Excited fans enjoy the annual Coachella Festival in Indio, Calif. The festival was extended to two weekends for the first time this year. Photo courtesy of SodaHead.com.

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Excited fans enjoy the annual Coachella Festival in Indio, Calif. The festival was extended to two weekends for the first time this year. Photo courtesy of SodaHead.com.

With the completion of the now-two-weekend Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival, the summer festival season is now in full swing. And if you’re reading this article, it’s more than likely that you spent the last few days buried under piles of snow rather than buried under the dust and sand that frequently guest star at the yearly Californian music celebration. Thankfully, though, some wonderful copyright-infringers over at YouTube managed to download (and re-upload) many of the live performance streams, so even if you didn’t manage to make it out to Indio, you’ll be able to relive the magic, sweat- and dust-free, all from the comfort of your computer chair. The Clarion has your guide to all of the must-see post-festival Coachella performances now available online. Here are some of this year’s highlights:

#1: R. Kelly’s Surprise Guest Appearance During Phoenix’s Set

This one almost needs no introduction. In the middle of famed French indie-rockers Phoenix’s massive set, fans were treated to the stylings of the self-proclaimed “King of R&B.” What starts off as just an a cappella festival spectacle ends up dropping into one of the grooviest mash-ups in recent history between Phoenix’s hit “1901” and R. Kelly’s “Ignition.” Seriously, just check it out. It’ll be the best four-and-a-half minutes you’ll spend all week.

#2: The Postal Service Reunites On Stage For The First Time In a Decade

Again, no introduction needed. The (modern) classic collaboration between Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and producer Jimmy Tamborello just got a fresh re-release, and the group has just kicked off a string of tour dates, the band’s first in nearly 10 years (yes, it’s been that long). In fact, the group’s got a date at Red Rocks planned for May 30 (correspondent’s note – I’ve got a spare ticket), but even if you can’t make it out for that show, you can relive some of The Postal Service’s live magic online, where the group performs a live rendition of its classic hit “Such Great Heights.” Perfection.

#3: Foals Finally Destroys An American Festival Crowd

If you haven’t heard of Foals, now is the time. The Oxford-born arena-rock cum dance-rock group has recently taken the indie world by storm with its piece of guitar pop perfection, “My Number,” and it appears the band’s ambitions don’t just end with the airwaves – the group did a mind blowing 50-minute set at this year’s Coachella, impressing all lucky enough to come across the rather un-ostentatious band of misfits. The full link on DuClarion.com has the band’s full set, but if you ain’t got time for that, skip to 38:57 for the group’s gut-busting performance of new indie jam track “Inhaler,” or to 20:38 to check out its new bluesy smash “Providence,” which lead singer Yannis Philippakis introduces as a “song about killing your god” and ends up almost killing himself during a crowd surf. In any case, it sounds amazing. (Oh, and you can see Foals in person June 4 at the Ogden Theater, if you are so inclined).

Rock Out Honorable Mentions: Japandroids and/or Red Hot Chili Peppers.

#4: Jurassic 5 Reuniting and Sounding Like They Never Broke Up

Jurassic 5 could never have been described as an utter hip-hop sensation, per se, charting highest at number 14 in the U.S. and with a rather bland break-up in 2007 “for artistic differences.” Six years later, however, J5 have used Coachella’s mainstage for a pretty fantastic comeback, and even if you were never a huge fan of the alt. hip-hop group to begin with, it’s a set worth seeing – the group’s four vocalists sound wonderfully crisp and in-tune with one another, and there’s also some pretty intricate and innovative instrumental work during some of the interludes (can someone please tell me what that weird turntable-guitar thing he’s playing at 17:00 is?) In any case, the full link listed on DuClarion.com has the band’s full set, and it’s well worth a listen – the hour just flies by.

#5: Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes) Looking Like A Rainbow

Photo courtesy of blog.freepeople.com.

Whether you’re a fan of Bat For Lashes’ unique take on multi-instrumental baroque pop or not, there’s one thing we can all agree on, and that’s her (Natasha Khan’s) utterly fantastic wardrobe choices. Coachella 2013 was no exception – Khan came out in a winged, robe-like splash of shiny color that made her look like a still from the movie Rio (which, if you’ve seen it, you’ll know is a very good thing). Oh, and her dance moves and music weren’t too bad either!

Wardrobe honorable mention: Karen O’s Clothing Version of Yeah Yeah Yeahs Song “Sacrilege”

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