Coachella is getting into virtual reality, too

Coachella is gettin' fancy. 

The music festival in Indio, California, kicks off its 17th year on Friday, and while its tried and true features will still be there --  the Ferris wheel, the enormous art installations and more flower headbands than you ever asked for -- there will also be a ton of shiny new toys meant to prove, like the Tupac hologram did in 2012, that the festival is still ahead of the tech game. 

Organizers have teamed up with Vantage.tv to let fans in Indio and abroad experience the festival in virtual reality. Each festivalgoer has already received his or her own cardboard virtual reality headset. Using the Coachella VR app -- available for iOS, Android, and Samsung Gear VR -- they can go on tours of festival and campgrounds, see 360-degree photos from previous years, and watch exclusive interviews with performers including Matt & Kim and Gallant.

Fans outside Indio can also experience the fest via the app, as long as they have a VR headset. 

Sony Music Entertainment and Wowza teamed up for a similar experience at last year's Lollapalooza Berlin, with a 360-degree virtual-reality live stream. 

And that's just the tip of the tech iceberg. 

Here Active Listening earbuds are not yet for sale to the public -- and the wait list keeps growing. But Coachella attendees were given the chance to purchase them early in order to experience "bionic hearing" at the festival.  

The wireless buds from Doppler Labs allow listeners to customize their music experience with their phone, adjusting the volume, bass, reverb, and the like, and even offering a number of fancy filters with names like "Carnegie Hall," "psychedelic" -- likely to come in handy -- "stadium," "small studio" and "Tiesto," which was designed by the Dutch producer himself. 

Speaking to Mashable, Doppler Labs CEO Noah Kraft said it's these "subtle" changes that could make a huge difference in a show experience.

"It could be as simple as turning down the volume," he said. "Adjusting the volume 5 decibels could be the difference between an amazing set and one that's going to make your ears ring for days."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Kraft said that since Here can be a little overwhelming for the average listener -- it isn't even meant for the average listener, after all -- they've set up filters specific to the various Coachella stages to optimize new users' experiences. If you go to the Sahara stage, for example, there will be a special Sahara filter that's more tailored to the EDM audience, and is adjustable based on your proximity to the stage. 

Kraft said that while this year's shiny new tech will make for a unique experience, Coachella will, after all, still be Coachella. 

"Coachella does need to be purist. It really sets the standard for festivals," he said. 

"Of course, when technology gets involved, it's different and it's pushing boundaries. But I think Coachella does this in a very seamless way."

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