M.I.A. Brings It on the Main Stage at Coachella

Posted on Apr 19th 2009 11:08AM by Benjy Eisen
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If Day Two of Coachella proved anything, it's that M.I.A. is now big enough (and good enough) to be a main stage act, but is perhaps more comfortable personally in the dance tents where chaos is often rewarded by excitement and the barrier between artist and fan is a lot smaller -- both figuratively and literally. "I really don't know how to bring it on the main stage but we're going to try," she said. And in many ways she and her sprawling entourage succeeded. But the impersonal vibe of the larger stage, as well as her new popularity as a hit maker, had M.I.A. clamoring to retain her street cred.

"Just because I did the Grammys doesn't mean I sold out," she told fans, most of whom didn't see her perform in the tent last year. In an effort to prove her point, as she chucked noisemakers into the crowd she claimed that her lawyer told her she could be sued if she hit anybody on the head. "But," she said, "I ain't gonna change."

Towards the end of a set that was entertaining if choppy, M.I.A. invited fans to jump the barrier and join her onstage. "I've already been banned from Coachella once," she said. "S---, let's do it." Despite security strongly disagreeing with her and not going along with it, a cluster of fans did make it up there to dance and bring the sense of chaos that she thrives upon, until they were cleared from the stage by unamused stage hands. Closing with 'Paper Planes,' as expected, M.I.A. nonetheless had tens of thousands singing along. Not bad for a "retired" mom.