Ignore the irony involved in all of this for a minute. Throughout his campaign for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders has used music that calls for a revolution. Bernie recently released a television advertisement that features Diplo’s iconic track carrying the name “Revolution.” Another advertisement of his titled “America” poignantly features inspiring images coupled with the soaring music of Simon & Garfunkel. Appropriately, Art Garfunkel and Diplo have publicly pledged their support for Sanders, with other notable artists such as Steve Aoki, Bassnectar, Paul Oakenfold, Miley Cyrus, Roger Waters, Nas and many more following suit. Rapper Killer Mike has spent months passionately advocating on Bernie’s behalf, with Sanders recently returning the favor by introducing his hip-hop duo Run the Jewels at Coachella.
Although Bernie famously dropped his own folk album while mayor of Burlington, Vermont in 1987, he probably never expected to have his own music festival. That will change on April 21st, as Bernie supporters are throwing a Bernie Sanders for President Block Party that is being dubbed Berniechella. The free event in Old Town Coachella will feature artists such as Alex Ebert, the lead singer of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and DJs such as Shepard Fairey and Lenny Kravitz’s daughter Zoë Kravitz. Berniechella speaks to the passion of Sanders’ supporters, who have already honored him with the one-day musical Bernie Fest in Chicago and can look forward to the three-day Bernanza in Omaha on June 30th. Coachella seemed like the perfect inspiration because nothing says socialism like people paying over $300 for a music festival.
