One of the watershed albums by the Who, one of the six iconic rock acts at the inaugural Desert Trip mega-concert in Indio, is “Who’s Next,†a theme The Times put as a question to concertgoers to find out who they’d like to see on stage if there is to be a sequel to the event.
Desert Trip organizers have not issued a formal yea or nay to a follow-up. It’s pure speculation whether they’ll mount another grand-scale event next fall, or in subsequent years, with just a handful of major pop music artists performing full sets rather than the onslaught of dozens or hundreds of acts performing in daylong marathons, the template followed by virtually all other music festivals.
“A Led Zeppelin reunion — oh, my God, that would be a whole festival on its own,†said Victoria Hyder, 24, who traveled from El Paso with her friend Leandra Sanchez, also 24. “I just got goosebumps even thinking about it.â€
Sanchez had never seen any of this year’s six Desert Trip headliners, and Hyder had only seen one, Paul McCartney, once — with her Beatle-fan mother when she was 12.
“CCR,†Sanchez said, referring to Creedence Clearwater Revival. “And Tom Petty, that would be amazing.â€
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Roger Waters performs Oct. 16 during the second weekend of Desert Trip in Indio, Calif.
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Roger Waters and his band perform Oct. 16 during the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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An elaborate stage set-up surrounds Roger Waters as he performs Oct. 16 druing the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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A fan records part of Roger Waters’ Oct. 16 set during the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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Roger Waters performs Oct. 16 in front of a giant screen at Desert Trip.
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From a distance, fans watch and record Roger Waters’ Oct. 16 Desert Trip performance.
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Roger Waters’ Oct 16 performance closes out the second weekend of the Desert Trip festival in Indio, Calif.
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Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who open with their early hit, “I Can’t Explain,†during the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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Roger Daltrey swings the microphone in his trademark style as The Who performs during the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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A water vendor at weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Drummer Zak Starkey performs with The Who.
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A music fan seeks shade from the sun as it sets during the second weekend of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Pete Townshend strums his guitar in his trademark windmill style as The Who performs.
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A fan attends the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who.
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Music fans take pictures at a large reproduction of the album cover for the Wings’ 1973 release of “Band On The Run.â€
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Fans show their appreciation for the legeendary rock band The Who during the second weekend of Desert Trip.
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Paul McCartney takes the stage during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Anticipation builds for Paul McCartney’s performance at weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Paul McCartney performs during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Paul McCartney performs during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Paul McCartney performs during weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Paul McCartney performs during weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Neil Young banters with the crowd during a performance at Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Neil Young performs at weekend 2 of Desert Trip.
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Camera and lighting personnel wait for Neil Young’s show to begin during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Neil Young performs at Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Neil Young performs with his band at Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Neil Young performs at Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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The setting sun casts a golden glow as a couple poses for a picture in front of a large reproduction of the album cover for “Band on the Run†by Paul McCartney and Wings during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Concertgoers cast shadows on umbrellas spread out on the Empire Polo Grounds for Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Music fans wait in line to check out the vinyl and cassette tapes at a record store on the Empire Polo Grounds during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Music fans thumb through the selection of vinyl at a record store on the Empire Polo Grounds during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Terayuki Kobayashi, 25, a visitor from Japan, checks out an image of Mick Jagger at a photo exhibit during Weekend 2 of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones perform on the second weekend of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones perform on the second weekend of Desert Trip in Indio.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones perform at Desert Trip.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones perform at Desert Trip.
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Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones perform at Desert Trip.
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The Rolling Stones perform at Desert Trip.
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The Rolling Stones perform at Desert Trip.
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Fans enjoy the Rolling Stones at Desert Trip.
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Mick Jagger sings at Desert Trip.
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Mick Jagger performs at Desert Trip.
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Concert-goers wander the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio as gates open for Desert Trip’s second weekend.
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The sun beats down on huge crowds waiting to buy merchandise at Desert Trip.
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Fans pose for pictures in front of large reproductions of classic album covers at Desert Trip.
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Hungry fans crowd a pizza vendor at Desert Trip.
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The sun sets as a crowd gathers at the Empire Polo Grounds to watch Bob Dylan’s performance on Desert Trip’s second weekend.
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The sun sets as a crowd gathers for Bob Dylan’s performance.
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Bob Dylan is projected on a big screen as he opens Desert Trip’s second weekend.
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Shafts of light from the setting sun stream through the dust.
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The moon looms over the stage as fans wait for Bob Dylan to perform.
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Fans pose for photos under a large reproduction of the Rolling Stones’ “Some Girls†album.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Added Hyder, “I’ve been obsessed with the Beatles my whole life, with pictures and posters up in my room. So I’m hoping this weekend Ringo [Starr] will show up — he’s a legend too.â€
Suzanne Cho didn’t have to travel nearly as far as the Texas pair to take in the festival. The Palm Desert resident is a juvenile court judge in Indio who said she’d come back for another one if the promoter, Los Angeles’ Goldenvoice, could score Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Electric Light Orchestra.
She also mentioned Bette Midler to add a female presence to the all-male lineup.
That issue, and another, came up with other Desert Trip attendees as well.
“It’s a pretty pale lineup,†said Jeannie Toshima, while strolling with her husband, Ron, through an exhibit of rock photography that’s one of the ancillary aspects of Desert Trip.
“They should get somebody from Motown, like Stevie Wonder,†said the South Pasadena resident. Ron Toshima added, “The original Temptations, even though I know that’s impossible. Smokey Robinson would be great. The Chambers Brothers. And Aretha [Franklin].â€
After mulling for several minutes, Ron Toshima enthusiastically added Buffalo Springfield to his wish list.
Elayne Beng-Wilion of the San Fernando Valley came to share Desert Trip with her daughter, Beth Wilion, who has lived in Seattle for eight years.
Both suggested Springsteen for a future event, and commented on the absence of women performers.
“There have been some great women — unfortunately some of them aren’t still around,†Beng-Wilion said. “Janis Joplin. And Linda Ronstadt would be great, but she doesn’t sing any more.â€
Both also mentioned a Led Zeppelin reunion, and like most other fans noted their awareness of singer Robert Plant’s staunch opposition to further reunions. They also added Crosby, Stills Nash & Young to their lists.
Daniel and Irene Cameron trekked more than 5,000 miles from Redding, England, rescheduling a previously planned trip to California so they could catch Desert Trip’s four English acts, plus one Canadian and one American artist all on the same stage on the same weekend.
The Camerons had seen the British contingent individually over the years, but never Young or Dylan. Their fantasy Desert Trip sequel concert list skewed toward California acts, with requests for Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Beach Boys creative leader Brian Wilson.
They also included Northern Ireland singer-songwriter Van Morrison, who coincidentally just played Thursday at the Hollywood Bowl, on the eve of Desert Trip’s second weekend, with another still-active ‘60s rock scene veteran, singer Tom Jones.
A trio of friends in their mid-20s — Gabi Stadler, 23, of Washington D.C.; Nahal Poormasjedian, 23, of Santa Monica; and Henry Yaniz, 24, of Miami — sounded utterly beside themselves at the prospect of the first Desert Trip lineup about to get underway on Friday.
“It really is a once-in-a-lifetime event,†Yaniz said.
“We’ve been to Coachella, and everything about this is so much nicer,†said Stadler.
As to who it would take to spur them to cough up whatever it might cost to return for another version of Desert Trip, they mixed reality and fantasy in naming Led Zeppelin, Springsteen, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and the Doors.
But the real-world lineup for this year’s Desert Trip was plenty for all three.
Said Yaniz: “This is truly epic.â€
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