Coachella day two: Guns N’ Roses show appetite for destruction of own legacy

Much-hyped reunion show presented a band trying to rediscover the quality that gave them appeal in the first place, while Run the Jewels had much more fun

The wind that had played havoc with some sets on Friday was gone on Saturday, replaced by blistering desert sun and a day where the sultry and laid back impressed more than the overblown.

Protoje and Chronixx – Outdoor theatre

The roots reggae revival came to Coachella courtesy of Protoje and Chronixx, two of Jamaica’s most prominent purveyors of a style that’s closer to the lineage of Dennis Brown than the boisterous dancehall of Mavado et al.

Protoje’s positioning as an early lineup draw worked well, with the singer delivering his socially conscious rastafarian message clad in all black, assisted with backing singers and an on-form band. Making his way through Criminal, a standout from his 2015 album Ancient Future, he took roots’ stripped back approach and layered guitar licks and a Roger Troutman-style Talkbox effect to make it something completely new.

When the band work their way through Stylin’ they segue into Outkast’s So Fresh, So Clean before completing a version of Smells Like Teen Spirit and finishing, rather fittingly, on California Love.

Run the Jewels – Coachella stage

Run the Jewels’ position as festival favourites is well established. So is their relationship with Bernie Sanders, whom Killer Mike has vocally supported for months - not without some controversy - and who appeared on the big screen with a pre-recorded message to introduce the pair.

Starting with a new track from their upcoming album Run The Jewels 3, Killer Mike and El-P performed a kind of hip-hop oratory that would make any politician envious. Helped out by cameos from the neo-bluesman Gary Clark Jr, who played the stage before them, they rattled through their chunky, verbose and energetic back catalogue with standouts such as Blockbuster and Lie, Cheat, Steal feeling even more intense in the desert heat.

The number of Run the Jewels flags and bandanas was reminiscent of a political rally, one where tightly constructed rhymes trump inflammatory rhetoric.

Bat for Lashes – Gobi tent

Natasha Khan’s ethereal folk pop provided some respite for those looking to get away from harder elements of rock, rap and dance music that were to be found elsewhere on Saturday. In the Gobi tent she conjured a set of soaringly upbeat pop and introspective ballads.

More than half the crowd were sat down but that didn’t flatten the atmosphere as she ran through her biggest numbers such as Laura, which suited the intimate feel. The more riotous sound of her psych side project SEXWITCH - Khan said the experience of working on the album was “like a voodoo exorcism” - wasn’t anywhere to be found. Instead she delivered an impressively restrained put powerful version of tracks such as Deep Sea Diver and closed her set with Daniel.

Vince Staples – Sahara tent

Vince Staples’ debut album was a brooding affair. Snapshots of his Long Beach life looked mostly grim and at times harrowing. But live he’s just as much party starter as he is introspective soothsayer. His stage set looks like it could have come off a recent U2 tour, with dozens of huge screens dangling above the action and lines of strobes stretching around the tent.

It’s more than window dressing, and Staples delivers an upbeat performance, punctuated with slightly testing crowd banter. He’s barely audible and speaks at a mile a minute, but there are enough trap tracks such as CNB and Fire to live up to the grand surroundings and compliment an act who is much more than just a headphone artist.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Mojave tent

While Lorde was making a surprise appearance with Disclosure on the main stage, Ruben Nielson brought his once solo venture to the Mojave. With a smaller crowd - thanks in part to the aforementioned Disclosure, who were one of the festival’s biggest draws - there was an intimate feel to the performance. The band’s pianist was often allowed to have final say on songs, giving them long and at times completely unnecessary tails. Nielson himself was self indulgent, noddling with his hand picking style on his electric guitar which was interesting at times and infuriating at others.

When the band played Multi Love, their standout from the last album of the same name, it was obvious what works. Neilson’s song writing is accomplished, but it’s not the bells and whistles that give his work potency. It’s the simplicity of the melodies.

Ice Cube – Coachella Stage

After NWA’s induction into the rock’n’roll hall of fame, where they didn’t perform, it felt as if Ice Cube’s Coachella spot would be the ideal time for them to get on stage. So it proved, but not before the crowd were treated to a set that reminded everyone why Ice Cube, the solo artist rather than the actor or NWA member, is so special.

Starting with a clutch of songs such as Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It, Natural Born Killaz and Check Yo Self, he rekindled his swagger and LA west coast demeanour which made him a must-listen rapper in the 90s. The inevitable NWA reunion was missing a couple of members – there was no Easy-E hologram here and Dr Dre must have had an appointment – but Yella and Ren helped Ice Cube through Straight Outta Compton and Fuck Tha Police.

His son O’Shea Jackson Jr was on board to rap on Dopeman, and Snoop Dogg was on hand to take Next Episode for a spin and provide one of the highlights of the festival so far. Finishing on It Was A Good Day, it became a big joyous west coast rap singalong that lived up to the song’s title.

Guns N’ Roses – Coachella Stage

Guns N’ Roses long-awaited reunion made it two big get-togethers in two nights after LCD Soundsystem’s nuptials on Friday. Things didn’t bode too well though when many of the crowd that had gathered for Ice Cube began to disperse. Starting with It’s So Easy from Appetite for Destruction, Axl Rose’s snapped metatarsal meant he performed from the same Game of Thrones-style throne which Dave Grohl used when he was injured. He did his best to be an engaging frontman but as he writhed around on his chair he looked more like a man in need of the toilet than one of rock’s most engaging lead singers.

Welcome to the Jungle was the first real hit and was accompanied by scantily clad dancing girls in black leather outfits, CGI images of skeletons having sex and rather unimpressive fireworks. Slash remained fairly stationary, unlike his days sprinting around the stage, and it felt like a band trying to rediscover the quality that gave them an appeal in the first place. Twenty years later it felt like a patched together pastiche from a completely different era.

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