Unlike at Burning Man, that other major desert festival, the people in possession ofCoachella's highly prized wristband tickets are not expected to bring their ownentertainment. In fact, fireworks and musical instruments (especially, thank goodness, thedreaded bongos) are forbidden on festival grounds. Instead, the festival’s curatorspresent an astonishing array of musical explosives in the form of headliners such as Dr.Dre, Radiohead and the Black Keys. Hosted in the otherwise peaceful anddeserted Coachella Valley near Indio, California, hours away from any major city, thefestival will host Britpop legends Pulp, as well as current indie high flyers such as TheShins and Bon Iver. Despite these big names, it's actually mostly female artists who areon our “don't miss” list below, so check these tracks out. Azealia Banks

Even if she's not as prodigiously gifted as NickiMinaj, AzealiaBanks' sparse output makes hers a victory of quality over Minaj's often mediocrequantity. Working with Diplo and M.I.A., Banks is obviously angling for a mainstreamcrossover hit like "Paper Planes," and might have found it in her ode to cunnilingus,"212." Equally foulmouthed and quick-witted, Banks rocks rougher, more adventurous beats-- an energetic New York sound sure to rock the California desert.Laura Marling

Though she's barely 22,Laura Marling's voice and songwriting carries the weight of more mature artists such asLeonard Cohen or Emmylou Harris. Unlike similarly precocious singers like Taylor Swift,whose songs concern themselves with teenage drama, Marling's work is as weighty and darkas her voice is bright and alluring. The blonde Brit may look like a more nymph-likeversion of Anna Faris, but her recent songs have more in common with the ebb and swell ofLed Zeppelin's slowest and best. Recommended for fans of Mumford & Sons -- don't fearthe folk!M83

Should Muse's histrionics prove too campy, or yourproggy preferences too uncool, the M83 has the answer. With a sound as big as theuniverse, the band is made for wide-open spaces and is likely to top even Radiohead in thefestival's “most epic” stakes. Like those British masters, M83 combineselectronic touches and washes to create heavily textured anthems that Coachella thriveson. Their fresh take on goth should appeal to fans of Interpol, The Cure and evenPhoenix.Breakbot

Lovers of Rick James and Daft Punk, unite!Breakbot is nonstop fire and fun, like all five Jacksons chopped up and geneticallymodified for the new millennium. It's Hall & Oates all over again. Sure, they'resilly, but like like-minded contemporary funksters Chromeo or Jamie Lidell, Breakbot isready to whip up any dance floor into a freaky frenzy.Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star is quintessential bedroom pop. Theircountry-inflected whispers wrapped in hazy, lacy gauze were the height of fashion in thelate '90s, and the enigmatic band has only very recently returned from an almost 14-yearhiatus. Hope Sandoval, the band's gorgeous frontwoman, still sounds like heaven, though,and fans of Nick Cave, PJ Harvey or The Kills will find a great deal of familiar darknessin Mazzy Star's offbeat brand of darkly dreamy rock. Continue Reading

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