Coachella 2023 Headliner: Bad Bunny

[davideduardo]

Today, the double weekend Coachella festival announced its #1 headliner to be Bad Bunny. That's a Puerto Rican, Hispanic, reggaetón and-not-alternative act.

This shows the decline of rock, particularly alternative... which used to be the core of this event, the largest grossing festival in the country for many years.

A little more:

The Coachella 2023 lineup is here: Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Frank Ocean will headline the festival when it returns to Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, this April. Rosalía, Gorillaz, Björk, Charli XCX, Burna Boy, Alex G, Jai Paul, and Glorilla are also on the bill for this year. As previously announced, the festival takes place across two weekends: April 14-16 and 21-23. Check out the poster and full lineup below.

For more, search "coachella lineup 2023"

 

[TheBigA]

If you want rock music, the better festival is Stagecoach. Among this year's performers is ZZ Top.

Stagecoach Music Festival

Country music’s biggest party returns to the desert April 24-26, 2026!

www.stagecoachfestival.com

BTW a lot of area radio stations broadcast from Stagecoach. In the past KKGO in LA has been there.

 

[davideduardo]

If you want rock music, the better festival is Stagecoach. Among this year's performers is ZZ Top.

Every year they put some country influenced artists on the secondary stage. A couple of years ago, they even featured Gordon Lightfoot!

I find it fun to occasionally take a break to that stage to see an interesting artist or at least one who has a song I love. In that case, it was "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and as one who has been in Great Lakes storms, that was worth hearing live. But in general it is not worth leaving the main stage.

This year, the side stage will have Mary Chapin Carpenter and that will drag me away for a set... gotta' hear "Quittin' time" once more.

Of course, the main stage has nice seats you can buy (and take home after!) which is terrific if you are over 60 and have to walk about two dusty miles just to get there each day.

 

[davideduardo]

BTW a lot of area radio stations broadcast from Stagecoach. In the past KKGO in LA has been there.

Since we have been going, about 7 years or so ago, there has not been any station there... neither KKGO nor Froggy and, certainly, neither of the local give-me-some-occasional-songs-with-your-ad-marathon stations.

Heck, we went to a lot of LA country concerts pre-pandemic and KKGO was not even there... although Froggy was at the major ones.

 

[tall_guy1]

Today, the double weekend Coachella festival announced its #1 headliner to be Bad Bunny. That's a Puerto Rican, Hispanic, reggaetón and-not-alternative act.

This shows the decline of rock, particularly alternative... which used to be the core of this event, the largest grossing festival in the country for many years.

A little more:

The Coachella 2023 lineup is here: Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Frank Ocean will headline the festival when it returns to Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, this April. Rosalía, Gorillaz, Björk, Charli XCX, Burna Boy, Alex G, Jai Paul, and Glorilla are also on the bill for this year. As previously announced, the festival takes place across two weekends: April 14-16 and 21-23. Check out the poster and full lineup below.

For more, search "coachella lineup 2023"

All of those I think have "hipster cred" especially charli xcx which as a popstar has a devoted following.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

The Coachella 2023 lineup is here: Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Frank Ocean will headline the festival when it returns to Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, this April. Rosalía, Gorillaz, Björk, Charli XCX, Burna Boy, Alex G, Jai Paul, and Glorilla are also on the bill for this year. As previously announced, the festival takes place across two weekends: April 14-16 and 21-23. Check out the poster and full lineup below.

For more, search "coachella lineup 2023"

Okay, I have heard of Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, Bjork, and certainly Mary Chapin Carpenter. But, I guess I am too involved with oldies/ classic hits, because I have never heard of the rest of the artists. Am wondering ( without having to go look up each act) if Rosalia, Gorrillaz, Charli XCX, Burna Boy, Alex G., Jai Paul, and Glorilla are all Latino or Puerto Rican or Caribbean acts which would appeal to a wide-ranging demographic. Are these artists Latino, or reggaeton, or acts who hail from the Caribbean......if they are not rock, then they must be rap, or trap, or reggaeton.Am wondering if anyone else here over 60 has heard of the majority of these artists. I don't mean that the artists have to please the over-60 crown. - they don't. But on this board, we have people from all different backgrounds who have a very proficient knowledge base of recorded music.

Coachella attracts not just residents of the desert cities, but also the young, glamorous upscale people of West Los Angeles and Hollywood, Calabasas, ( Kardashians) Montecito ( Harry and Meghan, Ellen, other celebs in Montecito). Same demographic that attends Burning Man in Nevada.

So I am wondering, what about mainstream hip-hop or pop artists like: Adele, Kanye, Rihanna, Beyonce, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Selina Gomez, etc. etc. They still sell music, but maybe are considered no longer relevant for Coachella. - Daryl

 

[davideduardo]

Okay, I have heard of Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, Bjork, and certainly Mary Chapin Carpenter. But, I guess I am too involved with oldies/ classic hits, because I have never heard of the rest of the artists. Am wondering ( without having to go look up each act) if Rosalia, Gorrillaz, Charli XCX, Burna Boy, Alex G., Jai Paul, and Glorilla are all Latino or Puerto Rican or Caribbean acts which would appeal to a wide-ranging demographic. Are these artists Latino, or reggaeton, or acts who hail from the Caribbean......if they are not rock, then they must be rap, or trap, or reggaeton.Am wondering if anyone else here over 60 has heard of the majority of these artists. I don't mean that the artists have to please the over-60 crown. - they don't. But on this board, we have people from all different backgrounds who have a very proficient knowledge base of recorded music.

There is everything from reggaetón and trap to k-pop and other rhythmic pop artists. Rosalía is Argentine, but others are relatively mainstream younger adult artists from the US.

Coachella attracts not just residents of the desert cities, but also the young, glamorous upscale people of West Los Angeles and Hollywood, Calabasas, ( Kardashians) Montecito ( Harry and Meghan, Ellen, other celebs in Montecito). Same demographic that attends Burning Man in Nevada.

No, the Burning Man crowd is extremely different; it is a permissive "free culture" group. Coachella crowds come in RVs and campers and many set up traditional tents in the area set up for that. No drugs allowed, and even intoxication is quite controlled.

So I am wondering, what about mainstream hip-hop or pop artists like: Adele, Kanye, Rihanna, Beyonce, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Selina Gomez, etc. etc. They still sell music, but maybe are considered no longer relevant for Coachella. - Daryl

Some of those are just not possessed of the "hipness" needed for Coachella. Think "avant garde" and you can see that most of what you mention is very much too mainstream. Tall_Guy nailed it when he said that the Coachella artists have to have hipster cred.

 

[exbloguero]

Today, the double weekend Coachella festival announced its #1 headliner to be Bad Bunny.

jajajajajaja -1000. #fail

 

[CTListener]

Some of those are just not possessed of the "hipness" needed for Coachella. Think "avant garde" and you can see that most of what you mention is very much too mainstream. Tall_Guy nailed it when he said that the Coachella artists have to have hipster cred.

But the Stagecoach lineup has it both ways -- Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers and 49 Winchester for the country hipsters, Marty Stuart, Brooks & Dunn and Mary Chapin Carpenter for the '90s country nostalgics, and a bunch of acts from all sides of the mainstream spectrum, some with crossover hipster appeal (Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Elle King), and others like Luke Bryan and Old Dominion, which any hipster worth his craft IPA would rather eat at Applebees or go bowling than admit to liking.

 

[Marcos_C]

Rosalía is Argentine

No, Rosalía is from Catalonia, Spain.

 

[blizzard59]

So I am wondering, what about mainstream hip-hop or pop artists like: Adele, Kanye, Rihanna, Beyonce, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Selina Gomez, etc. etc. They still sell music, but maybe are considered no longer relevant for Coachella. - Daryl

Harry Styles was a headliner last year. Kanye was also supposed to headline, for the second time, but he backed out shortly before the festival and was hastily replaced with The Weeknd. Justin Bieber appeared as a special guest to perform "Peaches" during Daniel Caesar's set. Beyoncé headlined in 2018.

The past Coachella lineup posters are all here, except from the 2020 event that never took place:

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival

See you in the desert. April 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027.

coachella.com

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

Harry Styles was a headliner last year. Kanye was also supposed to headline for the second time, but he backed out shortly before the festival and was hastily replaced with The Weeknd. Beyoncé headlined in 2018

The past Coachella lineup posters are all here, except from the 2020 event that never took place:

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival

See you in the desert. April 9-11 & April 16-18, 2027.

coachella.com

Good information, Blizzard ! Thanks for sending this along. 😊 -- D.

 

[davideduardo]

No, Rosalía is from Catalonia, Spain.

Sorry, my bad. Got her confused with Tini for some reason.

 

[Don CT]

I thought Stagecoach was the country festival.

Is Lollapalooza still considered the alternative festival?

 

[CTListener]

I thought Stagecoach was the country festival.

Is Lollapalooza still considered the alternative festival?

Stagecoach is country (with a few guests from other genres), Coachella used to be all alternative but now has distinct hip-hop/rhythmic pop/dance elements to it as rock fades. Both festivals are held in the same location. No idea what Lollapalooza is now.

 

[blizzard59]

Lollapalooza is mainly mainstream and rhythmic pop and hip-hop, plus a stage dedicated to dance/EDM.

 

[davideduardo]

Stagecoach is country (with a few guests from other genres), Coachella used to be all alternative but now has distinct hip-hop/rhythmic pop/dance elements to it as rock fades. Both festivals are held in the same location. No idea what Lollapalooza is now.

To give some dimensions to this, the "grounds" for Coachella (the name of the valley where the event takes place) and Stagecoach are a one-square mile group of fields used the rest of the year as polo grounds. There is one big open area, about 3/4 of a mile long and a half mile or so wide, and that is where the main stage area is. Surrounding is a smaller stage area, some of the parking (the rest is across two of the access main roads in multiple lots. Part of the remaining area is set up for camping, and another area is for RV's and campers.

There are also remote parking areas miles away in places like the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and paid parking at private homes and lots.

All access is for the three day events, with no single day passes available in past years. There is a reserve seating area near the stage at premium ($1200 and more) prices. The rest is "bring your folding chair, mat or blanket". At least at the Stagecoach events for the last few years prior to the pandemic you got to take the customized chair home with you. I now have, I think, 8 of them stored in the garage.

This is the same venue where the Rolling Stones and others played Desert Trip some years back. That was the best concert I have ever attended with one exception more than 40 years ago.

The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are three of the six major classic rock acts that will share the stage at Desert Trip, a three-night concert event in Indio, Calif. this October. Organizers of the “once-in-a-lifetime concert” announced the lineup on Tuesday, although rumors of the show were already circulating online. Roger Waters, of Pink Floyd fame, is also on the lineup rounded out by Neil Young and The Who.

Note: I live within hearing distance of the venue.

 

[Don CT]

To give some dimensions to this, the "grounds" for Coachella (the name of the valley where the event takes place) and Stagecoach are a one-square mile group of fields used the rest of the year as polo grounds. There is one big open area, about 3/4 of a mile long and a half mile or so wide, and that is where the main stage area is. Surrounding is a smaller stage area, some of the parking (the rest is across two of the access main roads in multiple lots. Part of the remaining area is set up for camping, and another area is for RV's and campers.

There are also remote parking areas miles away in places like the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and paid parking at private homes and lots.

All access is for the three day events, with no single day passes available in past years. There is a reserve seating area near the stage at premium ($1200 and more) prices. The rest is "bring your folding chair, mat or blanket". At least at the Stagecoach events for the last few years prior to the pandemic you got to take the customized chair home with you. I now have, I think, 8 of them stored in the garage.

This is the same venue where the Rolling Stones and others played Desert Trip some years back. That was the best concert I have ever attended with one exception more than 40 years ago.

The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney are three of the six major classic rock acts that will share the stage at Desert Trip, a three-night concert event in Indio, Calif. this October.

Organizers of the “once-in-a-lifetime concert” announced the lineup on Tuesday, although rumors of the show were already circulating online. Roger Waters, of Pink Floyd fame, is also on the lineup rounded out by Neil Young and The Who.

Note: I live within hearing distance of the venue.

How is the venue powered. Is everything on site or all trucked in. I think I heard that they built all the infrastructure into the venue.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I have never been to the Coachella Festival, although I'd love to attend. However, an educator colleague of mine told me a story a few years ago. During one of the festival's weekends, she and her husband happened to be playing golf at La Quinta. That's , several miles to the west of the festival venue; and when the music started in the afternoon, she said they could hear it clearly, because the sound system is so powerful.

Off-topic: The loudest concert I ever attended was the Ottawa Jazz Festival, where Susan Tedeschi, Derrick Trucks, (slide guitarist for Allman Bros.) and their band played a great blues show. The next night, they played it again, and they could be heard all over Ottawa, which is a big city. Wow, they were piercingly loud. ( They just played the National Anthem for the NFL's Jaguars / Chargers game tonight).

Wondering if this board ever had a thread on best music or rock festivals everybody attended.
One know one is getting old when it suddenly occurs to one that music at outdoor festivals is loud. - Daryl

 

[davideduardo]

How is the venue powered. Is everything on site or all trucked in. I think I heard that they built all the infrastructure into the venue.

There is basic infrastructure there, such as electric substations, some of the structures like the spiral tower are permanent. But sound, stages, stinky porta-potties and food franchises are all assembled for the event. The three cellular providers bring in portable event huge "hot spots" to avoid collapsing their services in the neighborhood and all sorts of things like street signs and cones and the like are provided by the city of Indio but financed by the event promoters.

A bunch of bus providers bring in transportation services to the off-site parking and larger hotels, even as far off as Palm Springs and Cathedral City. I've seen refrigerated trailers full of supplies for the food service providers.

There are well over 1,000 local part time jobs provided for security, grounds cleaning, parking lot attendants, etc.

General admission is over $600 and attendance in past events approaches 100,000 for each weekend. Extra fees for parking, off-site transportation, RV parking, camping parking. The vendors pay a fee and percentage to sell food and merchandise (there is a big lifestyle shopping area for each event).

Figure $75 million per event for Coachella, $55 to $60 million for Stagecoach and you have over $200 million in revenue.