COACHELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL IS A BLUR.

Byline: Jocelyn Cahir Staff Writer

Some might say that Blur paved the way for bands such as Oasis or the Charlatans, because long before the rest of Britain caught up, Blur debuted in 1989 with ``Leisure.''

Its latest album, ``Think Tank,'' is being released May 6. And Blur will perform Saturday as part of this weekend's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, featuring more than 70 bands.

While Blur - Damon Albarn (vocals), Alex James (bass) and drummer Dave Rowntree - has had its ups and downs, from being close to bankruptcy to tours that didn't go as well as planned, the trio (once a quartet) has managed to keep the music going all these years.

Hits such as ``Girls & Boys'' and ``There's No Other Way'' put Blur on the map, but don't expect to see all those chart-toppers performed at Coachella.

``We're not going to do any of those,'' says Rowntree. ``We'll do about half new and half old stuff.''

Speaking of new, ``Think Tank'' is Blur's first album as a three-piece. With founding member and guitarist Graham Coxon out of the picture, Rowntree chooses his favorite of Blur's seven albums: ``It would be a strange, strange man that didn't say his favorite was the latest album,'' said Rowntree with a laugh.

``We're really a lot better at what we do,'' explains Rowntree. ``We've become more confident, and that really helps when making music, because you leave yourself open to making mistakes, and that's where the creativity is.''

Here's a look at some of the other acts performing at the festival:

SATURDAY

Beastie Boys - Adam Yauch, Mike Diamond and Adam Horowitz released their last album, ``Hello Nasty,'' five years ago. That's one heck of a vacation.

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals - Harper's most recent album, ``Diamonds on the Inside,'' takes you on a journey through Southern gospel, '70s funk and blues.

Groove Armada - Don't expect to see a DJ set from this English duo, but a full-on live performance.

The Hives - With their only 2003 appearance, these Swedish punk-rockers make a nice addition to the lineup.

N.E.R.D. - aka the Neptunes, this successful hip-hop production team can be seen just about everywhere, working with the likes of Jay-Z, No Doubt, Justin Timberlake and Mary J. Blige.

SUNDAY

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Let's hope Anthony Kiedis and the guys wear more than just socks during their headlining performance.

The White Stripes - Are they brother and sister or a former married couple? It seems the latter is true. This Detroit duo's latest album, ``Elephant,'' rocks in a big way, bigger than the animal it's named after.

Iggy and the Stooges - It's been 28 years, but Iggy Pop and original Stooges Ron and Scott Asheton, together with bassist Mike Watt standing in for the late Dave Alexander, have decided to regroup. Expect classics and maybe a few new songs, too.

Dirty Vegas - Widely known for that song on the Mitsubishi Eclipse commercials, ``Days Go By,'' this group has cast its spell.

COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

Who: Beastie Boys, Ben Harper, Blur, the White Stripes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Underworld and more.

Where: Empire Polo Fields, 81800 Avenue 51, Indio.

When: Noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets: $75 for a one-day pass; $140 for a two-day pass (limited amount). [phone]; www.coachella.com.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Cut down from a quartet to a trio, the British band Blur performs Saturday at the Coachella festival in Indio.

Peter Marlow