Rumors of Coachella’s demise have been greatly exaggerated for the better part of two decades, and I’m here to set the record straight.

Remember when Coachella was just for hipsters? And how nowadays only influencers go just to be seen? Or that every year the lineup is worse than the year before—and definitely not ever as good as it was in the past?

Nowadays, people look back on the lineups of 10 years ago with fondness. I predict the same cycle will repeat in the next decade.

Let me ask: Does Beethoven suck? Are the Circle Jerks jack-offs? At what other festival can you even listen to Beethoven performed by a world-class symphony orchestra and mosh in a Circle Jerks pit in the same weekend?

This is the magic of Coachella.

I live for three sunsets a year, and they occur at the Empire Polo Club—the sprawling, 1,000-acre field of grass and dreams in the middle of an Indio, California, residential neighborhood where the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival has taken place most years since 1999. Everything that happens between those 3 sunsets, whether planned or unplanned, is what makes this incredible event so captivating and worth returning to annually.

But just as much as I look forward to going, I see thousands complain endlessly and annually online about Coachella, the lineup, who attends, and why. I think most people are plain fucking wrong about America’s greatest music festival and it’s likely because:

1) They’ve never gone to Coachella.

2) They don’t like the lineup because they have shitty, unevolved music taste, and are still only listening to the same music they did in high school and college, or,

3) They’ve never gone to Coachella; have shitty, unevolved music taste; AND are channeling their FOMO into negativity instead of finding things in their lives that make them as happy as Coachella makes the people who love it.

If this pisses you off, I might be talking about you.

Why do I have such a strong opinion on this? Because—after attending 16 Coachellas—this behemoth, trendsetting music festival has rarely disappointed me and still manages to captivate, surprise, and evolve year after year despite the names I know on the lineup. If you’re open to a global soundscape with multiple genres on offer (or even just new musical experiences), Coachella is a value—not the horrendous, overblown, excessive, expensive nightmare people say it is.

Now, I’m not naive. Though the festival was essentially born in the late 90s after Pearl Jam used the venue as a means to say “FUCK YOU” to Ticketmaster by running a show in a place that wasn’t under their control, Coachella has plunged further into corporate sponsorships and brand activations as the years have gone by. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some may say it’s selling out, but with that investment has come an ever-evolving expansion of the venue itself, the infrastructure around the festival, and the technology used to produce the event.

And, YES. Coachella CAN BE a haven for VIP L.A. influencer-model-actor-server-shamans, but this experience doesn’t have to be done so poshly.

More than 60% of Coachella attendees, myself included, utilize the payment plan, and that’s because it’s the easiest means to chip away over time at the cost of admission instead of paying it in full. For about $680, I was provided shuttle service transportation in and out of the festival Friday through Sunday, plus three full days of music (and access to the campgrounds on Day 0 if I had chosen to go).

Thousands of festivalgoers camp at Coachella for four full days at a cost under $200 per person. For the first time this year, that also included a “Day 0” pre-fest set by DJs Chris Lake or Disco Dom for each weekend, respectively.

The price of a General Admission Weekend 2 ticket without the shuttle is $599, and I saw 31 acts this year at an average cost of $19.32 per act.

Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Ticket Prices for the Kia Forum in Los Angeles

If that isn’t a deal to see Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, The Prodigy (rare in the U.S.), Basement Jaxx (LIVE, even more rare than the Prodigy), and 25 more of the world’s top musical talents in one weekend, then I don’t know what else to say considering the cost to see Gaga on her own at the Forum is in the neighborhood of or more than a Coachella ticket. The average cost of an Ed Sheeran ticket, according to Google, is $511, and people got three chances to see him on Weekend 2 if they really wanted to (more on that later)! Just between those two artists, the ticket cost is covered and then some. And that’s not even counting the K-Pop extravaganza that was BLACKPINK members Lisa and Jennie booked for solo shows.

In no way do I want this to be a slight to anyone who cannot afford to attend Coachella because of their financial means. This is not meant to be that in any way. I prioritize this experience over many others, as it has shaped my life, and I have gratitude for the opportunity to attend this event, both in the capacity as a journalist some years ago and mostly as a paying fan. I simply write this from the perspective of someone who is an extreme consumer of music in all forms and genres, who is looking for the best deal on the greatest soundstage available to me locally. I am fortunate that is Coachella for me.

Coachella is what you make of it, and that itself is what makes it so special. If you’re thinking of going, your experience will be much better once you resign yourself to some inescapable facts and, if possible, quickly have remedies for them.

TRAFFIC IS FUCKED. Day parking is far. The shuttle is your best friend for a safe, quick way in and out of the festival. This year Weekend 1 was plagued by 12-hour traffic jams to get into the campgrounds, resulting in people using bushes in neighborhoods to relieve themselves. It was so bad the festival’s promoter, Goldenvoice, went to the Indio City Council to apologize. That’s truly uncommon, however, though we aren’t letting Goldenvoice off the hook. It is unacceptable to execute this poorly, especially after so many years in the game. Thankfully, the issue was fixed Weekend 2, and entrance to the festival in camping and at the gates was a breeze.
THE WEATHER IS UNPREDICTABLE, BUT MOSTLY VERY HOT. There’s no way around it. Also, one year we had a random rainstorm. Some years the desert’s bluster will chill you to the bone. You’ll get hit by varying severities of dust storms. Sometimes those come with chunky little pebbles of gravel sticking you in the face. Bring a sweatshirt and a bandana or a facemask. Hats are good too, until they blow away, which has happened to me.
And on that note, THE POLO CLUB IS REALLY DUSTY. It’s worth repeating. Even if you wear a mask or bandana, there’s a chance you’ll be coughing up/blowing out dust and blood splatter for a few days or weeks after. One year I had strep throat for 2 weeks after I came back. Still worth it to catch the LCD Soundsystem reunion. Buy a neti pot. And be okay with the fact that you may get sick after.
THINGS CAN BE EXPENSIVE, but there are ways to get around this. Water costs $2 and there are refill stations everywhere. A big-ass slice of pizza will run you about $10-$12 and keep you full for hours. Bringing in some fruit or snacks will also help you throughout the day. Yes, you can buy a $100+ burger from Camphor with caviar on it, but you can also split a paella with a friend and eat like festival royalty for just $10 a person.
THE PORTA POTTY SITUATION IS DISGUSTING and extremely unhygienic. Unless you’re splurging for VIP, you may just want to hold it all day if you can or learn to be okay with using extremely dirty facilities, and possibly being without water to wash your hands. Wipes and sanitizer are essentials.

If you’re “moderately okay” to “good to go” with those five things, and you’re still reading this, then it’s time to show you what Coachella can be once you put away the stereotypes and expectations, and just surrender to the schedule and the desert.

In talking to a friend about this review, he had something insightful to say that cut through every thought I was trying to construct: “You have to experience Coachella to understand the value. But once you go, you’re like, ‘Every single amount of money I put into this was absolutely worth it.’ But if you don’t ever go, you’re gonna say it doesn’t make any fucking sense.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

So come along with me for a firsthand view of some of what Coachella’s really like on the ground level if you maximize your time and make the best of this musical gauntlet.

6:20 P.M. FRIDAY | MAIN ENTRANCE

And I’m back. It always surprises me how quickly a year seems to fly by, but here I am again, back on the Empire Polo Field for another Coachella. A couple years ago, before they moved the Yuma Tent, my first order of business would be to go inside and greet the Disco Shark, the unofficial mascot of Coachella. Now that they’ve moved Yuma further from the entrance these last couple of years, sometimes I don’t even get into that part of the festival at all because the lines to get into Yuma at night can stretch over a thousand people long. If you time it right, like I did for Cirez D back in 2019, however, Yuma can provide you one of the best nights of your life if you’re into house, techno, etc.

KNEECAP | 6:27 P.M. FRIDAY at SONORA

Irish rappers Kneecap came to make noise, and they did on several levels. Sonically, they’re a freight train—a wallop of bouncy beats with militant, aggressive, swarming raps that touch on the global political landscape. The group used its set to display several pro-Palestine messages, which they touched on later in an interview with Rolling Stone. Sharon Osbourne called for their visas to be revoked. Kneecap responded by telling her to listen to her husband’s song “War Pigs.”

A.G. Cook, Charli XCX’s producer, at Gobi

A.G. COOK | 6:25 P.M. FRIDAY at GOBI

Known for producing Charli XCX and credited with influencing the hyperpop genre, A.G. Cook unraveled a wildly vivid, glitchy, electronic soundscape that moved the crowd. Guests included Danny Brown Weekend 1 and Kesha Weekend 2. One of two artists I hadn’t heard of going in that left being a new absolute favorite; the other being Bob Vylan. For further listening, check out his three-disc opus “Britpop,” which was released last year.

Peruvian Cumbia Legends Los Mirlos at Sonora

LOS MIRLOS | 7:56 P.M. FRIDAY at SONORA

Sometimes you pop into a set even just for a few minutes to get a taste of something you might not see again soon, if ever (i.e. Leonard Cohen, Steely Dan, George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic). Peruvian cumbia legends Los Mirlos fit that bill after more than 50 years together and never playing Coachella before. The high-energy set had the crowd in Sonora shuffling back and forth to the fast-paced, psychedelic, surf-inflected sound.

TESTPILOT B2B BLACKLIZT | 8:11 P.M. FRIDAY at QUASAR

AKA Deadmau5 and Zhu with a collaborative set under their techno aliases. Coachella’s newest stage—the futuristic Quasar—features an incredible, towering, monolithic slab of high-definition screens and is home to long-format DJ sets. We were blown away by the soundscape Mau5 and Zhu were conjuring, but there was interference either coming from a drunk-sloppy mix in some parts or bouncing back from the new Red Bull Mirage VIP pyramid building. A more technical breakdown of that can be found here.

That activation housed a Nobu restaurant and several levels of increasingly exclusive access. Most everyone I’ve seen comment online was not a fan of the pyramid because it created a bottleneck getting into the area. Notably, in the aftermath, the set has become notorious after Coachella apparently shut down the stream because, as Deadmau5 told it online, Zhu introduced him to whisky and he got blackout drunk after 3 hours behind the decks.

Peak Millennial Life Moment with Miike Snow at Mojave

MIIKE SNOW | 8:50 P.M. FRIDAY at MOJAVE

Swedish indie rock band Miike Snow has lived rent-free in my head ever since they released “Animal” in 2009. I stayed for most of their enthralling, dreamy set. Highlights were “Sylvia,” which included a portion of Mark Ronson’s memorable remix of the track, plus a cathartic version of “Animal” that had every millennial in the Mojave losing their minds in unison.

Certified Legend Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott at Main Stage

MISSY ELLIOTT | 9:29 P.M. FRIDAY at MAIN STAGE

How did it take Goldenvoice this long to book one of the most influential, brilliant, creative minds in the history of rap? And in the coveted opening spot for Lady Gaga of all artists; two visionaries bringing disparate genres to life with otherworldly ideas and impeccable execution. Even if the crowd didn’t know the lyrics, Missy had everyone vibing heavy all the way to the back of the main stage sprawl. I’m unsure who had the better backup dancers, Missy or Gaga.

Moments Before the Mayhem with The Prodigy at Mojave

THE PRODIGY | 10:07 P.M. FRIDAY at MOJAVE

My Friend Going Crazy During The Prodigy

With only 3 scheduled dates in the U.S.—two of those being their Coachella performances—The Prodigy was one of the biggest reasons to go to Coachella this year. It was a set, for me, that was more than two decades in the making.

It’s the kind of moment you feel deep in your bones, and when the bass hits, it rearranges your DNA.

Even without singer Keith Flint, these English breakbeat legends were explosive from the start with a bombastic “Breathe” that had the crowd in an immediate frenzy.

The Prodigy paid tribute to their fallen friend and bandmate Flint—who died in 2019—by using lasers shot from the back of the soundboard to the front of the stage that traced his iconic silhouette into the video screens before abruptly erupting into “Firestarter.”

The back-to-back run through “Invaders Must Die” and “Smack My Bitch Up” toward the end of the set cemented The Prodigy’s legacy as one of the premiere electronic acts in the world. If we could get a co-headlining Nine Inch Nails and The Prodigy world tour in the near future, it would be a monumental event.

Lady Gaga’s Incredible Theatrics at Main Stage

LADY GAGA | 11:32 P.M. FRIDAY at MAIN STAGE

Lady Gaga is my No. 2 headlining performer of all time, behind Prince, for the raw, impressive performance she gave in 2017 when she came in as a late-stage replacement for Beyonce. And I’m not even a Lady Gaga fan in the sense that I don’t listen to her albums frequently or buy her music regularly.

Fresh off the release of her latest album, “Mayhem,” Lady Gaga brought “Mayhem in the Desert,” with a set that proved she remains one of the top visionaries in all of pop music for the creativity, uniqueness, and weirdness she brings to her performances. She’s also blessed with one of the most powerful and beautiful voices of all her modern contemporaries. This combination means you’re always in for a wild ride when she’s on stage. Gaga performed an opera with her songs comprising the different acts and brought a mad mix of strange pageantry with her.

To be honest, I preferred her first headlining performance, but this level of artistry is the show she deserved to deliver for her fans and that her fans deserved to see.

MERCH BOOTH WALK | 12:17 A.M. in the CONCOURSE

One of the best things Coachella’s done in the last several years is breaking out the headliner merch from the Coachella merch, decreasing lines while giving the biggest artists at the festival their own space for activations. They even added a second Coachella merch booth to decrease wait times, a first in the fest’s history. Post Malone’s setup was the best; a little truck stop vibe in the desert. While Gaga’s was artistic and cool, Travis Scott’s booth was mostly dark brown and boring. Misfits also had their own booth, a first for a non-headliner, where they were selling $100 autographed posters. Kind of a big deal considering they didn’t have special art or autographed pieces for their headlining set at last year’s No Values festival in Pomona.

ED SHEERAN | 3 P.M. SATURDAY at MOJAVE

One of the biggest bookings in the history of Coachella, and he wasn’t even on the lineup until set times were released a couple of days before the festival. Goldenvoice added Weezer in this spot on Weekend 1, but the real treat was Ed Sheeran on Weekend 2 for two reasons: 1) He’s never played Coachella before, and 2) he’s a one-man band that headlines stadiums and festivals when he does play (unless he’s busking in a train station, on the street, outside of Erewhon, inside of a pub, or anywhere else he can set up shop). Sheeran was Mr. Coachella this year, packing out the Mojave for a 3 p.m. hour-long sing-along; popping up (with Shaboozey!) at his secret bar, “The Olde Phone Pub,” hidden within the venue; and joining Post Malone for his penultimate song, a countrified version of “Sunflower.”

THE BALLOON CHAIN | 4:26 P.M. SATURDAY

Coachella has several features you should check out as a first-timer—the colorful Spectra tower, the Ferris wheel, and, my favorite, the Balloon Chain. Created by Robert Bose, this year marked its 20th year on the polo field. Follow the chain across the field, and you’ll find a short line where you can hold it for yourself and get photos to your heart’s desire.

Yo Gabba Gabba Brought the Energy to Mojave

YO GABBA GABBA | 4:47 P.M. SATURDAY in MOJAVE

This year’s double-take booking was a children’s TV show known for its over-the-top cast and fantastic, educational sing-alongs (co-created by the lead singer of The Aquabats). We showed up for the beginning of the set when the characters were doing a dance intro and watched the crowd lose it for Brobee, Foofa, Muno, Plex, and Toodee. We stayed for “Party in my Tummy” (SO YUMMY!), but missed the end where Weird Al, Paul Williams, Thundercat, some Teletubbies, a Care Bear, the Duolingo Owl, Bozo the Clown, and many more joined in for a raucous “Rainbow Connection.”

The Paella is One of the Best Dishes at Coachella

GERARD’S PAELLA | 5:03 P.M. SATURDAY

One of the best deals at Coachella if you’re really hungry. Gerard’s paella is $20, but half the bowl will fill you up because it’s a really dense dish. There’s plenty of chicken and shrimp, plus the bomba rice is perfectly cooked. The garlic aioli and lemon cut through the dish’s richness. The paella was gone last year and sorely missed. Glad Gerard was back!

VIAGRA BOYS | 5:17 P.M. SATURDAY at GOBI

The People’s Headliner! Few bands have left an impression on me in the last few years as Viagra Boys have. They have an off-kilter punk starting point with bursts of saxophone that break through depending on the song. Lead singer Sebastian Murphy is proving to be one of the more magnetic frontmen in modern rock, with surly performances, his body absolutely covered in tattoos, and his beer belly looming large. The band aired a few songs from their excellent new album “Viagr Aboys” and thrilled with a stompy run through “Troglodyte.” Shout out to the guy who crowd surfed 2/3 of the way through the Gobi tent during the set. That’s no easy feat.

LA PHIL WITH GUSTAVO DUDAMEL | 6:29 P.M. SATURDAY at OUTDOOR THEATRE

Following the trend of orchestral/composer bookings in recent years (Hanz Zimmer, Danny Elfman), Goldenvoice brought the LA Philharmonic to Indio for one of the best sunset sets to ever happen on this famed stage. The orchestra, along with Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel—who is apparently in his last season with the LA Phil—performed Beethoven and Strauss (and John Williams’ “The Imperial March”!), but it was their revolving door of guest stars that left the crowd stunned and rapt for more. Cameos included Laufey, Natasha Bedingfield, Ca7iel & Paco Amoroso, Dave Grohl (for an orchestral “Everlong”), and “Wicked” actress Cynthia Erivo with a gospel choir for a take on Prince’s “Purple Rain.” EPIC.

Charli XCX Brings BRAT to Coachella’s Main Stage

CHARLI XCX | 7:23 P.M. SATURDAY at MAIN STAGE

I was hoping to hear “Von Dutch” from afar, but she wasn’t playing it as we walked through Charli’s set for a few minutes on the way to Quasar. Charli took the pop world by storm over the last year with her lime green “BRAT” era, but here, she stayed almost entirely drenched in stage lights with black backdrops, giving the set a dark and moody vibe. Many said she should have headlined over Green Day and Travis Scott, and based off her crowd size and the year she just had, there’s an argument to support it. Later in the evening, Travis Scott would take the same stage, mostly working solo and singing in auto-tune, but Charli’s performance was far more compelling than Scott’s.

DARKSIDE | 8:29 P.M. SATURDAY at GOBI

The combination of Nicolas Jaar, Dave Harrington, and Tlacael Esparza continues to conjure electro-psyche madness/magic on their latest record, “Nothing,” Darkside’s first official recording as a trio. Their performances suck you in and take you on a sonic journey across ideas and genres. I’d try to describe the sound, but tbh, the band does it better than I could on its Bandcamp: “transmissions of negative space, telepathic seance, and spectral improvisation” with “spontaneous elliptical jams, acoustic riffing, and digital levitations.” Highlights for this new fan included “S.N.C.” and “Graucha Max,” both off the new album.

Green Day at Main Stage Playing Songs from “American Idiot”

GREEN DAY | 9:28 P.M. SATURDAY at MAIN STAGE

As polarizing as they can be among punk rock fans (just ask Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris), it’s pretty crazy it took Green Day this long to properly play the Polo Field (fun fact: frontman Billie Joel Armstrong joined The Replacements for some songs back in 2014). But it only makes sense Green Day finally received their just deserts, especially after the roaring success that was Blink-182’s two reunion sets in the desert back in 2023.

I came in during the end of the “American Idiot” portion of the set to catch my favorite tracks, “Brain Stew” and “Hitchin’ a Ride.” I wasn’t sure what to expect for crowd size but was pleasantly surprised to see much of the Polo Field was as packed as it was for Charli’s set, with people singing and dancing all the way to the back.

ABOVE & BEYOND | 10:28 P.M. SATURDAY at OUTDOOR THEATRE

Anjunabeats founders and UK-based elder statesmen of trance Above & Beyond don’t always perform as their full trio, so it’s extra special when Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamaki are together on stage. I’ve only experienced their music live, this being my second time, and it’s a beautiful experience to behold. The group uses its display to project encouraging and thought-provoking messages to the crowd throughout the performance, turning a concert into music therapy with a light show.

History in the Making at the Outdoor Theatre with The Original Misfits

THE ORIGINAL MISFITS | 11:35 P.M. SATURDAY at OUTDOOR THEATRE

Who knows how much longer The Original Misfits—the reunited lineup consisting of singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry Only with guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein—will be playing shows? Though they reunited in 2016 at Riot Fest, Coachella always felt like a natural place where they should cement their legacy as a foundational band in the punk rock pantheon. The band sounded far better here than at last year’s No Values festival, which it headlined at the Pomona Fairplex. Maybe it’s the quality of the stage itself, or a better night, or both. Tears of sadness, though, for the omission of “Where Eagles Dare” for Weekend 2.

I Waited All Weekend for This Mortadella Sandwich

ALL’ANTICO VINAIO | 1:39 P.M. SUNDAY at INDIO CENTRAL MARKET

These Italian sandwiches from Florence, Italy, took over my TikTok and are finally stateside. The Coachella version was $12 and far smaller than the $18 version sold at their Los Angeles-area locations, but I waited all weekend to eat this mortadella, stracciatella, and pistachio sandwich, and it lived up to the internet hype.

BOB VYLAN | 2:33 P.M. SUNDAY at SONORA

Shout-out to Dick Slaughter Photo for telling me not to miss Bob Vylan. The UK duo of Bobby and Bobbie Vylan (“the two Bobs in a pod”) alchemize punk rock, hip hop, and grime into something fresh, abrasive and dangerous. Bringing to mind elements of acts like Rage Against the Machine, Bloc Party, and Goldie—Bob Vylan eviscerated the sexist, racist, and xenophobic elements of society with powerful lyrics and a commanding stage presence. Bonus points for leading the crowd through some “light stretching” to a sludgy riff at the start of the set before the mosh pit broke out.

MEUTE | 3:54 P.M. SUNDAY at OUTDOOR THEATRE

This 11-piece German marching band, rife with horns and percussion, plays house and techno songs by popular DJs interspersed with their own music. Meute came to the stage through the crowd and hardly let up with breaks between songs. At one point they asked everyone to get low before popping back up and going wild—an energy that remained high and sustained for the duration of the set.

SAMMY VIRJI | 5:26 P.M. SUNDAY at SAHARA

I saw footage of UK garage DJ Sammy Virji’s appearance online weekend 1, and I knew I had to be on the hill by Sahara to catch the full vibe as the sun started setting. What ensued was peak Coachella, as a group of festivalgoers played with an elementary school-style rainbow parachute before the music. Then, up on the hill as Sammy started blasting speedy bass drops and slick transitions, you could see what appeared to be half the entirety of the fest converging on Sahara for the ultimate party in the dance tent.

CIRCLE JERKS | 6:48 P.M. SUNDAY at SONORA

Just as with Los Mirlos this year, Circle Jerks is another legendary booking for Sonora—this one in the vein of The Addicts in 2024 and a nod to Goldenvoice’s start throwing punk shows across Southern California in the 80s. The line stretched far across the Polo Field to get in, and if you weren’t there in time (just as with Kneecap on Friday), you likely weren’t getting in.

Inside Sonora, frontman Keith Morris, about to celebrate his 70th birthday later this year, and these godfathers of hardcore punk pummeled the crowd with more than 20 songs. Multiple mosh pits broke out throughout the set until the entire pit converged into a giant “O” that engulfed Sonora (though at a slower pace than I imagine most Circle Jerk pits move). Morris lashed out first at the billionaire class, calling for “an army of Luigis,” before taking down Green Day for not being a true punk band.

At one point, someone did a full front flip into the crowd from the stage, and the gasp from the crowd audibly cut through Sonora. It was crazy in there.

Basement Jaxx in Mojave Was a Fever Dream

BASEMENT JAXX | 8:02 P.M. SUNDAY at MOJAVE

The biggest reason I was so excited to attend Coachella this year was to see English big beat bassmasters Basement Jaxx playing a very rare live show Stateside, their first tour in a decade. The duo brought a full band with them, plus a troupe of dancers who unfurled one of the most artistic performances of the weekend—one that brought to mind Fishersponer playing “Emerge” on the Polo Field back in 2004. In the yin-yang of the weekend’s electronica, where The Prodigy occupied the darkness, Basement Jaxx fully embodied the light. The closing “Where’s Your Head At?” created one of the loudest scream-alongs I can remember ever happening in Mojave.

MY LUCKIEST RUN OF THE WEEKEND WITH MEGAN, KRAFTWERK & ZEDD | 9:12 P.M.-10:03 P.M. SUNDAY

I was granted 3 wishes in a 45-minute span that made this Coachella for me: First, catching the 5 minutes of Megan Thee Stallion’s Main Stage set in a mad dash between Basement Jaxx and Kraftwerk in hopes of hearing her play “Body,” and she actually did! Second, running back to see German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk in hopes of them opening with “Numbers,” and they actually did! Third, over to the Outdoor Stage to catch Zedd close with the soaring “Clarity,” which did happen (with the LA Phil!) … BUT NOT BEFORE HE BROUGHT OUT INCUBUS to run through “Drive,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Pardon Me.” Considering Incubus has never played Coachella before, this was truly a treat. Three for three, with bonus points for style.

Ending Coachella Dancing with Polo & Pan

POLO & PAN | 11:05 P.M. SUNDAY at OUTDOOR THEATRE

The last hour of Coachella posed two disparate choices: country Post Malone or tropical French house courtesy of Paul Armand-Delille (Polo) and Alexandre Grynszpan (Pan). Still wanting to dance, we went the latter route because the glow of the French touch never disappoints. Hearing “Canopée” into “Nana” was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Post Malone at the End of His Coachella Headlining Set

POST MALONE | 11:55 P.M. SUNDAY at MAIN STAGE

And, while I was trying to catch Posty play Sunflower (which he did with Ed Sheeran, though I missed it waiting to hear this live), I made it over to the Main Stage just in time to hear him give a heartfelt, powerful speech about the power of believing in yourself. Then he ran the full length of the crowd barricade and gave as many people high fives as possible. You can watch the speech toward the end of the clip here.

I sat with a friend on the field until the majority of the crowd had moved past us and security told us it was time to leave. It’s taken me a week to feel like all the desert dust is out of my lungs, but I’m already excited for next year, which will be the 25th Coachella.

The payment plan goes on sale Friday, May 2. Who’s coming to Coachella 2026?!

Coachella 2025: AS GOOD AS IT’S ALWAYS BEEN

Rumors of Coachella’s demise have been greatly exaggerated for the better part of two decades, and I’m here to set the record straight.

And, YES. Coachella CAN BE a haven for VIP L.A. influencer-model-actor-server-shamans, but this experience doesn’t have to be done so poshly.

Coachella is what you make of it, and that itself is what makes it so special. If you’re thinking of going, your experience will be much better once you resign yourself to some inescapable facts and, if possible, quickly have remedies for them.

So come along with me for a firsthand view of some of what Coachella’s really like on the ground level if you maximize your time and make the best of this musical gauntlet.

Punk Rock Bowling Turns 25 and We’re Still Alive