Arroyo Seco: A Love Affair

Arroyo Seco is like the older-sister of Coachella; take away the cocaine, add a family element, invite Los Angeles’ top restaurants, include art and social justice tents and you have the core parts of Seco.

A child plays at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Seco’s lineup was undeniably fantastic. Given that it was only the festival’s second year, a lot of people questioned how they were able to produce and secure such household names. Additionally, the lineup featured a variety of genres, excluding rap but showcasing classic jazz, new jazz, fop-rock, neo-soul, grunge, blues, country, world, and so forth.

A woman dances to Jack White. She said this was her fourth time seeing him live.

Jack White co-headlined the first night and provided a rousing production. White relied primarily on older hits, such as “That Black Bat Licorice” and “Lazaretto,” even drawing on some White Stripes material. It was clear White’s set was an immediate crowd favorite, however I hoped he would play more form Boarding House Reach (2018). Boarding, White’s most recent album, faltered among fans for its experimental nature which borrowed from many genres and relied predominantly on hip-hop infused beats. A part of me hoped White would use this opportunity to change fans’ minds about the album, to showcase its true wonder. Even still, I can’t complain much about the performance: it was nearly flawless and White wowed everyone there with many concert goers citing him as their favorite set of the weekend.

Neil Young’s performance was certainly less than spectacular. Any fire Young once had is now diminished on stage as he awkwardly sways along to the rhythm, seemingly going through the motions. Young’s years showed as he kept proclaiming to the audience that they had no set list and then proceeded to yell at his stagehands for not bringing his guitar. I wanted to love his set, I really did, but I walked away more disappointed than anything. I conversed with others and they mostly blamed it on him being a “grumpy old man,” but I felt like it was something more. Has Young’s passion died? Did he feel as if he already proved himself to his fans and didn’t have to provide them with anything more? Has the political angst that drove Young’s rage even two years ago at his Desert Trip performance faded away to something more tepid, or, dare I say it, has he lost hope?

Robert Plant served as a humble crowning piece to Sunday’s lineup. The veteran rock star performed a wide array from covers (including Joan Baez’s “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”), Zeppelin classics, and a couple songs from his solo discography. Plant was nothing but charming throughout his set, clearly enjoying what he was doing and joking with the crowd by giving them ideas to “ponder.” Plant, at age 69, could have been arrogant, yet he performed as if he was still a newcomer and relished every moment of his act. Blown away does not even begin to describe how I felt leaving his performance; after fifty years of being in the limelight, Plant still has the mojo that truly makes an icon.

The final headliner of the festival, Kings of Leon, contested to be the dessert rock kings, providing an energetic close to the weekend. At one point, Caleb Followhill (lead singer of Kings) proclaimed, “What a great festival, insane lineup. I don’t know why we’re last, but… here you are with us.” Kings, similar to the other headliners, explored a variety of their own music, even playing a couple deep tracks like “California Waiting.” The band seemed almost timid, as if they were plagued with nervous habits. However these didn’t serve as hindrances during their performances but rather a reminder that even the biggest rock stars are not made of stone.

Amazingly, Seco seemed to appeal to all groups: seniors, young adults, families, couples, and everyone in between. That alone was a truly beautiful triumph as you could watch so many different people mingling and enjoying themselves: couples kissing, parents dancing with their children, old friends bonding over their favorite music. It provided a haven that allowed festival goers to take a step back and be truly present with themselves, each other, and the music.

Arroyo Seco seems to ask: how can a music festival be more? More of an experience, more of a community, and more of an event. It didn’t force people to enjoy it in a particular way and provided many options to ensure even the pickiest of patrons could have a good time. In many ways, Seco allowed festival goers to just be themselves, free of any pressure or judgement, and perhaps that was the true beauty of the weekend: it allowed us to just be.

For the Win Moments:

Violent Femme’s cheeky, but energetic, set.
Chrissie Hynde’s energetic lead as front woman of The Pretenders, proving she is a rock and roll icon.
Jack White’s electric set.
The Revolution’s tribute to Prince which made everyone in the audience get out of their seats and dance.
The crowd’s various “Egyptian walks” during The Bangle’s hit “Walk Like an Egyptian.”
Allanis Morissette’s powerful set, proving she is one of the best female performers out there.
Family and friend engagements with one another.
Robert Plant’s entire performance.

WTF Moments:

Jeff Goldblum’s jazz set that was most him reading trivia about the festival’s other entertainers.
Neil Young + the Promise of the Real’s unenthusiastic, unrehearsed set.
Expensive food and drink ($8 for a soda or lemonade? No, thanks).