pluckin a few extra petals from Daisy Chain Fields
I went to Olivia Rodrigo's inaugural one-day festival, Daisy Chain Fields, this past weekend. I wrote about it for Consequence, my first piece there:
Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields Showed the Power of a Girls-to-the-Front Festival
Olivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival brought together Chappell Roan, Doechii, Bikini Kill, Stevie Nicks, and more for a powerful celebration of music, community, and female rage.
Molly Mary O’Brien
A few stray thoughts from DCF that weren't in the piece...
- I'm always looking for one divine hammer but I think Kim Deal might BE the divine hammer? Anytime I'm wondering how I should be, especially as a woman who every year keeps getting one year older, I should just remember that I can try to be like Kim Deal.
- It was very cool that the stages were decorated with enormous buttons, some of which advertised the organizations that were benefitting from DCF's proceeds. That means they were in the photos and videos from the day, and people were looking at them all day. The sets were also all introduced by leadership from the organizations. The charity/advocacy aspect of this fest was very front and center.
- The heat was no joke. I saw a lot of post-fest testimonials from people who had a hard time, followed by some scornful "this is what music festivals are, sweetie" responses. As a fest head, this was HARD MODE. I have been to eight Coachellas and this environment was tougher than anything I have experienced there, except for the first year when a dust storm burned the contacts out of my eyes, lol. I was engaging in all of my fest survival best practices and I was still very close to eating shit, so I do not begrudge anyone for complaining about it.
- Music festivals are one of the canaries in the coal mine for climate change...perhaps a future cause for someone else to center in a different music festival...
- A minor complaint: there were no energy drinks at the bars. 911, I would like to report an emergency. I am sure there was some kind of sponsorship thing going on behind the scenes (generally when someone like Red Bull or Monster is the energy drink of choice at a fest, they're also a sponsor) but dear god Olivia, don't make me start a woman-owned energy drink brand...
- ...should I start a woman-owned energy drink brand? I could call it Molly Water
- When Alanis Morissette came onstage, I completely blacked out. I did not realize how badly I needed to hear her live until that moment. When she walked offstage, I said noooooo. She's playing L.A. this fall but it's a multimedia theatrical experience, a "rock traumedy" called Butterfly With A Machete. Man I just wish I could see a normal style Alanis concert! ALL I REALLY WANT...IS SOME JUSTICE
- I was blown away by the last-minute lineup addition of Devon Again. I have been playing her song "snake the drain" on repeat since, one of those songs that's so perfect it's crazy it took this long to write it. On setlist it says that Daisy Chain Fields was Devon Again's 18th show ever? Really? I will look forward to her headlining festivals someday.
- The Die Spitz pit was so pleasant, even though a mosh pit on a 95 degree day is technically not pleasant at all. I lost my earplugs, which were on a special lanyard, in the pit; when it broke up, someone was waving them around, looking for their rightful owner, and I was reunited with my short-lost earplugs. Btw Die Spitz does my favorite thing a band can do, which is have four members that dress like they are in four different bands.
- I met several writers IRL whose work I have been a fan of online for years, including Suzy Exposito (she edited the Fantasy Of A Broken Heart profile I wrote for ANTICS a few moons ago, and just published a piece in the L.A. Times about Lilith Fair attendees who went to Daisy Chain with their kids) and Grace Robins-Somerville (who writes for Paste and Pitchfork and has a Substack on the ol blogroll called Our Band Could Be Your Wife and is also on the podcast Endless Scroll which you'd like if you like this blog!). That was awesome. Matter of fact, the press shuttles had a lot of women on them.....women writing about music........love to see it...
- Also Doechii is the future. I love her. I knew I wanted to see her ever since I watched the video of her running out onto the Camp Flog Gnaw stage in Miu Miu briefs and stilettos. Doechii the Don, Doechii the dean, Doechii supreme, baby!!
- Lastly I haven't heard anyone shout out the MicroRave. It was a microwave that blasted different songs depending on what button you chose. Heard snippets of Slayyyter, Charli, etc. Totally unbranded. Great idea. So cute. So fun. So Daisy Chain Fields!
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