One way this festival is different than all the others is that it is in a very "resorty" desert area, with a lot of nice resorts and hotels around the Indio - LaQuinta- Palm Springs? areas, unlike the Maine and Big Cypress festies which were miles away from any kind of civilization and the choice was camping or RV.

Here, a lot of people, ourselves included, have opted for these all inclusive packages which were set up by Valley Music Travel which has honed its skills doing the Coachella rock festivals (also at the Empire Polo Club in Indio). These guys, and the people who put together the worker volunteers (Shimon Presents), have the festival organization down like clockwork. Group shuttles from the airport. Whisked to one of the most swanky resorts we have ever stayed at, the LaQuinta Hotel (where most of the rooms are little villa houses on a huge resort property). Whisked to and from the festival site in large, brand new tour buses, with little wait and the schedule announced by twitter. Separate entrance and exit to the concert from day parking. Very short wait and security and professional security (local staffing company, not volunteers or the usual chaotic festival employees, more like a regular venue).

This is so far removed from the privations of previous shows like Sugarbush 94/95 (remember the dysfunctional and woefully inadequate school bus shuttles?), the rain at Great Went, etc. that it isn't funny. Somehow it feels strange, but I like it.

As for camping, I would say that the desert climate here seems inhospitable to camping. Think "no shade" and open like Big Cypress, but burning hot right after dawn in a tent and cold at night (last night not so bad as Thursday and Friday...low say 60 degrees instead of high 30s!