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Sweltering Coachella Concludes With Pink Floyd Front Man

Prince Headlines Saturday Show Amid 101-Degree Heat

POSTED: 11:42 am PDT April 27, 2008

Temperatures should top 100 degrees Sunday at the Coachella Valley Music & Art Festival, where Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters is expected to close the show with "Dark Side of the Moon."

Sunday's lineup also includes Austin TV, Duffy, Manchester Orchestra and Love and Rockets.

Saturday's high topped out at 101 degrees, and forecasters at the National Weather Service expect temperatures to be slightly warmer Sunday. The record for the date is 107 degrees, set in 1996.

Indio police spokesman Ben Guitron said paramedics checked out or took to hospitals 18 people suffering from heat-related illnesses on Saturday.

Still, Prince, who topped the bill that night, told the crowd: "You are the coolest place on earth right now."

The Riverside County Fire Department will have extra paramedics and first aid booths available, said Capt. Fernando Herrera.

"Stay hydrated at all times and try not to drink too much alcohol," Herrera cautioned festival-goers, saying they should wear hats and try to stay in the shade.

Arrests, mostly for alcohol, drugs or fighting, have totaled 64 at the three-day festival at Indio's Empire Polo Field.

Prince, complete with horn section, dancers and longtime collaborators Sheila E and Morris Day, took fans on a ride with "Little Red Corvette" and "1999." He also covered the Beatles' "Come Together" and closed with "Purple Rain" and "Let's Go Crazy."

More than 125 bands will have played Coachella's five stages -- two outdoors and three in tents -- by the time the festival winds down this evening.

So far, the ninth annual festival has been "pretty good," according to Guitron, who has helped coordinate police since the festival's inception.

"Arrests are a little down. Traffic hasn't been as bad," he said early Sunday, as stragglers made their way to cars and campers settled in for the night.

Guitron estimated that festival's overnight population -- people sleeping in tents and stage crews -- out-numbered Indio's normal population of about 81,000.

The daytime crowd, over three days, is expected to top 160,000.

When it all wraps up, actor Sean Penn, who has spoken to the crowd several times, will load as many as 300 young people onto biodiesel buses for a trip to New Orleans for its jazz festival.

The concert industry trade publication Pollstar reported that 62,212 tickets were sold for last year's festival, which equated to an attendance of 180,000 over three days. Festival founder Paul Tollett said he expects about the same number this year.

Many hotels across the valley are sold out.

"We've got nothing left," said Monty Kadakia, manager of the Super 8 Motel on Highway 111.

The 19-room Palm Shadow Inn along Highway 111, just past Jefferson Street, was also sold out.

Delays may be expected on the following streets and Highway 111: -- Jefferson Street, southbound, from Indio Boulevard to Avenue 52; -- Monroe Street, southbound, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52; and -- Highway 111 at Jefferson Street and Monroe Street.

Guitron also advised residents to "avoid eastbound I-10 at Jefferson and I-10 at Monroe exits if you can."

Good alternative routes for travel north and south in Indio will be Madison, Jackson and Calhoun streets along with Golf Center Parkway, Guitron said.

For eastbound travel in Indio, Guitron suggested using Fred Waring Drive and Miles Avenue, east of the wash, as well as Avenue 48.

"If you live south of Avenue 52 at Monroe, go south to Airport Boulevard before going eastbound or westbound," he said.

Road closures will include: -- Avenue 50 westbound from Madison to Jefferson streets; -- Avenue 52 eastbound from Madison to Monroe streets; and -- Monroe Street will be converted to southbound traffic only from Avenue 52 to 48.

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