If Coachella 2012 is remembered for one thing, (besides Holo'Pac), it's likely to go down in history as the year electronic music dominated the lineup, from the festival's longstanding dance nexus the Sahara Tent to the traditionally more rock-oriented main stage.
Indeed, electronic music's current reign over pop/youth culture was exemplified last Friday night when progressive house trio Swedish House Mafia made history by becoming the first electronic act to ever headline the festival's main stage. "This is the pinnacle of what our type of music can do," said SHM's Axwell, moments before dropping a set that sent the massive crowd into states of sing-along euphoria from the front row to the nosebleeds.
Here, five of the weekend's electronic headliners -- Justice, Kaskade, Swedish House Mafia, Datsik and Avicii -- discuss the explosion of their genre and what playing Coachella means to them.
Justice
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Years At Coachella: 3
How does it feel to go from playing the dance tent to getting a nighttime slot on the main stage?
Xavier de Rosnay: It's a good surprise. It's great that Coachella trusts us to play the main stage at this time of the day.
What are your impressions of the festival?
We have a great relationship to Coachella, because the first live show we ever played was at Coachella in 2007. It was a very special moment for us because we had just finished our first album as well, so when we came here and played it was good and were like 'okay we just finished our first album and played our first live show. We feel great.' So we have a warm association.
Justice plays Sunday at 7:45pm on the Main Stage
Photo: Katie Bain
How does it feel to go from playing the dance tent to getting a nighttime slot on the main stage?
Xavier de Rosnay: It's a good surprise. It's great that Coachella trusts us to play the main stage at this time of the day.
What are your impressions of the festival?
We have a great relationship to Coachella, because the first live show we ever played was at Coachella in 2007. It was a very special moment for us because we had just finished our first album as well, so when we came here and played it was good and were like 'okay we just finished our first album and played our first live show. We feel great.' So we have a warm association.
Justice plays Sunday at 7:45pm on the Main Stage
Photo: Katie Bain
Justice
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Years At Coachella: 3
How does it feel to go from playing the dance tent to getting a nighttime slot on the main stage?
Xavier de Rosnay: It's a good surprise. It's great that Coachella trusts us to play the main stage at this time of the day.
What are your impressions of the festival?
We have a great relationship to Coachella, because the first live show we ever played was at Coachella in 2007. It was a very special moment for us because we had just finished our first album as well, so when we came here and played it was good and were like 'okay we just finished our first album and played our first live show. We feel great.' So we have a warm association.
Justice plays Sunday at 7:45pm on the Main Stage
Photo: Katie Bain
Photo by Katie Bain
If Coachella 2012 is remembered for one thing, (besides Holo'Pac), it's likely to go down in history as the year electronic music dominated the lineup, from the festival's longs...
Photo by Katie Bain
If Coachella 2012 is remembered for one thing, (besides Holo'Pac), it's likely to go down in history as the year electronic music dominated the lineup, from the festival's longs...
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