WASHINGTON -- One can only imagine what Burning Man -- or will it be changed to "Berning Man"? -- will be like this summer.
Not only did Sen. Bernie Sanders introduce Run the Jewels at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Saturday night, supporters will throw "Berniechella," a block party on Thursday and Friday night in Old Town Coachella, before the California festival's second weekend. One of the DJs featured will be Shepard Fairey, the street artist of the Obama "Hope" poster fame. There will be food trucks, a beer garden and "live art."
But first, Sanders warmed up the crowd over the weekend by introducing an artist who usually does that for the candidate.
"One of the highlights of running for president over the course of this last year has been getting to know Killer Mike," Sanders said to the crowd in Indio via video message. "His depth of passion, his knowledge and commitment to community is an inspiration to me and I value his friendship immensely."
Sanders and Killer Mike have indeed grown close over the course of the campaign.
The New York-born and Atlanta-based rapper has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Vermont independent.
In November, for instance, the two sat for an hour-long conversation about politics at the SWAG shop in Atlanta.
The Sanders campaign has attracted a big list of musician supporters.
Vampire Weekend and Foster the People performed for him in Iowa City. He even sports the endorsements of artists from older generations, like Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.
But this extended presence at Coachella is a bit of a first.
"This is the first time since I've been here on this dais and the first time in the Coachella Valley that the campaign of a presidential candidate is willing to do an event," Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez told the Desert Sun. He added he'd "love" to see Sanders' primary rival Hillary Clinton come also. "If she wanted to come here and do something we'd be open to that, too."
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