Elbow Live at the Mojave Tent Coachella

Life sometimes can be ugly and inescapable. It’s easy to lose sight of what matters most in the face of so much ugliness. It’s a moment like this that makes you wonder why more artists aren’t actively searching or reaching for beauty? Naturally, many artists work to make pretty music, but the tone is normally a soothing one or an excitable one. Beauty, is a rare commodity in music. One of England’s finest Elbow came to Coachella in a mere fifty minutes demonstrated what beauty could feel like in music. Playing the title track and opening number from their new album build a rocket boys as well as select favorites from their back catalog, Elbow’s show was uplifting and poignant. Unlike Interpol and Kings of Leon from last night, lead singer Guy Garvey incited, joked with and enticed the crowd to be with him through every song. The show’s closing number “One Day Like This” was an eye opening invitation to remember all that is wonderful and luminous in this world. So much of the human experience is in the mere perception of it. There is beauty in this world, we just have to hunt for it, and most importantly, not hide from it.