This review is long over due. Lol I think 4 years of research or so. This last year is most likely the last year I attend this festival. They have made so many changes and not all for the best. There use to be so many more places I can get alcohol at the festival but it's super limited now. I usually get artist or artist guest passes and they don't sell nor let u bring in the drink that you buy from other areas. It is not as fun as it use to be previous years but I totally understand. It has grown to prob be the biggest festival and most lucrative in the US. Try it once if you have never gone. It's an experience, just not much my style anymore. read more

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This place is an absolute "must try" atleast one time in your life. It was so much fun! As a first timer Coachella definitely didn't disappoint. So much to eat, drink, and see. We parked at the Riverside County Fair and it was soooo easy and no long walks. We literally parked, got into a FREE shuttle that dropped us off on the field. Yes, it was a walk from there into the actual venue but nothing crazy. The dust and heat can suck but it's all worth it! read more

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Second time at Coachella! I have learned so much the first time around that it prepared me for my 2019 visit. Parking! So I suggest buying preferred parking because it is the closest lot to the venue. You are able to enter and exit the lot fast! The price is approximately 130 dollars, but worth it. It is still quite a walk but you will feel like you do not need to use the bike ride transportation that they offer because that is a bit pricey too. Dust. Coachella is also known as Dust-chella. With the amount of winds and the dust that everyone is kicking, please bring a bandana or a dust mask with you. OR you will be coughing up a lot of dust the next day. Schedule Plan your day accordingly. There are so many artists to see and you have to be realistic about who you are going to see and when. Going with groups Have a designated meet up spot in cause you get lost! The cell service was not too bad 2019! but just have one just in case. Food Oh my gosh. All the food stands are amazing. A bit pricey but it is worth it. I am not vegan but they have a designated area where they have a bunch of vegan food. Overall, it was a magical experience and I highly recommend this music festival! read more

Have been coming to Coachella because of work since 2018 and think it's been a truly amazing experience every year. I love the people and mindset of all that attend this two weekend long infusion of music, art, food and culture. read more

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What a fun experience! I didn't think that I would like the festival thing...but i really did! a ton of great bands all packed into 3 days... i even discovered bands that I have never heard of. Wish i had gone earlier each day to check out more of the smaller acts, but it was just so darn hot! we spent the days at the hotel pool. I think camping would be a great experience ...we would be able to go back and forth between campsite and shows...just not sure how i would feel after 3 days of hot sun! the food options for amazing! nothing was a complete rip off..well maybe that $10 lemonade...WTF? but it was a good mixer. there were people of all ages...my teenage kids would have loved to be here...but at that ticket price...well.... all festival goers and staff were very friendly and it was a really calm and happy atmosphere! so cool the shuttle system to/from hotels was a well tuned machine...really convenient and well organized would i do it again? maybe...depends on who's playing. don't see how this years lineup could be matched read more

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A few days ago, I attended Weekend 1 of Coachella -- another item off my bucket list! Boy, what a one-of-a-kind experience. I will forever cherish the memories, especially because I doubt I'll ever go back. Coachella is like the ultimate theme park. A very, very pricey theme park at that. It offers the perfect chance for escapism. It's a place for attendees to dress up and show out, without feeling judged. There's plenty of people, drugs, and dust. Here are some general thoughts I had about the event itself: THE FOOD - Not. Good. Expensive as heck and mediocre at best. This is why I can't give 5 stars. - Sunny Blue and Kazu Nori (my two FAVES) were there, but they were both in VIP and thus I was denied their yumminess. - Instead, I paid $18 for the worst pair of fish tacos I've ever had in my life. AVOID the generic food. - I also had Sweetfin Poke (sub-par), Shake Shake (yum, but no shakes), Seabirds (meh), and Paella (good enough). - $4 Vietnamese Iced Coffee popsicle was the highlight of my culinary experience. THE MUSIC - There's something for everyone. Love the variety. - Sets overlap, so you'll have to pick one artist over another or hurry in-between shows. Expect to have a hard time seeing every artist you're interested in. - The more recognizable artists tend to be in the early evening-late night. THE HOTEL SHUTTLES - The first night, it took two hours for my boyfriend and I to get back to our hotel. No buses, while the line grew and grew. Awful. - At the end of the night, leave during the headliner's show to avoid the crowd (shuttle or rideshare). If you're camping, leave whenever. - Going from the hotel to Coachella took about 45 minutes during the late afternoon. - Check when you need to be at Coachella and plan accordingly. Try to be early. THE ENTRANCE/EXIT - Getting in was an odd process. The entrances were so congested, but actually going through security took 5 seconds. - Security guard doesn't even pretend to check your bags. There's no pat-down. No questions asked. - The entrance will really delay you, so plan an extra 20 minutes on that alone. - The exit was easy. Just walk out the gate, no formal process. THE STAGES - There's over half a dozen stages, but some are more convenient than others. - The main Coachella stage is open and the speakers are loud, so feel free to stand far away. - The Sahara stage is curved and the speakers are terrible. If you stand in the nearby Beer Garden, you'll have a hard time seeing or hearing. - The Gobi and Mohave stages are where the lesser-known people are, but convenient and spacious. - The Outdoor Theater stage is so underrated! It's tucked away in a corner and easy to get to. THE PEOPLE - Coachella is a place for the richer folks. - Coachella VIP is a place for the richest folks, especially your favorite celebrities. - Lots of high school and college kids. A handful of older, middle-aged people who also deserve a good time. - Many, many people under the influence of something. I was entirely sober, so it made for good people-watching. THE RESTROOMS/WATER STATIONS - Don't refill your water bottle at the restroom areas' sinks. Look for the "Water Refill Station" signs. - The restrooms are port-a-potties, but they're not too bad. - The restrooms get increasingly worse toward the end of the night. - Bring wet wipes with you to Coachella. THE WEATHER - It was mid 80s to lower 90s, which wasn't so bad. - It was DUSTY as all hell, due to the wind. - Bring bandanas, hats, sun glasses, and a ton of sunscreen. - Dress practically -- with closed-toe shoes for convenience. - Coachella attracts fashionistas, but those 14-hour days can really get to those people who dressed for style and not for comfort. THE ART EXHIBITS - Nice for a quick picture, but more for show than tell. - Didn't appeal to me very much after the first three times I spotted each exhibit. THE ANTARCTIC - I LOVED this attraction. I highly recommend. - You basically go into a theatre room and look up at a dome-shaped screen that plays a 10-minute video. - It was so trippy and exciting. - The line to get in might look long, but it goes by quite quickly. Each show holds about 50 people at once. Oh, Coachella. I will remember you always. Despite the food and the dust, I had the time of my life. For anyone going Weekend 2, I hope this review helps prepare you for the adventure to come. Make the most of it! You're paying a lot of money, after all... read more

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Words can't describe how much I enjoyed the Coachella experience. From car camping, to the art, to the unique Local Food, and to the awesome ways you can recycle to support our planet exceeded my expectations of what I was going to experience at Coachella. The people who organize this festival did a really good job! I wanted to go see so many more shows that I could actually go to, but there's always next year. :-) The one thing I was really nervous about was car camping at Coachella. We were able to get our car inspected and checked in in under 30 minutes on Thursday night. We ended up renting a tricked out van that met our needs for the festival. I'm in my 30s and can't sleep on the ground as much as I used to be able to when I would go camping back east. I believe my favorite food at the festival was the poke nachos. I didn't get a picture of them because I was so hungry and ate it so quickly! If you love art, you'll really love Coachella. The art installations were fantastic! I loved the dog installation that had all the plants inside of each of the dogs. The lineup was fantastic and Swedish House Mafia was everything I dreamed of. Needless to say, my partner and I will be coming back to Coachella and we will be car camping. read more

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This was my first Coachella ever, as it might be one of biggest and also exhausting music event ever, the food was super overpriced, I am glad I didn't have to pay for any of them, but I did I get to try a few things, they did have some vegan options, but I bet these food vendors made a fortune after 2 weekends being here, the Monty's burger was a little overhyped, I'm sure if I visited their restaurant in LA it would be much more reasonable, I mean $25 for a doubled cheese burger with fries/tots and a lemonade? It's plant based so the burger was just all right, but I wasn't sure about the fries/tots still a lot of grease to be plant based, then the lemonade was just bland, like fuzzy flavor water, meh. Then I get to explore a little bit of Indio Central Market, where they gathered a bunch of different vendors which I get to check out a stand called Ramen Hood, yes vegan ramen said on their menu, 3 choices OG, Spicy or Cold, $18 and after taxes it became $25 :), a tiny cup of instant white noodles that they use to make Phở aka Vietnamese beef noodles, how could you call that ramen? Or because it's vegan so it's not the same as regular ramen, who knows. Then they added a piece of dried seaweed, one piece of mushroom, and called it a day for cold ramen. OMG at least leave the broth on the side or something, if you know how to make cold noodles. I felt so lucky and I get to spend Coachella meal vouchers for those stuffs, cause really the food here was either insanely expensive or not worth your money but you don't have a choice because well junk food or no food. People must have been dedicated to music enough to pay for camping here as the price wasn't cheap, then the wind, the dust and the heat, I really don't get how people could do it, I am lucky I always got here before everyone else and leaving right after all the madness, imagine every night getting back home from here you will be stuck in the traffic of everyone else getting out at the same time as you, I'd rather not stay or wait until I was the last one to go. The GA parking was far enough for people to walk to venue already, or you could spend $25 for those guys to ride you to the entrance, quick thinking to make big bucks here guys, but I will walk because I am not lazy. Out of 3 days, I only stayed til the end on Sunday when the lineups get Doja Cat, Swedish Mafia and The Weekend, that might have been the greatest finale thru out, if you like to stand the entire time and watch them live, then being pushed in between people who screaming yelling smoking and fighting in the crowd, stay as far away from them as you could. It was an experience, unless you didn't mind all the craziness, and you're press or vip, got a nice place to stay every night, well fed, warm bed, and shower, etc. other than that I will not make it an annual thing except they pay me to work. read more

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I really enjoyed Coachella this year! It was my first time. I went weekend 2 2024. I would say I was pretty disappointed in the surprise guests we had compared to weekend 1. I had read online that they often are comparable, and I know weekends typically switch off with the better guests. Kid Cudi was a great and amazing addition, but when weekend 1 has Kesha, Justin Bieber, Billie Eillish, Asap Rocky, and Childish Gambino it feels like a rip off. The tent camping is tough, I would recommend only if you fly, pack light, but it was more spacious and quiet than car camping. I have also heard the food was more expensive this year than last year, most things ranging from $15-25. Loved the sets, loved the performers, loved the aesthetic and all the props. Will definitely go back. :) read more

The most mainstream festival there is, but is it worth it? I've been going to festivals for years; 8 years to be exact. Starting out at small raves then graduating to big name festivals like Ultra and EDC. So how does Coachella compare to those other festivals? The one difference is that there are way more people taking selfies. Not as many people dancing compared to festivals that primarily play EDM. My girlfriend and I noticed that we had to start dancing to get other people to feel it too. The positives are the big name artists I'd never get to see anywhere else. I definitely wouldn't catch Beyonce, The Weeknd, or Cardi B at Electric Daisy Carnival. Another bonus was the vast selection of well known food vendors (although the prices were jacked up). From Trejo's tacos to Bludso's famous BBQ, there was no way you'd catch me eating a sad corn dog at Coachella. Oh I almost forgot to mention, they ran out of parking space Day 2 at 7pm. We were met with a, "Sorry guys..." and told to leave which was ridiculous since we paid for 3 days. Luckily, I'm not a sucker so I decided to find a random shopping center close by where I parked and then ubered my way into the festival. Let me warn you now because they obviously won't warn you themselves... DON'T COME LATE!!! Overall, the vibe is not as charming as other festivals I've been to, but the big name artists you won't see anywhere else will make it worth your while. read more

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Coachella is a crazy music festival that is a go go go of nonstop activity once you make it inside (which can be difficult at certain hours when traffic is redirected all over the access roads). Each day we entered early afternoon and thought we'd leave for a break, but ended up walking and standing practically nonstop a good twelve hours a day. Coachella is open from 11am to 1am each day, so if you really wanted to push it, you could stay on your feet for 14 hours straight. Inside, there are all sorts of food and drink, and music spread across seven stages, two of them huge (the main Coachella and the Sahara stages). At any given moment at least four musicians are performing on the grounds. This year we went VIP and enjoyed some relatively quiet oases including around a rose garden, away from the sometimes crazy jostling crowds in the general admission areas. There are multiple VIP areas spread throughout the festival grounds. If you want to get up close and personal to any of the acts however, you must brave the general admission areas by the stages and push your way through some crazy energetic and sometimes, as mentioned, rude jostling crowds. If you are okay with an unobstructed view of the stage, but pretty much seeing the action only on the huge video screens, then you may stay in VIP to view at least some of the stages, including the main Coachella one. (There is no VIP viewing area for most of the stages - or rather, there are no VIP sections close enough to view most of the stages.) This year Eminem was the best performer, rapping frenetically in his machine gun pop pop rap rappity rap style with Skylar Grey, 50 Cent and Dr. Dre. Beyonce put on quite a show, but lost sight of what she is - a pop star, by trying to force symbolism and activism into her otherwise meaningless pop music. Strong performances by Jean Michele Jarre, and Sigrid, among others too. KROQ 106.7 from Los Angeles had some great DJ's performing indoors. If you were willing to stand in line, Hewlett Packard gave you access to a graphics design laptop to have images printed onto water bottles that they gave you free. There was a Ferris wheel and a huge circular structure you could walk up to to view the festival from, if you were willing to stand in the long lines just to get into these. The food ranged from awful to great. In the end we liked Sage the most with its all vegetarian food. We ate at the sit-down restaurant Exchange, but at $50. per plate (paper plate), this food disappointed. We enjoyed smoothies and vegetable based drinks a few times a day from Joe & The Juice (which incidentally does not serve coffee - finding hot coffee at Coachella was difficult). We also enjoyed Fresh Cut Fruit from a stand by the same name. Kombucha and Kombucha popsicles were available. All the food and drink are expensive, for example $10. - $11. for an 8 ounce smoothie, $16. for a vegetarian burrito, but after paying $999. just for admission, these costs seem insignificant. There were some air conditioned lounges free to members, such as one for American Express cardholders and another for SPG / Marriott Rewards members. Getting back to the levels of admission, if you don't care about crowds or a place to sit down or even rest (such as a couch with pillows on it), go for general admission (this year, $429.). Otherwise, for peace of mind, VIP @ $999. a pop is the only way to go. Parking passes for VIP are an extra $150. and not included with the VIP wristbands. Security is very tight as far as entrance and exit, especially on the way in and out of VIP areas, but you won't always see security or police out there in the "jungle" of general admission areas, and it is lucky that incidents are few and far between, over all, given how many people are congregated (over a quarter million attendees spread between the six days of the two weekends). There are some security drones overhead. Coachella is often a fashion fest especially for the girls, who dress to impress in outfits ranging from scantily sexy to trendily sexy (the operative word being - sexy). Over all, sky high price of tickets, food and drink aside (not to mention the very high jacked up rates to stay anywhere in town that weekend - tents are $80. a night and Motel 6 $330., just to give you an idea of the cost of even the low end of accommodations), Coachella is a fabulous fest worth attending. The one thing that is bothersome is the venue itself - dusty, and infused with the residue of farm animals (Coachella is held on a polo field), such that all the dirt, dust and hay in the air can really mess with your breathing, not to mention the 100 degree fahrenheit plus temperatures of late April in Coachella Valley. Given the millions of dollars they are collecting for admissions, you'd think they'd find a better location and venue. read more

First time going and I had a fantastic experience especially with car camping. Definitely saw a lot of artists from the big names like Beyonce and Kygo to ones I've never heard before but they were amazing as well. A few tips since everyone pretty much covered all the amazing things about it. 1. Dust. Dust everywhere. Holy crap I've never sneezed so much in my life with runny and stuffed noses. My mucus came out grey sometimes. TMI but the people need to know. Definitely bring bandanas, masks, heck I'm bringing a gas mask next year. Eye drops too. Take care of yourself. 2. Food. This is to be expected but it was crazy pricey for the amount you got. Like $15 for 3 chicken strips with fries or a Chipotle-esque burrito. $8-9+ for a 16oz of basic lemonade and similar drinks. $5-11 for ice cream and $7 for a regular churro. Like most of the food wasn't anything we couldn't get here in the OC. Foodchella maybe for people who aren't spoiled like me. Anyway, I mostly brought my own food though. They also have shuttles to go to Ralph's and whatnot. 3. Weed. Everyone is smoking it. Like security doesn't care or something. I don't mind people smoking it but a warning that I'd be getting lung cancer from the secondhand this weekend would have been appreciated. On the plus side, very many connoisseurs and neighbors willing to share too. I learned a lot about the different types of weed this weekend. 4. Bring a canopy when going camping. Don't try to rough like I did. Unless you're never going to stay at your campsite except to sleep. 5. Bring some 60F and below blankets/jackets because the nights got chilly even though it was 100F during the daytime. 6. Shower super early like 6am or super late like 6-11pm+ because the lines are not worth it. 7. I stayed in the new Lot 13 and it was honestly a 10 minutes+ walk to the venue but the showers were usually empty or had short lines compared to Lot 8 and 10, and the porta potties were cleaner. It was also less dusty because less traffic. So if you come Friday (6am) morning like I did, it was actually pretty nice. 8. /r/Coachella was very helpful for Coachella news and tips, especially for real time traffic. It was very helpful because I got free Adidas shoes that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. (Adidas was doing a promotion and handing out free shoes but the line to get them was pretty long.) 9. Sorry but Weekend 1 sounded better than Weekend 2. Especially because Weekend 1 was a lot cooler and didn't have the wind fisaco Weekend 2. I was bummed that we couldn't go on Thursday and had to deal with insane wait times on Friday. read more

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Low key always wanted to go, and just wanted to say I'm pleasantly surprised with the whole vibes here. Anyways, come for the experience at least once in your life. Whether it's for the food, the art or the music, that's up to you. I did it solely for the music but there was tons to do and see and I was never bored throughout the entire thing. Camped with strangers solo and it was a journey. Music was amazing. Sets were nicely designed sound wise and I enjoyed the performances. From Blackbear to Odesza to Soulwax to Rezz, all of them were lit and mind blowing. Definitely make a list of those you want to see and stick to it. The traffic getting in is a pain but not worse than EDC. However I didn't say park so I can't speak about the inconveniences of driving in. The camping was fun. Waking up to the sunrise and being just a few meters from Coachella's entrance was super cool. Lot 8 is definitely the best lot to be camping in that's for sure. The bathrooms were porta potties but they're cleaner than what I'd get at Ultra Miami or Insomniac. The grounds has trash picked up fairly regularly which is nice considering that EDC gets trashed when the show ends. Here it's actually not bad at all cleanliness wise. Cell reception gets rough as the day goes on but I've had no issues at camp with T-Mobile. There's a beer garden with free wifi and the A/C there is a godsend. I didn't try the food but there were a plethora of options, so you won't run out anytime soon. I definitely wanted the McConnells Ice Cream as a Santa Barbara native but they ran out of Chocolate Brownie in the day!!!! Damn. Lots of dust, so a good rave mask helps a lot when you dance. Sunblock is a must, and sit in the beer garden for A/C whenever you can. Overall the experience was pleasant. My only issue is the crowdedness of Main stage at the end of the day whether you see The Weeknd, Beyoncé, or Eminem. Most of the crowds are chill but for some reason the crowds sitting these sets on Mainstage towards the end get super rowdy. Just pay attention and you'll be good. Coachella surpassed my expectations with it's professional setup and good vibes throughout 95% of the experience. I'd say it deserves the 5 stars easily. :) read more

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Located in the dusty desert of Indio, CA, the Coachella Music Festival is host to a variety of artists and visitors during its two weekends of performances. After talking about it for many years, my friends and I finally had the opportunity to check out Weekend 1 this spring. My group purchased pre-sale tickets back in June, which is the only opportunity where you can opt into their month-by-month payment plan. Fast foward to April and finally, it was festival weekend. A few things we learned from our first trip to Coachella: - Find a closer AirBnB - Our group made a few last minute decisions and booked an AirBnB out in Yucca Valley. This ended up being our crutch because traffic in and out of the festival grounds was a pain - we'd arrive back to our place at 2-3AM each night. If possible, I'd definitely recommend booking a place closer to the festival and carpooling. - Ditch the water refilling stations - I feel like I've been to my fair share of festivals/shows now, and I'd say the water refilling stations were the worst here. :( Each station had a constant "line" aka mass of people that didn't seem to decrease at all - to save time and effort, we mostly ended up just purchasing the $2 bottles of water. - Eat before you go - Unless you're living it up in VIP, the food choices at Coachella tended to be a bit "meh". From $5 slices of very Coachella-esque watermelon to "just okay" mac & cheese, the selection of food was fairly typical for a festival. - Bring an external battery - Although they have recharging stations and outlets on the festival grounds (ex. the beer garden had a few), the easiest option is to carry an external with you. - It gets chilly and windy at night - While the day would be in the low to mid-90s, the temps would drop as the sun set and winds picked up. I'd highly recommend bringing a light jacket and a dust mask, which you could stash in a prepaid locker. - Enjoy the music - At the end of the day, it's all about the music! I spent the most time at the Main Stage and Outdoor Theater, which had sprawling lawns where you could sit and chill. It was helpful that the Main Stage had numbered speaker towers for coordinating meet-up spots. I also loved that the festival had a little something for any listener - from EDM and indie to hip hop and folk. All in all, we all had a blast at the festival and can most definitely see a repeat visit in the future. :) read more

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One of the biggest raves known to mankind in the United States, and I finallyyyyyyy got to go this year. The venue is easy to find, but parking can be a bit difficult because there are multiple parking lots. But they are color coded as well to help you better. You can also find parking lot maps on the website or app. Entry is fairly quick, but could also depend on what time and day you go. Personally, I feel like the venue is average. It looks and feels like any other rave in California. Large vast lands of grass dirt or cement, with random attractions and decor. Not really fancy at all in my opinion. BUT props to the number of food vendors available and the diverse selection to choose from. From asian to italian to american to mexican food, they've really got it all. But do expect prices to cost an arm and a leg. Although there were a few vendors selling waters for only $2 which is a major PLUS since we all know how freaking dehydrated everyone will be in the desert. They also have an indoor building to buy souvenirs, but embrace yourself for extremely long lines. I do feel like the main reason why everyone loves this event is for all the amazing DJs, artists, celebrities, and instagram influensters that show up here every year. read more

Woohoo, while the memory is still fresh in my mind, going to do a quick review of Coachella Weekend 1. :) Highlights of Coachella: ~Big Groups: If you're traveling with a bunch of friends with varying music tastes, Coachella = perfect festival where there's something for someone. The variety of music here was great and even when my group split up to see favorite artists and such, it all worked out and everyone had fun ~A/C Places: You don't need VIP to find places with a/c. For me, I lingered around the Yuma Tent (a/c inside), Do-Lab (misters by the entrance), Heineken House (despite the big line, it moves quickly and you'll get to a/c land in no time) and when evening comes around, temperature usually drops to a cooler range ~Bathrooms: Ladiessss, it makes me happy that there are actual toilets instead of just porta-potties!!!! :D ~Stages & THE DOME: Of all the stages, loveeeeee the Yuma tent (for the lights), Do Lab (for the vibes), and omg, the Antarctica Dome was littttt with the 3D visuals. I also dig the Heineken House for its sound. For the other stages, it can get a bit cramped, but Sahara definitely has some fun visual effects (imagine EDC old mega structure at Circuit Grounds). ~Line Up: Honestly, go beyond the artists that you may have seen before. Coachella is a great place to explore and find new music ~Beer Gardens: When you're tired of the pushy crowd, chill in the garden with some beer. Easier to get water / other stuff with more chill people ~Grass: If you want pictures with lively grass, go weekend 1. By Day 2/Day 3, the grass is wilted and dead ~Security Check In: It's a breeeeeeeeeze :) Cheers to speedy process~ Now the mehhhh parts of Coachella: ~Parking: Day 1 = sucks ass. I do recommend going a bit early to get decent parking so the walk back to your car isn't too bad. Helps to drop a pin on where you park too ~Food: Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience the stellar food that everyone raves about. ;[ Food was super pricey and mediocre and man, I wish I did VIP to sample the better food options ~Water refill stations: Unlike EDC & other festivals where there's some sort of "line" for the water, Coachella = merge in with the crowd, and be aggressive for your water. There's really no line and people will cut if there's an opportunity. If you don't want to buy the cheapie $2 water, just grab some from the bathroom sinks or seek out the lesser known water stations. ~Crowded Stages: For major headliners, go early if you want a decent spot. Otherwise, some stages have meh sounds (like the main stage) if you're standing far away. Sahara Stage = wayyy too packed. ;[ Didn't bother staying here much due to the sweaty & pushy crowd and too many feely hands that could have been failed attempts of pickpocketers. Finally, to wrap up my uber long review, here are helpful tips for anyone who wants to go: ~Some things to bring: Bandana (honestly will save you from the dust & smoke), Wet Wipes/Hand Sanitizer, camelbaks, memory /foam shoe inserts (trust me, after standing for hours, these will save your feet), external charger, sunscreen ....etc ~EDM Fans: Coachella isn't like a rave. The most "rave" like feel you will see is at the Sahara stage and even then, majority of people don't do the rave gear (aka - kandi, tutus, leg wraps, neon stuff, etc). So dress comfy and/or fashionably cute and you're good to go. ~Locker: If you hate carrying your stuff, rent a locker early because it does sell out. For me, it wasn't too chilly at night, but I did end up bringing a light hoodie. ~Look up guides online for more tips. :) Coachella is a fun festival that everyone should at least check out once and I know that I shall be returning again next year. read more

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Epic Coachella weekend 1 for 2016 that I will never forget! If you opt to stay outside of campgrounds, the sand dust can get quite irritating and up to your nostrils all weekend long that you are there for. It's hot and superbly crowded, but the performances and music is all worthwhile when making it to the Coachella location. It was pleasant and the ambiance exuded the carefree life - a moment of not having to worry about all the heavy load that comes with reality. It gave me time to be grateful, appreciate and enjoy the time spent there in the presence. I recommend riding the Ferris Wheel at night to see the glowing and colorful lights of the Coachella pano view! I got to discover a variety of genres! I was surprised with the sounds of LCD! Zedd, Guns 'n' Roses, Calvin Harris with the special appearance of Rihanna (Ri Ri) and Taylor Swift (Tay Tay) in the crowd, made this an unforgettable moment that I will never forget in my life when I look back at Coachella! There was a huge hold up on exiting for the last day on midnight and the experience was superbly unpleasant. Rides cost 3 times as much and unavailable for the most part. Everyone is already tired from the 3 day music festivities and if you don't camp, the long walk to the exit is brutal, add on the mishaps of encountering a girl falling off from the mucho sign, a pickpocket person snatching iPhones (beware) in the crowd and so forth. It's nice to attend Coachella when one is young, wild and free, but age does take a toll and energy out of you. I had a lovely time here, but this would be my first and last Coachella! The one and only Coachella that I don't think any other Coachella can beat the celebrities' turnout, music and performances! read more

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Oh yeah, it was awesome and loads of fun. I managed to come here with some coworkers and It is really uncanny. I first heard about it in 2012 and absolutely no idea what it is for 3 years, I must say when my favorite music artists show up, it makes the event really enjoyable. The only problem I have is that commitment and rescheduling. 2015 is my first time actually seeing the event rather than letting it pass me by. I really like how the venue attracts a lot of college age people under the age of 30. If you are past that level and want to go then I suggest you have a lot of patience. This event is different every year and they constantly improve to make its worth. If you go in person be vigilant because driving or carpooling to the event can be tough. It's really worth the money and is my favorite music festival. Drawback: It can get really messy by all means. read more

I Love This Music Festival SITREP Always have loved the Coachella music festival since I first came here in 2005. Major acts vs. New bands vying for my time. Between seven (7) different stages (both inside tents and outside grandstands), there is ALWAYS something going on that you will enjoy. FRIEND REUNIONS Once of the greatest aspects of this California music festival is the draw it brings from all major cities in California (and the U.S. AND globally in general. Coming down from Sacramento, I can count on hanging out with my friends from L.A., San Francisco, Seattle as well Denver and D.C. It's one of the best meet-up points on the West Coast music-wise. VS. BURNING MAN As much as I love Burning Man, a weekend trip to Coachella is far far easier to manage logistically than the mega-planning that it takes to make the trek to Black Rock, Nevada happen. Highways to and from, hotels, nearby restaurants in Palm Springs, etc. etc., make Coachella much less taxing on the gals you may have with you, just sayin. STANDOUTS Performances that I've seen since 2005 that I've loved have included Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Peter Murphy, Madonna, Miss Kitty, Dresden Dolls, M.I.A., and the list just goes on. "YOU'RE TRAPPED" And I don't just mean in a "Club That Won't Give You In & Out Privileges". I mean in a "You Must Pay For EVERYTHING Inside The Festival And You Can't Bring Much Of Your Own Stuff In With You" sort of way. It means that if they want to overcharge and rip you off on a bottle and charge you $4, it means they can and will do that. And at a rate of a bottle per every couple of hours, you can see how even just trying to stay HYDRATED for 3 days of festival-going is going to impact your wallet. Free Water-Fountains should be a Constitutional Right. They're not here, so One-Star Deduction. THE LOWDOWN A most excellent music festival experience. read more

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This was my first time ever at Coachella and it was pretty cool to go to. There were lots of people all around. And I do admit, I got lucky being able to even attend. I have actually no absolute preference for music as I like to listen to whatever. Music was great though, although it was not as fun as I believe it could have been. I went with my sister and her boyfriend so...was kind of the lucky third addition. I did not get to really listen to much of the music going on and I guess it just was not my scene without some of the friends I could have probably gone with. You know how you have those friends where you probably could go crazy with and those that you would not be able to? Well, that was pretty much me! Venue had a good portion that looked like a fairground and there were booths galore set up. The VIP section for drinking was beautifully set up - and I would have definitely spent more time if I were to come with my significant other. The food selections nearby the rose garden were definitely more delicious than what I saw at the food stands. It was around $15 for a plate of something which was REALLY GOOD. Apparently all the food places are sampled to make sure they are good for the VIP section. Cell phone service was decent right in the middle of the venue. Usually majority of places would not have cell phone service at all. But I had the worst one - T-mobile who did not put any money into Coachella or if they did it was probably very little. I was so surprised I even had ANYTHING when I was by the chairs. American Express was a major part of Coachella as they were offering 10% off at the shirt tent. Sadly I neglected to bring my card which was also partially a good thing as my wallet got stolen my last night there. However I had them on the Coachella app which was very useful to download as it listed the artists and also allowed me to connect my AMEX account. A few days ago, AMEX actually mailed me speakers - which was a brighter thought of Coachella. My judgement may have been a bit clouded as my wallet got stolen the night I was listening at the festival. Never got anything back so it was pretty much a downer for me. If you plan on going to Coachella: **Make sure you go with friends that you could go crazy with and party/dance along with **Also to bring a bandana to tie around your mouth as the dust really does pick up **Don't wear open ended shoes. Your feet will get stepped on if you're short like me or even if you are slightly tall. There are waves of people all around. **Parking looked horrendous for those trying to park close to the venue as possible. **Don't bring all of your stuff in your bag - people will take them (apparently as with mine). I still internally curse them from time to time as I had some good memories in my wallet. Sorry but I'm still somewhat bitter about it. read more

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I hate the people who complain about Coachella WHO HAVE NOT GONE. You must go at least once. I'm no expert, but here are some tips I've learned from four Coachellas. 1. You should leave so early on Friday that it's actually Thursday to avoid those Friday parking lots (also known as Monroe and Jefferson). 2. The traffic is bad and walking those long blocks is tiring, so bring bikes if you can. It's like having a bike taxi, without the taxi. 3. If you are stuck driving to the concert, there is a secret parking lot west of the polo field. They charge $20 but it's worth it. They sell food and a guy in a vest (official!) will stop the Coachella traffic to let you out, even though he's just a guy in a vest w/ a flashlight. 4. Cross-reference video and music sites and check out the bands you don't recognize. Chances are you will discover a new band/artist that you will find awesome (Late of the Pier, the xx, One Eskimo, in my case). These lesser-known bands play the smaller stages and most only play their one album, which you will know by heart. Often they do signings at the Virgin store. 5. Three reasons people don't go: the COST, the HEAT, and the D-BAGS. a) Money used for education should get a pass without feeling guilty. Travel and Coachella fall under education, if not only socially. Or, treat yourself. People rarely regret going, but the often regret not going. b) If HEAT and/or a LONG DAY is really that horrible for you, just show up at 5 as the sun sets. (The sunset sets "sun sets?" are great...Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lykke Li). You may miss a band or two, but if it keeps you from whining. c) The D-BAGS. Yeah, there's nothing you can do about them. Except maybe hide their selfie stick or pretend you're 1/8 Navajo and give one of them crap for wearing a headdress. 6. I sometimes hang out under the Handicapped Platform for shade. It's a weird subculture full of "Bridge people". You'll be a creeper (literally). 7. When it's packed, quickly scan the ground with a flashlight and people mistake you for security and let you pass them to get closer to stage. 8. Have a meeting place set up for your friends BEFORE your phone inevitably dies. 9. See "Matt & Kim" who play so often I assume they live in a stable there. 10. Bury a tin of dip for some hillbilly to find at Stagecoach the following weekend. read more

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1 star is for cleanliness at Coachella (it is a disaster in the evenings when it becomes a sea of unsightly plastic bottles and beer cans at an intolerable level). I'm highly disappointed in the lack of promotion of their recycling program. There is a lack of effort on the festival organizers part to keep the grounds clean. There's not enough workers and too few rubbish and recycling bins. I did notice your teeny tiny ad in the schedule pamphlet about recycling and incentives but I'm sorry that doesn't cut it. Do a survey and ask how many people noticed that ad or the small banners you put onsite regarding recycling and you'll get a clear picture. The whole 3 days I was there I may have seen maybe 5 artist decorated recycling bins that I NEVER saw anyone use. Do a better job of making this obvious to people and put more bins out there instead of those tiny wooden trash crates and cardboard boxes. Do a better job of making the artist decorated recycling bins a true CENTERPIECE of the festival instead of relegating them to the sidelines. Make the art installations about recycling and earth sustainability. I want to see the bands and musicians get in on this and urge their fans to recycle and help with Coachella's recycling program. I know the fans will listen to the artists so you must get them involved too. I hate that there are people who go to this festival and treat the grounds like one big garbage can. Not only that, they're making someone's job really hard to do. I can't imagine the amount of trash the workers have to pick up every single night. Come on people, we can do better! read more

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I just attended Coachella weekend 2 and there's so much to write about! I apologize for the lengthy review. Car Camping We were located over in the far northern corner of the camp, which was nice since we only had to deal with 3 other neighbors, had plenty of room to extend the camp, well lit and wasn't too loud at night. The port a potties for the most part were clean but avoid the co-ed ones near the exit to the shuttles. I now understand why they separate the guys and girls because the co-ed ones had poop and urine all over the ground. As for the showers, I never used them since I brought a solar shower and that is the way to go. Its great to take a shower at my own convenience rather than waiting in line. The best part of camping, aside from being able to walk to the festival at our own leisure, had to be the social aspect. Our neighbors hailed from Virginia, New Zealand, New York and California and were chill to hang with. The central part of the camp had endless activities such as free pinball machines, dodge ball tournaments and a silent disco party after 1 am. If I didn't camp I definitely would have missed out on what I felt was the essence of Coachella. The Festival I was very pleased with the sets I watched at Coachella. Outkast was amazing. They sang all the songs I wanted to hear, especially ATLiens and Prototype. Chromeo is always a fun set to dance and sing along to. Pharrell's set was full of surprise guests: Busta, Clipse, T.I., Usher, Jay-Z and The Jabbawockeez. I thought I was about to pass out from seeing Pharrell's guests but Nas totally surprised me the most. Lauryn Hill was his surprise guest and she redeemed herself after experiencing a mediocre concert from here a few years back. Other notable acts: Aloe Blacc, Solange, Girl Talk. Now, I have been to quite a few concerts and music festivals. I have to say I have never encountered so many rude concert goers. There were many who felt entitled to walk over you, push, shove...you get the picture. One of my biggest annoyances had to be those "bros" who had to walk to the front center of the crowd and hold up an iPad during the entire set. Personally I think that just dumb if you're not going to live in the moment and enjoy the music. Sunday was the best since the crowd was very chill (thank you 4/20!). Anyways, if you are the type that doesn't like dealing with annoying people, get VIP. I noticed the VIP crowd was not rowdy and had enough space to dance comfortably. The best part of VIP: you get to rub elbows with celebs (I saw Busy Phillips hanging around during Solange's set). Lost and Found I lost my cell during day 2 right when Kid Cudi's set started. Fortunately I got my phone back at the Lost and Found after Pharrell's set. It pays to be persistent because the first guy that helped me didn't bother to look further than the T-Mobile bin. I went to the other guy later and he carefully listened to my description of the phone and sure enough he pulled my phone out of another bin on the first try. So don't be afraid to keep checking since chances are your phone was returned. They have a 67% return rate from what their sign stated. Overall I did have a great time at Coachella. I will only go back if there are a good amount of sets I want to see. For more tips on the festival, Coachella's forum boards are an extremely helpful (and entertaining) source to browse through. read more

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This is a music that will absolutely change your life. At 28yo I did Coachella 2019 W1 camping and it changed my life. To get the FULL coachella experience, you have to do camping. If you stay at an airbnb or hotel outside of the festival the experience is not the same whatsoever. When you are camping, you can easily walk in and out of the festival within 10 minutes give or take based on your camp site. If you are not camping. It can take 1 to 2 hours to get in and out of the festival, this can be absolutely exhausting. At Coachella, there are beautiful girls everywhere. It is literally honey heaven. The music is amazing, you have some of the most popular artists playing all in one spot for 8 hours a day for 3 days straight. I say 8 hours because let's be real the good acts don't start till 3pm but after 3 it's hit artist after hit artist after hit artist. Coachella is SO beautiful, you are literally partying at this huge festival in the middle of Indio California. You are in a green valley and it is surrounded by beautiful mountains you can see to your right and left. Coachella is absolutely an amazing experience, but you have to fully commit to it. You gotta workout months before, you gotta pre-choose your outfits weeks before. I bought a man romper custom made from China, everyone loved it, even the models below. Also, GO WEEKEND 1, completely different vibe from Weekend 2. Also, Weekend 2 is more dusty because there is a lot less grass from people destroying it Weekend 1. If you kinda want something more chill I would go Weekend 2. But if you want an epic party, go Weekend 1. Amazing amazing experience. Can't wait to camp at Weekend 1 next year at Coachella, let me know if you have any camping questions or anything Coachella related in general. I went Weekend 2 4 years ago, stayed at a hotel, and camping at Weekend 1 this year was phenomenal, you can never do the airbnb/hotel route again. One love, Rich read more

Ayeeeeeee, I've been to Hard Summer, EDC Vegas, Made in America LA, Life is Beautiful ....now (finally) COACHELLA ...the mother of all music festivals! This was soooo unlike the previous festivals I've gone to ...I think because it felt like what I would imagine Woodstock to be. All love. All varieties of music. All kinds of food. So much art. My favorite acts of the weekend were Ice Cube because he brought out Dr. Dre. YOU GUYS, THE DOCTOR!!!! Dr. Dre rarely makes guest appearances anywhere, let alone perform. These guys are like living legend, it was insane. All I could think was me as a kid listening to gangsta rap. I guess Dre and Cube will always have a soft spot in my heart lol Then on Sunday, Dre performed with his protégé Anderson Paak -- what the heck..MIND.BLOWN!!!!! When he closed out the show with Cube, I could barely see his head on the screens. With Anderson Paak in Sahara tent, I could see his whole body and facial expressions. Like how do you top that! AND all my friend kept saying "wow, this is your first Chella...you basically don't need to go to anymore after this!" They kid, of course. Otherwise, I really enjoyed Flume. Honestly, they were a group I heard here and there but, not something I'd normally listen to...and after, seeing them at Chella -- they are all I've been blasting in my car. This is the beauty of music festivals; different performers all in one place. How beautiful! What's funny is I really wanted to see Guns and Roses the most but, ended up missing their set running to and from other stages. The weather was perfect for the weekend, as well. Other than Friday, not much gnarly winds....just a nice breeze and sun. No rain. No extreme heat and humidity. Polo fields were perfect to sit on for photos, rest, relaxation, or just to enjoy some arepas, coconut juice, and just life. The people were fun and friendly and just wanted to have a great time. Even the workers were always high fiving us when we walked it. It was an experience I'm surprised I never tried sooner. See you next year, Indio! read more

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The good: Great performers.  Some of the best performers at the height of their careers.   Many choices of music.  Many stages. Lots of options. A fun festival.  An experience to at least try once to see if it's for you. The bad: Ridiculous rules.  There's about 40 items you can't bring in including...sunscreen?  No sunscreen in a desert festival? Yeah that makes sense. I don't understand..  I don't agree. I don't see the issue. As long as it's nothing legal or dangerous and doesn't negativity affect others I don't see the issue.   Car searching.  We came ready for camping.  This isn't camping. Perhaps Coachella's definition of camping is a very different version of what I think camping is coming from NorCal.  They searched our car took my camping Swiss army knife I got as a birthday present and other traditional camping items. This isn't camping.  This "camping" is the smallest most dense camping I've ever experienced.  It reminds me of those small tiny Japanese hotels in Japan. It's basically like a parking lot of car with a small tent behind your car. The heat.  It was so hot.  I will never camping in a dessert in summer again. I understand Coachella you want to have a safe profitable festival.  I was surprised there were so few older people. I must be getting older because your rules completely turned me off.  My friend came to Coachella a few years ago and I asked about it. He said he didn't like it. I liked parts of it but I won't deal with you again.  I won't be coming back. 20 years old don't mind I'm sure they just go with whatever but when you're in your 30s you just won't put up with the same BS you did in your 20s.  You're very successful and people keep coming. So you won't be missing me. Good luck. read more

I've been to so many music festivals in my life. They all have their own charm and their own "life-changing" and "mind-opening" moments. There are many many shows where I always tell myself I will return. Coachella is one of them. This is not only my first year attending Coachella, it was also my first time "camping." I've never slept in a tent or a sleeping bag before. I've never 'not' had access to showers for more than 2 days before. I don't know what it's like to leave a dirty music festival and simply not be able to clean myself and sleep in a bed. That's my first world privilege talking, but Coachella made it real. It was stressful. It was hot. It was dirty. It was cramped. But it all became routine by Night 3. Coachella blends music ranging from Hip Hop to Rock to Trance. There's something for everyone and an atmosphere for every mood. When I was tired of the thumping beats of electro house, I moved to the next stage and enjoyed soothing jazz beats. The artists sang their hearts out and put on their best show. Florence & the Machine-despite a broken foot, she put on one of the best performances of the weekend! Odesza-my NEW favorite musical artist. Bringing out a LIVE wind ensemble & drumline to close out their set. Wow. Jack White and his musical duel with a Theremin!!! And so many more. (Except Drake. You sucked, Drake.) I moshed, I crowd-surfed, I shuffled, I did tektonic (thanks Yelle), I popped, I locked, and I dropped it. No other music festival gave me so many outlets to dance so many styles. The art installations were also incredible and larger than life. The performers simply out of this world (NOBODY puts Do Lab in the corner!!!) The people so helpful and caring. I had the best neighbors ever! And usually music festivals means french fries, hot dogs, and no vegan options. Coachella brought in REAL food vendors cooking REAL food! So many Vegan options! It was almost like a food festival at the same time! Vegan ice cream. Vegan tacos. Vegan beignets. Vegan Mac n Cheeze, Vegan curry tofu, Vegan Poutine. So many options. So little time. It took me a full week to recover and come back down to reality, but it was all worth it. This was Kyle H.'s 6th time at Coachella. This was my 1st. But we both took so much away from it and made so many unforgettable memories. read more

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After a 10 year hiatus, gal pal and I got a last minute deal from friends who changed their minds about going. It was with excitement tinged by a bit of worry that we anticipated the rapidly approaching weekend. (Wknd 2, FYI) In a nutshell: Coachella has turned into a behemoth of an event. The sheer scope of the operations is daunting and there was just so much more to see/experience than when we went over a decade ago. In spite of it all, the event was very well done. There was hardly ever a time where we lacked for shade or an opportunity to cool off. A/C was available (at least that we know of and took advantage of) in the Despacio tent, Yuma (had bed-type things to lay down on) and the Heineken House. And although it felt like all of California was here in attendance, there was plenty of space in some form or another. The amazing thing was whether it was Coachella staff, CSC or whichever partner staff was working the event, the people were all very friendly, helpful and, in some cases, kind. Only met one surly guy who was inexplicably unpleasant on the final night when were leaving the venue. Not even the guy who had to chase down a kid trying to sneak in was aggressive! It was obvious the event actively tried to keep the place clean. Cleaning staff was constantly emptying out trash bins and picking up trash. However, towards the end of the weekend, it became obvious that they were outnumbered by pigs who sit to eat their food and decide it's ok to just leave your trash behind (like pizza boxes in stacks). It was contagious...people decided that there is no longer any need to clean up after themselves. With the wind kicking up, you were likely to get trash debris in your food/face if you were trying to sit and just relax on the ground. One thing I think would be awesome is if the food prices were a smidge lower, especially considering the quality. (I never knew jerk chicken to taste like it's made in a crock pot or bite-sized s'mores to be $4 a piece.) OR maybe they let you bring in a limited amount of food. Says something when people are able to "sneak" in unlimited pot (and in one case, coke) but not a granola or protein bar. We also took the shuttle in which I feel like was really done well. With the exception of one bus smelling strongly of urine, it was super quick to get on both to the venue and away from the venue. All in all, a fantastic fun time if done right. read more

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MUSICALLY INCLINED. Plan accordingly. Have the money upfront. It's not cheap. Tickets + Condo + Rental Car = ~$750/person GETTING TICKETS. Expect to be behind a computer waiting on the Coachella page 15-20 minutes in advance. Once you are in you are moved into a virtual waiting room (waited about 10-15 minutes) before getting your tickets. General Admission sells out quickly and sometimes you are stuck with GA + Shuttle or VIP (both more expensive than just GA tickets). Buy the package with the shuttle pass ($459) - it's worth it. ACCOMMODATIONS. If you don't live in the dessert or plan on camping in their infamous camp site then expect everything from airfare, hotel, Airbnb, etc to rise. It's best to think ahead and lock down something as soon as you can. SHUTTLE. Convenient. Granted you will be wasted on some level and driving shouldn't be an option. However if you plan to drive there is free parking if you didn't pay for VIP parking. We never drove in so I can't tell you about the parking. The shuttle buses are quick and consistent and convenient. They are running so frequently that you are barely waiting for a shuttle. There are so many stops in the surrounding cities - it's the easiest way to Coachella. Warning, you cannot get on a shuttle without a shuttle pass. The furthers shuttles are to Palm Springs and it is the heaviest lines since many people stay in Palm Springs. Mind you it is also the longest from 45-1hr ride but you use that time to nap, drink, eat, etc. From Indian Wells it is only 15-20 minute ride. COACHELLA FITS. Its not necessary to wear a flower crown or dress like Kylie Jenner. Shorts and tanks are perfectly normal there. Anything "summer" and "comfy" goes. Highly advise wearing shoes, your feet will get smashed and dirty if you wear slippers or sandals. COACHELLA. Three days in the desert. Friday and Saturday are the craziest days, by Sunday it calms down a lot. Event opens at 11am but many people don't arrive until around 3-5pm (take your time, this is all day and all night). THERE ARE INS AND OUTS, as long as you have your bracelet you are good to go. I was surprised how organized the event was. Lots of stages and tents to hang out at, lots of food vendors and bathrooms, cell phone charging stations, etc. Area for the disabled to be able to watch the stages without being trampled by people. Lots of artists performing. Downloading the app and following your schedule IS KEY. There are all walks of life there and all kinds of music for everyone. Food and beverages are affordable but I would definitely eat a big lunch before heading over. TIPS. Tip: Go to the bathroom before performances end. Once performances end the entire place turns into an ant farm of everybody walking everywhere at one time and the bathrooms become a cluster F*. Tip: Stay hydrated and bring a bandana. The sun hits hard during the day and the dust storms kicks hard during the afternoon/evenings. It can get kind of cold at night so bring a light sweater or a layer to wear for the evening. Tip: don't wear slippers, your feet will get dirty and stepped on. Tip: download the Coachella app, it's resourceful. Tip: Beer Garden is a cool place to hang out; weaves out some of the obnoxious young people. read more

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Probably one of the best festivals I've ever been to. You can't compare Coachella to EDC. They're two completely different events. Yeah sure, it gets really hot but camping is definitely the way to go! I just love the fact that you could chill and be lazy until 4pm because there's no one you'd like to see until that time and you could just walk there whenever you're ready. Also, I love that staying cool, hanging out/drinking is more important than trying to look good I guess the only downfall are the porta potties. Sometimes it's not too bad and sometime you'll run into some stalls that are full of poo poo with flies. I guess you just need to be lucky or wait until noon and use the flushable toilets at the venue. Thank god for that. Yeah food is expensive but you're at a festival so it's not surprising. Plus, you could bring your own food so it's not too bad. The experience was worth wild and I can't wait to come back next year! read more

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Coachella still remains one of my favorite festivals ever. This was year #3 for me and I had a sh*tload of fun! Sadly, I'm docking one star this time because it was ridiculously packed this year (more packed than I've ever seen it before). It took FOREVER to move from stage to stage so we didn't get to see a lot of artists. Getting out of the festival was a nightmare the first day, bring bandanas for the dirt/dust and really reallyyy comfortable shoes! The lines for the food vendors were also super long but I'd make them again with no hesitation because the food was amazing - the lobster rolls and churro sundaes are a must!. Most importantly, I got to see The Queen Beyoncé bless the Coachella stage with one of her most incredible performances yet. That alone made it all worth it! With that said however, I don't think I'm coming back in a while lol. read more

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It's a music festival with everyone's favorite artists at a pretty-penny price point. Coachella is great if you: Don't mind waiting in hour-long+ lines at security Don't mind buying overpriced food and drinks Don't mind tiptoeing or throwing 'bows to see the headliners or most other acts Don't mind your ears ringing at night (even with earplugs) or getting dust in your eyes, nose, and mouth (even with a bandana) or getting sunburned (even with that SPF 7,000) or getting fallen arches (even when you're gellin' like a felon) Don't mind inadvertently being in everyone's next Instagram post Don't mind sweating right through every get-up you wear within 10 minutes of putting it on Don't mind looking at your credit card statement the week after and thinking, "What happened?" I do mind all of these things. Call me a curmudgeon. I guess I was born in the wrong era. P.S. - Beyonce was amazing. read more

It's just way too hot in Indio for me to give 5 stars. Great music! Chill crowd~ BTW...you CAN bring your own "water" bottles, and it's also handy to bring a small beachmat to sit on! I didn't get molested when I was searched as I entered the grounds...but a friend of a friend supposedly got arrested for sneaking stuff in so be careful ;) Don't use the port o potty bungalows at the entrance~ There are plenty of others that are cleaner and less crowded. read more

Coachella - Nightscape at Coachella 2007 - Festivals Near Me - Indio, California

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I went to Coachella for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed my time there. The line up didn't appeal to me as much as the previous years and I knew how horrible the weather got in the desert. I completely expected to get sunburned and heatstroke all while listening to music that I had a good chance of not liking. Well, the heat was manageable, the music was great and I'm definitely coming back every year now! VENUE: the polo fields are great. very spacious, organized and well kept FESTIVAL: the artists will change from year to year. what you need to take note of is that the rules and layout can also change a bit. There is art everywhere (like that big moving snail)... A pretty cool plus! PEOPLE: A mixed crowd. Overall, pretty friendly. when paying that much for tix, I doubt anyone wants to risk getting thrown out. PARKING: if you opt for regular parking, expect to walk a long distance. VIP parking will cost you some money but is much closer. it's up to you. Traffic can be a nightmare. If you stay until the end of the last set, you will most likely be stuck with everyone else trying to get out of the parking lot. Once you are out, you will be stuck because the cops block so many roads. HOTEL: there are quite a few hotels within reasonable distance from here. you have to be careful though. Coachella is a big event and many people find themselves in a struggle to find a place to stay read more

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In honor of what would've been weekend 2 this weekend.. I miss Coachella. The Mecca of all music festivals. Although placed in the middle of the desert, what makes it different is they do have grass to lay around on as it is a Polo Club the other 359 days of the year. Nice, large grounds with plenty of stages, good food and positive vibes. If you like discovering new music, and the diversity in music, this is the festival for you! You can easily walk around and follow whatever your ears desire. Bring a mask because it does get dusty! Until next time 'chella.. read more

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Things are looking on the up-and-up at Coachella! This year's iteration marked my 8th and 9th visits to the festival (had to Bothchella, just couldn't resist this time), and virtually all aspects of this year's show managed to completely WOW me. _________ + Looking back on my review of Coachella 2016, I'm happy to see that some of the issues that I observed in the past were expertly addressed by the braintrust over at Goldenvoice. Most importantly - the issue of massive crowd congestion seems to be much less of a pressing problem than in years past. I found it relatively easy to traverse from stage to stage, with the rampant overcrowding of past years replaced with plenty of open space to roam. GV's decision to expand the festival grounds in 2017 has paid off in dividends. In particular, the Sahara Tent (electronic/hip-hop stage) had developed an infamous reputation in recent years for the super-sized, borderline unsafe crowds that amass once larger acts began to take the stage later in the day. The powers-that-be at Goldenvoice addressed this issue in a brilliantly low-tech way - by inverting the structure itself (so that the performing stage is positioned on the length-side of the "tunnel"). Effectively, the Sahara transformed overnight from a dangerous sweat lodge into a breezy, well-ventilated space that didn't really sacrifice all that much in terms of viewer experience/audio quality. + The issue of cleanliness (or lack thereof) that I observed in past years was also addressed in this year's iteration of the festival. The venue grounds were in distinctly immaculate shape to begin each day, and it seemed as though a significantly larger number of cleanup personnel were keeping consistent watch of the scene. _________ + Crowds this year were especially fun, friendly, and in good spirits. I befriended other party people left and right over the course of the two weekends; people come from all across the globe to attend Coachella, and the eclectic, multiethnic crowd emanates plenty of positive energy. The "budding Instagram model" subset is still out in full force (naturally) - but even they're quite a fun time to hang around with! + It should come as no surprise that Coachella continues to spend top dollar to ensure that the attendee experience is nothing short of mind-blowing from start to finish. I couldn't count the number of times that I'd look around at the production/visuals/immersive lighting setups at each stage and think to myself "this feels EXPENSIVE." After watching a squad of roughly 200 Intel drones form ODESZA's beautiful hexagonal logo in a spectrum of colors, I began to lose count of how many times my jaw hit the floor. Sure, some of you have seen some of this past year's biggest acts live - the Weeknd, Beyonce, Eminem, Portugal the Man, the Migos, etc. - but believe me when I say that there's a discernible difference between seeing your favorite artist live and seeing them AT COACHELLA. Between Marshall Mathers's cameo appearances from hip-hop icons 50 Cent and Dr. Dre, to Kendrick Lamar's unannounced appearance towards the tail end of Vince Staples's set, every element of the live performances was executed with laser precision and an unflinching sense of big-time quality. Audio sounded rich, crisp, and clear. __________ - With all of this good news, there was one big blemish that did cast a bit of a shadow on my Chella 2018 experience. Given the absurd level of detail and careful planning that goes into virtually every aspect of the festival, I was surprised to find just how poorly executed the on-site rideshare pickup situation was. In spite of following all appropriate signage/checking in with uniformed personnel at every turn, we found ourselves led on a walk of over 3 miles that eventually took us out of the venue and into a mostly-deserted residential area. Essentially, the signs for Uber/Lyft pickup led us to the middle of nowhere. We only ended up making it back to our off-site housing thanks to kindness of some Good Samaritans who saw us hoofing it (they said that we looked like we were "in some deep ____"). What makes the whole rideshare dilemma into even more of a head-scratcher is the fact that the Uber/Lyft drop-off inside Coachella is executed pretty much to a T. The crystal-clear, idiot-proof signage at the drop-off made it easy for drivers to drop their passengers off in efficient fashion and speed off on their way. Coachella completely dropped the ball on the rideshare pickup situation, and I'm hoping it'll be addressed for 2019. __________ This one knock notwithstanding, Coachella remains the preeminent destination festival in North America - and with good reason. With thoughtfully curated lineups and a picturesque backdrop that looks absolutely larger-than-life, it's still the place to be if you're looking to be wowed while making memories that will last a lifetime. read more

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Full of different stages and different artist it's an experience. There's different food vendors all around for if you get hungry, and different drink stations for when you get thirsty. It's an annual event but make sure to get your tickets in advance so you won't get stuck paying more. The lineup is usually announced months before the event, so you really don't know what the line up will be, but it's never a disappointment. You have different genres and different artist all in one festival. Make sure to get creative with costume ideas. Definitely a great experience. Went with old friends and it was definitely a trip to remember. And best of all.. it's in cali! read more

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Let me be young again... 21 probably would be the correct age. I have been wanting to go to Coachella for years. I had heard people rave about how exciting this festival was. You get to see so many artists perform but let me break down things you need to know that I wish I knew in advance. 1. It would be nice to be 21 again, but if you don't remember, Coachella brings in a lot of the younger crowd. You will see other people as well but I found the majority of people were teenagers to maybe early 20s. A lot of people are dressed trendy. It's a place with floral crowns abound, where flash tats know no limit, and where super-sheer tops and teensy denim cut-offs are not only accepted, but encouraged. Expect lots of girls in bikinis, glitter and pigtails! 2. There will be A LOT of walking, I know you want to look cute, so did I ...however sandals are going to suck after you've walked 5 miles or more. I know a lot of girls wore boots but I wish I wore tennis shoes. People probably wear the boots because of all the dirt and dust but I preferred to be able to rock in my tennis shoes so I can move faster. And all you gotta do is drink a bit more so you don't have to worry about looking so cute in no heels! You do have the option to get in a pedicab, however it will cost you $25 a ride or more. 3. It is HOT...over 100° or more and dusty. You will need a bandanna over your face. Your body will be filled with dirt and so will your lungs. I guess that should be common sense since you're in the desert and it's windy, but I didn't put two and two together. So pretty much be prepared to get dirty! Once again, this is why looking cute may be a little more difficult. 4. It's really CROWDED and it's really hard to see the artist. Boyfriends were putting their girlfriends on their shoulders... so even if you are in a place where you can see the stage it doesn't really matter. Also if you get into that crowd you are going to be smashed. I like crowds but this was a little too much. I had no room to move and I couldn't see a lot of the artists. On top of that expect everyone to be doing drugs, even if you don't smoke weed you're probably going to get smoked out. I'm not saying drugs are a good or a bad thing just giving you the info. Just something to keep in mind. 5. Drinks are really EXPENSIVE, I think $16 each. You can't drink them freely through the festival you have to go in a beer garden which was super annoying. You had to show ID every day to get in there, because your wristband won't work from the day before. 6. If you know that the drinks are expensive then you know the FOOD is crazy expensive too. The good news is at least you can bring a WATER container so you can refill your water bottle or another water container. I got pretty drunk and filled my water bottle up with liquor and threw it away. Unfortunately this is really bad because I needed water and I couldn't find a vendor that had any water available on Saturday night. They were sold out. I thought I was going to die! I almost ended up going to first aide to get some water because I had been drinking and couldn't find any water. Tip: Maybe drink less? 7. Parking is a absolute NIGHTMARE! At certain times everything is sold out so you don't want to park at the venue. It is going to take you hours to get in and hours to get out. Also Uber drivers said they waited 3 hours in line and the prices are about 5x what they normally are or more. So Uber is a bad choice. The only option is to take a shuttle in and out of Coachella... it's really the best decision you can make! The shuttle system is made to get people in and out fast. Driving a car or taking Uber is the stupidest thing you can do! 8. As I mentioned before getting a shuttle is IMPORTANT so you might want to pick a hotel with a shuttle. We had a hotel that did not have a shuttle which caused a lot of problems, a lot of driving, using Uber, and parking issues. We drove around many hours because we were new to Coachella. Majority of the people are on drugs and drinking so no one really needs to be driving anyways. 9. This festival is hell of EXPENSIVE, I think it's $500 a ticket and that just includes admission. (I got a ticket from a friend) The hotels prices are crazy, and anything and everything to do with festival is expensive. You will spend over $1000 on a 3 to 4 day festival. I personally would rather be on a cool vacation. A few things you should bring: -Sunblock -Bug spray -Hat -Sunflasses -Backpack -Jacket -Water bottle -Ear plugs -Portable charger In conclusion, I think this festival is great for a younger crowd, people who are into partying hard and people who enjoy big crowds! I realized after I went to Coachella that I would much rather just go to a concert of the person I like. It was hard to fight a crowd to hear a little bit of an artist I like and not be able to see them. I don't think I'd ever pay to go here again but I would go if I got a free ticket. read more

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Just say yes. To everything! The music, the food, the drinks and definitely the app. The app is your go-to to stay connected to your friends and all the happenings. Water is your bf. You will need an ample supply and sunscreen, hat (that can stay on your head during windstorms at night) a hankie to cover your mouth and nose. read more

Coachella - Our home for the next 9 days from Coachella through Stagecoach... oh my liver! - Festivals Near Me - Indio, California

I have nothing but compliments for this rave, this is pretty much the only rave me and my friends go to, and I go here every year. I treat this event like it's a Super Bowl event. It's that big event for aspiring artists/actors which attracts all my circle of friends. I can't wait to go back next month! read more