Richie Hawtin Promises to Phone In Coachella Performance

Posted on Apr 16th 2010 2:00PM by Steve Baltin
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Famed DJ/artist Richie Hawtin is getting himself in the right frame of his mind for his 2010 Coachella performance. "We've been in Palm Springs since Monday and we're set up in a beautiful house sitting by the pool near the mountains right now," he tells Spinner. But Hawtin assures everybody that he is working hard as well.

"Once the sun goes down, we're inside with our full setup and doing some testing and rehearsing and changing a couple of things, making a couple of special moments just for Sunday night," he says. "I think we're prepared, but every day gets better and better."

Yes, Hawtin, promises to bring out some surprises for his set. "We're doing a special thing with this iPhone application, so every show we kind of introduce new ideas or open up the application to these interactive moments at different times," he says. "We're just changing and making something special for the end right now. I can build up the anticipation, but I can't let the cat out of the bag."

That he would be preparing something special for the set is only right, as he has a very special time slot. Hawtin, who has resurrected his famed Plastikman persona for the performance, will close the Sahara Tent Sunday night at 9:30PM. The closing set in the dance tent has, in the past, provided some of the finest moments in Coachella's history, with icons of the genre like Underworld, Kraftwerk, Can and Daft Punk having come out in that spot to overflowing throngs and heroes' welcomes. Hawtin, who will follow electronic pioneers Orbital, is aware of the slot's legacy.

"To be presented with Orbital on the Sunday night is perfect and an honor," he says. "It kind of gives two sides of the electronic coin; the brothers [Phil and Paul Hartnoll of Orbital] and me, a darker side, a more electronic side, and Iwe have the anticipation of closing that tent with something we can both offer because of our longevity in the industry. We were there 10 years ago, 20 years ago. We saw this whole kind of scene begin in a way, but I'm sure both of us look forward to where it's going. That's a perfect way to end the Sahara tent on Sunday night."