Following a Day One that more resembled an induction ceremony at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame than it did a celebration of indie-rock music, the 2009 Coachella [ tickets ] Valley Music and Arts Festival got back on its regular track on Saturday (4/18) with a lineup that featured some of the best young talent in the business.

Gone were Paul McCartney, Morrissey and Leonard Cohen--the trio of legendary singer/songwriters that performed on Friday--and in their place at the Empire Polo grounds in Indio, CA, were such newly notable acts as Fleet Foxes [ tickets ], Thievery Corporation [ tickets ] and Band of Horses [ tickets ].

The evening's headliner was The Killers [ tickets ], something that was visually underscored by the many members of the 50,000-strong crowd that chose to wear the band's merchandise to the event, although the best set of the day that this critic witnessed was delivered by TV on the Radio [ tickets ].

TV on the Radio is still supporting "Dear Science," a work that numerous critics and publications—including LiveDaily—dubbed the best album of last year. It was easy to understand what so many critics loved about this CD as the New York band--led by vocalists Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone--mined "Dear Science," as well as prior releases, to deliver a high-energy set of startlingly original music. The band's 50-minute show mixed many diversely appealing musical elements, including pulsating electronic music, powerful prog-rock, artsy post-punk and funk-filled soul, and the result was vastly satisfying.

Nearly as entertaining as TV on the Radio's set was Jenny Lewis' offering. Lewis, who appeared at last year's Coachella with her band Rilo Kiley, returned to the desert as a solo act and she delighted the crowd by performing a collection of sunny country-pop tunes that were more in keeping with Southern California's Laurel Canyon tradition than that of Nashville's Music Row.

M.I.A. also had a good chance to make Saturday's highlight reel, and she got off to a good start with her set. Yet, she was uncomfortable with her role, as the main support for The Killers on Coachella's largest stage, and her sizable talent was quickly eclipsed by the show producers' awkward endeavors to make this set come across like a true event. Indeed, she seemed to be lost amid all the big production elements--the flashy videos, the dance routines, the elaborate costumes, etc.--and M.I.A. let her fans know that she was having trouble finding her footing.

"I really don't know how to bring it on the main stage," she remarked to the crowd. "But we are going to try."

Michael Franti [ tickets ] and Paolo Nutini [ tickets ], two other main stage acts, did not experience similar difficulties and they managed to please listeners with fine offerings of, respectively, roots reggae and soul-pop. On the flip side, the Fleet Foxes' harmony-rich pop music and the Drive-By Truckers' indie-country-rock fell a bit flat as performed on the Outdoor Theatre stage, Coachella's second-largest platform.

Amid all these new artists came impressive outings from three longtime favorites-- Bob Mould [ tickets ], Henry Rollins and Booker T (leading The DBT's). With the exception of TV on the Radio, no act rocked Saturday's concert better than Mould, who, at 48, proved that there is no age limit for creating exciting new music.

The 2009 Coachella festival winds up today (4/19) with a lineup featuring Antony and the Johnsons, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, X and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Tune in on Monday (4/20) to read our review of Day Three.

Full Coachella coverage:
Day One: Review | Photos
Day Two: Photos
Day Three: Review | Photos