Coachella, one of the world’s biggest festivals, rolled in and it did not disappoint. Many people voiced their opinion on it having a weak lineup, however, the experience was nothing but incredible. With 375,000 people attending over the span of the three days for two weekends, Coachella is a pilgrimage every music lover should make once in their lifetime. Located in the desert of Indio, California, the festival is an oasis filled with good vibes and good music.
The Music
Undoubtedly, Coachella had a very versatile lineup catering to different music tastes. In the EDM field, we saw acts such as Cirez D, Dillon Francis, DJ Snake, NGHTMRE, Chris Lake, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Gesaffelstein, Jauz, Camelphat, FISHER, Gorgon City, Kölsch, Diplo/Major Lazer, Nina Kravis, Kayzo, Ookay, Gryffin, Tale Of Us, Zedd, and many, many more.
Unfortunately, the EDM lineup of Coachella was not as packed as prior years, but, it did not disappoint. The headliners for each night were Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Arianna Grande. Without a doubt, they put on a show-stopping performance. Coachella is best experienced for the fans that have an open taste in music and want to discover new artists!
The EDM sets that stood out where Dillon Francis’ and his surprise packed set. He brought out lovelytheband and DJ Snake out (Weekend 1) to perform a massive festival set. DJ Snake on Friday of weekend 1 brought out Selena Gomez, Cardi B, and Ozuna to perform “Taki Taki” live for the first time. Cirez D, as always, closed out the Yuma stage on Sunday in spectacular fashion. French duo, Polo & Pan delivered a highly-discussed set that was beyond incredible. RÜFÜS DU SOL, my personal favorite set of the weekend, absolutely killed the Outdoor stage on Friday night. Gesaffelstein delivered one of the most buzz-worthy sets of both weekends. All in all, every set was incredible as every artist gave it their all.
The Stages
The Coachella stage (main stage) was where the biggest acts performed. With massive LED screens, visuals where a pleasure to see. Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, Ariana Grande, Khalid, Zedd, J Balvin, and many others performed at the biggest stage of the festival.
The Outdoor Theatre, the second biggest stage, saw a mixture of headliners and second tier artists. On this stage DJ Snake, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Bob Moses, Gorgon City, BASSNECTAR, Billie Elish, Gesaffelstein, and many others performed. This stage’s main feature, just as the Coachella Stage, was big LED panels that allowed for visuals to be seen splendidly.
The Sahara stage, which in prior years was EDM heavy, saw a mixture of hip-hop and EDM. Acts like Dillon Francis, NGHTMRE, Jauz, Anna Lunoe, Gryffin, Diplo, Kayzo, Kid Cudi, YG, Pusha T, and many others performed here. This stage is a megastructure with a bunch of LED panels and a massive sound system. This stage keeps developing every year and it is nothing short of grand.
Yuma Stage was where all the house and techno fans headed to get away from the heat. Acts like Cirez D, Camelphat, Chris Lake, Nicole Moudaber, Tale of Us, Charlotte de Witte, and many others performed on this massive tent. Filled with lasers, a disco shark (yes, you read that right), A/C, a bar, and good vibes, Yuma was definitely the place to be if you are into techno and house music.
Additionally, stages like the Sonora, Gobi, Mojave, and the Heineken House saw a rotation of different genres. These are smaller stages compared to the previously mentioned ones. These stages saw acts such as Polo & Pan, FKJ, Jauz (Heineken), CHVRCHES, and many others.
The Real Oasis: Do LaB
The hidden gem next to the Sahara stage, Do LaB stage, was the place to be. If you are an aficionado of electronic music then this was the stage. It was a great place to cool off due to the stage design and the mist hoses shooting into the crowd. People here put their phones down and danced like there was no tomorrow. With a versatile lineup of electronic acts, the Do LaB stage was always packed. Surprise guests each night included Camelphat b2b Gorgon City, Agoria, Guy Gerber b2b Pete Tong, Major Lazer, Bob Moses, RÜFÜS DU SOL (DJ Set), SOFI TUKKER, Yotto, Nina Kraviz, Jan Blomqvist, Four Tet, Dusky, and Tale of Us.
Surprises
Coachella saw several surprises during sets. The biggest ones being Selena Gomez, Ozuna, and Cardi B for DJ Snake’s set (Weekend 1) and Kid Cudi bringing out Kanye West (Weekend 2). Marshmello showed up as a guest for Khalid and CHVRCHES (Weekend 1). Khalid, apart from Marshmello, brought massive guests including Billie Eilish, Halsey, Normani, and John Mayer. Ariana Grande, in spectacular fashion and with some hiccups in the audio, brought out NSYNC and Nicki Minaj for weekend 1, as well as Justin Bieber for weekend 2. Tame Impala, the headliner for Saturday, brought out A$AP Rocky for weekend 2. All in all, part of the fun of Coachella is seeing surprises during sets, and this year it did not disappoint.
Conclusion
Coachella was an incredible festival. From the jaw-dropping art installations to the incredible versatile lineup, the 2-weekend festival had it all. The experience is like no other, regardless if you like the lineup or not. Everyone comes together under the desert sun to party, dance, and have a great time. Like any festival, it has its ups and downs. This festival is worth the trip and no matter your music taste, you will find a place to dance until your body can’t handle anymore. We can’t wait to see what Coachella has in store for us in 2020!
