Hot hot heat

Jack Johnson, the mellow mahlo surprise chart topper, is up tonight, and the weekend will see a parade of musical talent -- Grammy winners, million sellers, uber-hipsters like Prince, M.I.A., the Raconteurs, Kraftwerk, Hot Chip, Tegan and Sara, My Morning Jacket, VHS or Beta, and Portishead, just to give a topline.

But if you're regretting your decision to sit out this year's Coachella, just take a gander at this Day 1 photo and know that it's expected to be a brain-frying 101 degrees (feels like 112!) in Indio this weekend.

Seen one Coachella, definitely not seen them all. Still, there's just something about this year's desert gathering that made us say, nope, not for love nor money will we haul it to BFE, stand in these greenhouse-effect tents and sweat to the newbies (and some oldies).

For everyone going -- have a ball. Pack water.