Stagecoach: Buzz Bands heads west (well, east…)

[Guest blogger August Brown has a snake in his boots.]

After last

weekend's messy collision of Hollywood hipsterati and the soul-crushing heat of

Coachella, Stagecoach is looking to be infinitely more laidback, if a bit heavier on the

taxidermy. Big initial differences:

1.) Everyone is sitting down. The inclusion of lawn chairs on Stagecoach's

acceptable-items-list (second-amendmenters do not like being told to leave dangerous

objects at home) mean that most folks have a safe place to park their tuchuses and

bucket-sized margaritas.This will probably change as the like of Kenny Chesney (who we

hear inspires more mayhem than our Rage boys) and Alan Jackson take the Mane Stage

(witty!). But until then, the Polo Grounds feel more like spring break in Panama City than the

art-and-sun-damaged fashion runway of Coachella.

2.) The crowd is, much, much older (think 40s) and as of 2:45 p.m. or so, families

bedecked in matching Stetsons seem to be the target demographic (along with some

priceless kids-in-profane-motorcycle-shirts whose pictures probably aren't safe for

posting). It's an eclectic bill today though, with some sexy L.A. alt-country,

tejano-influenced folk and loosey-goosey jam bands still to come, and we're curious to

see what scruffy stragglers might have made it out for both weekends. Either way, the

crowd is friendly and seems really happy to have a whole weekend of collective

hell-raising ahead of them. Except for this cow in the VIP tent, who has likely seen

better days than this one.