A lot went down in the desert over the weekend. In true Coachella fashion, there was plenty of celebrities, lots of music, and even more photo ops. This year went a little differently, though. In addition to the festival’s 20-acre expansion, the then-expecting Beyonce had to skip out on the event per doctor’s orders. Also, Coachella had a change of sound as well, and it seems as though Hip-Hop took over this year. From technical difficulties to Lady GaGa’s kick ass performance, here are ten things that happened during the first weekend of Coachella.
1. Politics wasn’t an issue
It was safe to assume that Trump’s name would come up a time or two during the festivities. But it didn’t, which was rather surprising considering anti-Trump sentiment has become a standard.
Not even Lady GaGa felt the need to speak on politics. However, Ezra Furman did call out Philip Anschutz for his alleged ties to anti-LGBT groups.
2. Lady GaGa stole the show
In place of Beyonce, Lady GaGa headlined Coachella this year. And she certainly kicked ass. Her high-energy set, as well as her massive audience, had everyone talking.
3. Immigration issues forced PNL to cancel their set
It turns out that immigration issues are also affecting Coachella. After learning that Tarik AKA Ademo was denied a visa, Parisian rap group PNL had no choice but to cancel their set.
4. Hip-hop was one of the most talked about genres
Typically, EDM and indie rock are the two top genres at Coachella. However, it seems as though hip-hop took over this year. From Kendrick Lamar’s awesome headline to Future and Drake’s epic performance, hip-hop had everyone talking.
5. There were a few technical difficulties
First, Radiohead’s performance was interrupted not once, but three times due to technical issues. Then, The Avalanches’ frontman Spank Rock had problems with his mic, and could not be heard for a significant portion of the set.
6. The list of performing acts was longer than usual
While Coachella has always provided a variety of music, some think that this year there was a little too much variety. From indie to rock, there was certainly something for everyone, though.
7. Pre-headliners were a little disappointing
The whole point of pre-headliners is to get the crowd hype and prepare them for what’s to come. But this year, they failed to do just that.
8. The Yuma tent is now four times larger
Since appearing in 2014, the Yuma Tent has been a festival favorite. Though people love it for its darkness and small size, the tent is now four times larger in size. Still, it remains to be one of the festival’s best-kept secrets.
9. Coachella has expanded 20 acres
Since adding on 20 acres, Coachella’s capacity went from 99,000 to 125,000. As a result, there were lots of new additions at the grounds, including a new punk rock tent.
10. Guests were everywhere
Surprise guests are nothing new for Coachella. But this year, there were a ton of guest stars. For example, Future brought not only Drake on stage but also Migos and Ty Dolla Sign.
Brittney Sanger