By Liz Hammond, Digital Media Editor
As we all know, the first weekend of Coachella in Indio, California has ended. If you were lucky enough to go, I salute you.
For those of us that couldn’t be there, here’s the wrap-up.
Day One’s headliner was alternative rock band Radiohead. It started off a little rocky and they had to exit the stage twice within the first seven minutes of their set. Technicians had to keep fixing their speakers, which first buzzed and then went out entirely. By the second time they came out, front man Thom Yorke said, “Can you actually hear me now?”
The band played all the way until 12:52 a.m. Earlier that afternoon, it was pretty subtle. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band played, which performs a traditional style of jazz that was popularized in the red-light district of New Orleans. The set featured an electric pianist, which gave the music a 21st century vibe.
There was a new addition this year: an air-conditioned tent called the “Sonora.” This was where a lot of punk and Latino acts like punk band Paranoyds and latin rock band Diamante Electrico performed.
Other performers included Canadian instrumentalist Mac DeMarco who blessed the Outdoor Theatre with his smooth voice.
Lemon Twigs, a pop rock band from Long Island, also brought out legendary producer and recording artist Todd Rundgren out on the Gobi stage for their last song.
Day Two’s headliner was electropop queen Lady Gaga, who took the place of Beyoncé. Gaga didn’t disappointed she took the stage in her classic black police hat and leather trench coat. She opened with “Schiebe,” which comes off of her “Born This Way” album.
Gaga shocked fans by performing a new song, “The Cure,” which doesn’t sound anything like her usual sound, in the best way possible. Gaga got personal with her fans, saying that she loved them and how they helped sustain her during the difficult times. She closed with cult favorites “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance” — and it wouldn’t be complete without her in a sheer black body suit covered in sequins.
When Future took the stage, he brought hip hop artist Drake, but that wasn’t it: singer and rapper Ty Dolla $ign and trap artist Migos came out as well.
After joining Future, Migos also hopped on stage with trap artists DJ Snake and Gucci Mane. In the Gobi tent, hip hop artist Nav was performing and R&B artist The Weeknd came out to surprise the whole crowd.
When hip hop artist ScHoolboy Q hit the Outdoor Theatre
stage, he brought out hip hop artists A$AP Rocky and Tyler the Creator, two of the rowdiest rappers to ever hit a stage.
Indie pop artist Bastille performed all of their big hits like “Pompeii” and “Bad Blood” to an overflowing crowd on the Outdoor Theatre.
Day Three was headlined by the God himself, hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar. He brought out ScHoolboy Q, Future and hip hop artist Travis Scott throughout the show. He opened the show at 10:37 p.m. with a song off his newalbumcalled“DNA.”
Just before Lamar’s set, a crowd gathered for a solid combination of classical and electronic music by Hans Zimmer, who is an Oscar-winning composer. Zimmer brought out a full orchestra to the Outdoor Theatre stage. He said, “somebody had to.”
Everyone went wild when there was a surprise appearance by hip hop artist Pharrell Williams, who collaborated with Zimmer on the music for the film “Hidden Figures.”
Indie rock artist Lorde also blessed the stage on Sunday night. She debuted songs off her upcoming album, “Melodrama.” She closed her set with her recent hit, “Green Light.”
All in all, the first weekend of Coachella was one for the books. But don’t fret: there is still another weekend left before the massive festival is closed for another year.