After five years of unrequited Coachella love, I finally made it down to the festival this year, courtesy of Mean Magazine. It was an amazingly fun and excruciatingly hot weekend, full of schwag, celebrity sightings, and deliciously overpriced food. Since I had a press pass, I was lucky enough to take pictures right up front, between the audience and the stage. Here’s the first batch of shots, including pictures of Jens Lekman, Santogold, Vampire Weekend, Dan Deacon and Goldfrapp. Check back on Thursday for the rest of ‘em, plus a crazy sexy cool Coachella mix!

Dan Deacon