Coachella ’14 Saturday’s Breakout Artists: Future Islands, Chvrches, Warpaint, Washed Out, Banks, The Head and the Heart

The Head and The Heart

Temperatures dropped and the dry, desert winds kicked up on the second day of Southern California's Coachella Festival. Capacity crowds clogged entrances, sucked up cell-phone reception, and made it nearly impossible to get close to the stages on Saturday, but the music is what really mattered, and it didn't disappoint.

Long before the Saturday night headlining sets by Muse, Pharrell, and Skrillex, a whole host of exciting up-and-comers made some incredible noise all across the festival grounds.

Banks

L.A. native Banks drew a sizable crowd to the Gobi tent in the mid-afternoon. Dressed in black bohemian garb, the singer, born Jillian Banks, trotted out several tunes from her recent EP, "London," backed by a two-piece band. Although she seemed timid when speaking to the crowd, Banks strutted across the stage with attitude while belting out her several intimate numbers. Some songs were noticeably better than others; set closer "Waiting Game," with its synth swells and Moby-esque production, was a standout. Banks is still developing as an artist and occasionally hit a false note, but the crowd ate it up and didn't seem to mind.

Chvrches

Meanwhile at the Outdoor Theatre, Chvrches proved why they're quickly gaining popularity Stateside. The Scottish dance-pop band played through a dust storm, seeming a bit fazed by the insane weather that's a far cry from their cold and rainy Glasgow environs. "I'm not usually a sweaty person but I'm obsessively sweaty right now," said adorable frontwoman Lauren Mayberry. "Yeah my water tastes like bath water," added keyboardist/vocalist Martin Doherty.

Chvrches drew a sizable crowd for their afternoon slot – not unlike nearly every other dance or electronic rock act on Saturday's bill – a stark reminder that Coachella seems to be shifting from a rock-dominated festival to the domain of the knob twiddlers and button pushers. Some fans danced while others lazed in the grass, but set closer "The Mother We Share" motivated people to get off their booties and start shaking them.

The Head and the Heart

Seattle's the Head and the Heart gave it their all, showcasing their foot-stomping Americana with conviction and enthusiasm. While Chvrches' electro-pop nearly filled the Outdoor Theatre, the six-piece's brand of straightforward, country-tinged rock appealed to a far smaller crowd, further proof that earnest, guitar-based music is falling out of fashion at Coachella. Reminiscent of Wilco and the Lumineers, the Head and the Heart added a unique element with gorgeous three- and -four-part harmonies. Although the crowd was small, those who remained were visibly happy to be there, smiling and singing and along to the Head and the Heart's earnest and unpretentious folk-rock.

Washed Out

Meanwhile, over at the Gobi tent, synth-driven chillwave purveyors Washed Out tapped into a magic formula, confidently balancing electronics with acoustic and electric guitars and analog drums. Ringleader Ernest Greene looked casual in a striped button-down shirt, and struck just the right balance between producer/mastermind and Southern gentleman (he's originally from Georgia). "This is our first time here at Coachella and we're very excited to be here with y'all," he said. Playing several tracks from their 2013 sophomore album, "Paracosm," they added some surprising screeching guitars, which gave the usually mellow tunes some serious teeth.

Warpaint

It's been exciting to watch Los Angeles band Warpaint evolve from a promising indie quartet to a mature band with a seriously tight rhythm section and three strong female vocalists. Their recent self-titled album has been on heavy rotation, and it was exciting to see them bring it to life in the middle of a desert windstorm. They also showcased a new song called "No Way Out." "We wrote this song out here in Joshua Tree but it isn't on our album," said guitarist/vocalist Theresa Wayman. "I'm not crying -- it's just dust in my eye," she said after the emotional number. She may not have been crying, but some of us got a little choked up to see the local girls all grown up and coming into their own.

Future Islands

Baltimore synth-pop outfit Future Islands and their unforgettable singer Samuel T. Herring may well be the unhippest hipsters around. Herring looks more like someone's unassuming uncle with a receding hairline than a charismatic frontman, but give the guy a mic and he becomes an uncontrollable hip-shaking, chest-thumping, dancing machine.

"I want to dance more for you guys, but it's slippery up here with all this sand," Herring said as the wind blew sand around the Gobi tent. Truth be told, it didn't deter him one bit. Meanwhile his bandmates hardly seemed to notice his antics, playing straightmen to his wildman and never missing a beat. A bassist, keyboardist and drummer rounded out the band. A guitar is noticeably absent, but the formula works. Tunes including "Seasons (Waiting On You)" and "A Dream of You and Me" were compelling and utterly danceable, and Herring's soulful voice carried them to another level. Just when you think he's a smooth crooner, he'll suddenly break out his best death metal/Cookie Monster voice, which makes you love the band even more. The crowd at Coachella was visibly enamored, and gave Future Islands one of the most avid and adoring responses of the festival so far.