INDIO, California — Coachella 2008 is perhaps best summarized by the phone calls I fielded while making my annual drive to Palm Springs this sunny spring weekend.

Random friend: "Hey dude, what's up?"

Me: "Just driving to Coachella."

Random friend: "Is that this weekend? Who's playing again?"

Yes, it's quite possible this is the year Coachella became forgettable. Once the country's premiere festival, it is now struggling to keep up with Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and the like, mainly in the bookings.

Radiohead, for example, are playing every festival but Coachella. Instead, we get Jack Johnson.

In fact, this is the first time in seven consecutive years of covering Coachella that I chose to miss a main-stage headliner, instead opting for Fatboy Slim in the Sahara Tent. In hindsight, I could have caught both, since Fatboy took the stage nearly 30 minutes late. Who knew it took so long to plug in a laptop?

It's also the first time my cell phone worked all weekend, the first time I could get between the main stage and the Outdoor Theater without having to weave in and out of crowds, and the first time the talk of the day was the next night's headliner.

If there's any story here besides a disappointing line-up and subsequent low ticket sales, it is Saturday's late-edition headliner, Prince. At least three bands covered him Friday — Architecture in Helsinki, Les Savy Fav and Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip — while his name came up often backstage.

"I took a picture of my drums on the drum riser onstage because it said 'Prince' on it," Rogue Wave drummer Pat Spurgeon said. "I was geeking out."

Spurgeon was less geeked about the band's 1:30 time slot, which with heavy traffic early in the day — thanks to a single-lane entry point — meant a sparse crowd.

In fact, not until the Raconteurs' 7:30 p.m. set did the main-stage have a decent audience. After the amazing crowd for the Pixies' reunion a few years ago, Kim Deal must have been disappointed in the lackluster crowd the Breeders drew, even if she seemed to be having a blast.

There were a few highlights. Datarock was a blast and Les Savy Fav proved himself to be one crazy rocker, but most of the shows came with a "but."

The Raconteurs rocked, but it wasn't the White Stripes. Serj Tankian was interesting, but it wasn't System of a Down. Fatboy Slim got the party started, but his late entrance ruined the fun. Fittingly, a giant clock appeared on the screen behind him when he started.

The National sounded good, but their set was boring. Dan Deacon did his thing, but on the floor rather than the stage, so no one could see him. And Spank Rock's DJs had something going, but Spank himself was sick and never showed.

It was that kind of day at Coachella. The first time I can remember someone calling in sick. I can't say that I don't wish I'd done the same.

-Adam DeRoy

The Buzznet crew is chatting up the hottest artists and is armed head-to-toe with cameras for photo coverage, so be sure to keep checking back for regular Coachella updates.

(Check out our cornucopia of Coachella coverage right here, and don't forget to upload your own content to the Coachella group page.)

Don't miss these fresh Coachella galleries:


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[Fatboy Slim: Click on the image to see the gallery.]


[Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings:
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[The Verve: Click on the image to see the gallery.]


[The Raconteurs: Click on the image to see the gallery.]


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Look at pics of Saturday's lineup:


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And if you're planning to go Sunday, here's what's in store:


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Last but not least, don't miss videos of The Raconteurs and Sharon Jones.