, I usually find myself very close to the stage at concerts, but I think there’s something to be said for chilling out a little too.

Coachella itself seemed to me to be more laid back than some other festivals I’ve been to. There was not much crowd-surfing at all, not too much moshing, and nothing but really nice, chill people. So I’m not telling you to stand in the back and stay away from the mosh pit next time you go to a show. I support that grand tradition 100 percent. I’m not going to stand in the back of every show I go to from now on, but it’s a nice change of pace. Coachella was a nice change of pace.