# Ariel Pink Melts Down at Coachella: WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816 "2011-04-18T11:57:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/21 "2011-04-19T05:44:57Z")
Ariel Pink isn’t bad at all. It’s not exactly my usual cup of tea, but “Round & Round” and “Fright Night” are good tunes and the album _Before Today_ is worth at least a spin to see if it resonates with you or not. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/22 "2011-04-19T10:49:09Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > OK, I went to Youtube and deliberately sought out Ariel Pink and had a listen… Oh jeebuz… > > I actually like it > > Well, some of it. Reminds me a bit of old school Magnetic Fields, which I like too. ::covers Magnetic Fields’ ears so they can’t hear the blasphemy:: ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/23 "2011-04-19T11:35:53Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > ..so why does he tour then? Because it’s the only way an indie musician is going to even come close to making money. He’s not going to make any kind of living selling records, even on a relatively large indie label like 4AD. But he has enough cachet to fill small venues on a semi-regular basis. What he doesn’t have, IMO, is the cachet to keep filling those venues if he keeps turning in lousy shows. I’m not a huge fan, but he has a few tracks that I like. “Round and Round”, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/24 "2011-04-19T11:55:42Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > I think I read that temperatures at Coachella this year were very hot; maybe what’s remarkable is that AP’s meltdown was a relatively isolated event. According to the article I posted in the OP, Cee-Lo and a couple of other artists were having “issues” with the heat, tech problems, etc. ---
**Author:** ![mariposalabrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mariposalabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mariposalabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/25 "2011-04-19T23:28:17Z")
He was great recently in Denver and I heard the same in Houston. I call “pretention filled hipster pulls effective publicity stunt”. Which is lame but whatever pays the bills. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/26 "2011-04-19T23:51:18Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > What the article doesn’t say is what Mr. Pink was so put out about that he would antagonize his audience so. He was asked to tip his waitress. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/27 "2011-04-20T00:38:04Z")
This makes me think of [Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CPKPpgJAwo). “now to fit in on the seattle scene you’ve gotta do somethin’ they ain’t never seen so thinkin’ up a gimmick one day we decided to be the only band that wouldn’t play a note” ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/28 "2011-04-20T02:51:29Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > According to the article I posted in the OP, Cee-Lo and a couple of other artists were having “issues” with the heat, tech problems, etc. Cee-Lo’s problem was having his sound cut off. But when you show up an half hour late and then bitch about your timeslot, the organizers apparently aren’t about to put themselves behinds schedule by letting you go long. I love the album, but Cee-Lo seems to be something of a douche. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/29 "2011-04-20T04:30:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > ETA: I tried to listen to some of his stuff and I gotta ask: is “freak-folk” a cover term for “shitty untalented compositions”? Not necessarily. “Freak folk” is basically indie folk with touches of psychedelia and/or avant-garde. So as you might imagine, it can easily provide a haven for artists that are waaay too into themselves, but that doesn’t mean they’re _all_ bad. Just most of them. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/30 "2011-04-20T04:42:32Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > ::covers Magnetic Fields’ ears so they can’t hear the blasphemy:: Magnetic Fields used to be **so good** back when the percussion sounded like a washing machine. I can see why Ariel Pink doesn’t want to perform live - his songs are strictly studio/computer creations. I wouldn’t know what to expect from his live show. I know the labels put a lot of pressure on artists to tour regardless of whether they want to or not. It sells records. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/31 "2011-04-20T18:56:16Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > Magnetic Fields used to be **so good** back when the percussion sounded like a washing machine. > > I can see why Ariel Pink doesn’t want to perform live - his songs are strictly studio/computer creations. I wouldn’t know what to expect from his live show. I know the labels put a lot of pressure on artists to tour regardless of whether they want to or not. It sells records. The Minimum you ever have to do is make the lead vocals live (with any digital effects you want) and record the rest. And, from listening on YouTube, a lot of instruments can be done live on stage, too. I don’t see what couldn’t be done. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/32 "2011-04-20T21:37:30Z")
Just posting to thank the OP, I’d never heard of this guy before, and I like what I’m listening to now. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/33 "2011-04-21T00:38:19Z")
John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, today on Twitter: > [@](#): > > Dear artists who get invited to Coachella and then get all mad/refuse to sing, etc., please call tMG next time and we will work your shift ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/34 "2011-04-21T01:56:10Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > I can see why Ariel Pink doesn’t want to perform live - his songs are strictly studio/computer creations. Hasn’t stopped Daft Punk or the Chemical Brothers among many others. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/35 "2011-04-22T01:09:04Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Until Little Mermaid came out, Ariel was a boy’s name. Kitty Pryde begs to differ, seeing as she was using it as a code name (after Sprite, before Shadowcat) long before… oh wait do you mean the original story or the Disney movie? I guess that the original story would predate 70’s X-Men comics. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/36 "2011-04-22T01:21:31Z")
I could have sworn Ariel Pink was one of those semi nude pretend teen models. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/37 "2011-04-22T01:51:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The Minimum you ever have to do is make the lead vocals live (with any digital effects you want) and record the rest. And, from listening on YouTube, a lot of instruments can be done live on stage, too. I don’t see what couldn’t be done. True that. I’m just saying I wouldn’t know what to expect from a live show. Just him singing live with all the music pre-recorded? Some mix of live musicians & digital recordings? I haven’t seen many artists who could pull off a show solo with all the music recorded. I know it can be done, but it usually ends up a boring karaoke exhibit. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816/38 "2011-04-22T19:36:19Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > (a freak-folk act, whatever that means) Well, here’s the wiki, for what it’s worth > **[Psychedelic folk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_folk)** > > Psychedelic film > Psychedelic folk (sometimes acid folk or freak folk) is a loosely defined form of psychedelic music that originated in the 1960s. It retains the largely acoustic instrumentation of folk, but adds musical elements common to psychedelic music. > Psychedelic folk generally favors acoustic instrumentation although it often incorporates other instrumentation. Chanting, early music and various non-Western folk music influences are often found in psych folk. Much like its rock counter... Not actually worth much to me. Out of 23 listed groups, I have heard of _1_. And haven’t listened to any of their works. > [@](#): > > Anyone have the scoop? Another story > **[Coachella 2011: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti agitates the crowd](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/pop-hiss/story/2011-04-16/coachella-2011-ariel-pinks-haunted-graffiti-agitates-the-crowd)** > > This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. > [@](#): > > “That’s it? Are you serious?” said one fan as a confused grumble rose from the crowd. His band stood there for a while and then finally left to retrieve him. It didn’t take long, and this time when he came out he appeared to make a bit more effort to interact with the audience, although his energy felt jittery and unbalanced. > Still, the late-afternoon foray into surreal, psych-tinged weirdness was worth it. > [@TBG](#): > > Ariel Pink is a man’s name? Not that I’d ever heard of this person at all before, but seriously, that’s like a girl being named Hunk Manly. Dammit, beat me to it. > [@Tamerlane](#): > > Ariel is one of the [archangels](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archangel_Ariel). That -iel ending is reasonably diagnostic, meaning “of God.” So “Lion of God” in this particular instance. Isn’t it a common Jewish name, with Ari the common nickname for it? > [@](#): > > ETA: Though I suppose “The Pink Lion of God” is still not exceptionally manly :D. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ariel-pink-melts-down-at-coachella-wtf/578816.md?page=1)