A fond look back at Coachella
Our intrepid observers’ favorite moments.
The dust on the six days of Coachella has settled. And most of it has settled in our lungs and shoes.
The Coachella coverage squad of the Desert Sun, a part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, has been watching bands, taking in the art, eating the food and rubbing sweaty sunburned elbows with the crowds, and it’s time to look back at this year’s festival. Our favorite moments:
1. Sunset with David Byrne
Byrne was great both weekends, but it was the Weekend 2 performance that saw him play Once In a Lifetime right at the same moment as one of those alltime classic Coachella Valley sunsets over the San Jacinto Mountains. Once in a lifetime indeed. — Shad Powers
2. A slice and Alt-J
Two moments come to mind: My first slice of spicy pie (of the year) and when alt-J played their smash hit Breezeblocks, the first of the British indie trio’s songs I ever heard. — Corrine Kennedy
3. A Jarre-ing light show
Jean-Michel Jarre’s pulsating music as beams of lights projected over the audience was my first amazing moment. The translucent planes created a ceiling over the audience, but you could see palm trees swaying in the background, punctuating the statements the French electronic pioneer was making about the environment. — Bruce Fessier
4. A new Zeppelin?
Is Greta Van Fleet the second coming of Led Zeppelin? It certainly sounded like it. We’ve been debating whether that makes them derivative, but regardless, their sound and energy is infectious, and I haven’t been this excited about a classic rock band since The Black Crowes hit the scene. — Kate Franco
Even though the plethora of parties for Weekend 1 aren’t sanctioned by the festival, they very much are a part of the culture. One of my favorite moments was at the #RevolveFestival at the Merv Griffin Estate in La Quinta. After a 30-minute shuttle ride from the Indio Fashion Mall to the luxury estate, I was greeted with a carnival swing ride borrowed from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch and the best peoplewatching ever. Only regret: not being there Sunday for Snoop Dogg and Chance the Rapper. — Xochitl Pena
6. Buzzin’ with Bey
“Can you keep up?” That’s the opening lyric to Destiny’s Child’s Lose my Breath. And I could barely keep up for Beyoncé performances — both Weekend 1 and 2. I’m a huge fan of the queen, a Beyhive member if you will. But this was the first time I saw Bey in person. This was the show I’ve always wanted to see: a Destiny’s Child reunion, a different rendition of her breakup anthem Sorry and plenty of throwbacks to dance to. Then there was her beautiful homage to black culture and a shoutout to all the “independent women” in the audience. — Brian De Los Santos