About Palm Springs

Biking, golf, hiking, horseback riding, swimming, and tennis in the nearby desert and mountain areas are major forms of recreation in the city of Palm Springs. This area is also well-known for its mid-century modern architecture, design elements, and a vibrant arts and cultural scene.

In terms of Rock music, artists from the Rat Pack to modern-day Indie rockers and many artists in between have been finding creative inspiration in the magical settings of the Coachella Valley since the 1950s.

It long seemed as if the desert town had everything the Punk genre needed to flourish: bored teenagers in a city full of retired senior citizens, together with Frank Sinatra's hate for Rock ’n’ Roll which was omnipresent. But Punk was no success story in Palm Springs. The brutal heat and the vastness of the desert landscape changed its sound. End of the 70s, guitar sounds became darker and the beat changed. That's when unique Stoner Rock and Desert Rock was born.

The so-called Palm Desert Scene with their Hard Rock sound now used elements of Psychedelia, Blues, Heavy Metal, Hardcore Punk, Alternative Rock, and other genres, often featuring distinctive repetitive drum beats, a propensity for free-form jamming, and Trance-like or sludgy grooves. Survivors of a music genre that only lasted for about 20 years in this very area are Queens of the Stone Age or The Eagles of Death Metal who today are well-known all over the planet.

For a deeper insight into Desert Rock music and its origins, watch Lo Sound Desert, a documentary about the Californian Desert Rock and Punk Rock scene.