Coachella attracts around 125,000 people to the desert in California each year – but reports from day one inside the music festival were not all looking positive
Coachella Music Festival kicked off for its 26th year on Friday as an expected 125,000 attendees are expected to gather in the Palm Springs heat over this weekend and next.
But initial reports suggest things aren’t going too well in the Golden State, with festival goers demanding refunds, record temperatures so bad guests are warned to cover up, and car park chaos. Elsewhere, iconic performers ranging from Lady Gaga to Ireland’s Kneecap took to the stage to entertain the masses – and even a surprise appearance from Queen’s Brian May.
The iconic music festival runs across two weekends each year and has opened their gates for A-list celebrities, ticket holders and influencers alike. Attendee prices start from $599 (£457) – but not all are happy with their purchase.
Car park chaos
Before the doors were fully open, many guests were branding Coachella 2025 “the worst in history” and comparing it to the infamous Fyre Festival. The reasoning – car park carnage.
Guests can either stay in hotels and villas in Palm Springs are set up camp on a nearby site. Usually the cheaper options, many park up on a field and pitch up tents for the weekend.
However, reports say this year they were waiting around 12 hours just to enter.
“Hearing lots of reports of Coachella getting off to a rough start for campers today — some have waited as long as 12+ hours to reach a campsite,” wrote on X user. “Not only did we show up at 2am to get in line to get a good spot, but now have waited OVER 12 hours to even get to the security check,” another added.
“No porta potties in sight as we waited from 2am until 3pm now. The only porta potties available were at the security checkpoint inside the gates. We were turned down all 12 hours and were forced to pee on the side of the roads. A lot of people running out of gas and not restrooms,” the post continued.
“This is the worst organisation I have ever seen at a festival and this is Coachella for god sakes.”
Several fans added their own thoughts. One Reddit user said: “Guys, this is my fifth Coachella, and I had never seen such horrible organisation for car camping, I’ve been here hours, just crossed the security check and literally no one is moving.”
A second ticket holder wrote: “This has to be the worst day zero in history, right?” While a third noted: “No because why is Coachella actually turning into the Fyre Festival?” in reference to the fraudulent luxury music festival organised by American businessman Billy McFarland and American rapper Ja Rule.
Some attendees even asked for refunds due to the wait.
Pyramids of Gaga
Campers may have been subjected to a 12 hour wait, but their frustration quickly turned into awe after seeing headline act Lady Gaga.
The 39-year-old topped the bill at the festival in California for the second time, having previously done so in 2017. She opened her set on Friday night (11 April) with her hit Bloody Mary.
Gaga appeared to return to her quirky routes, donning a red high neck dress with fabric spikes. She performed in front of a baroque backdrop featuring gargoyles and angels.
Adding to this, she donned a huge towering dress that appeared around 15ft tall. Fans were delighted with the performance, with one X user saying it was “like being there when the pyramids of Giza were built”.
Midway through the set, Lady Gaga told the audience that she “wanted to make a romantic gesture” to her fans by building “you an opera house in the desert”.
Another fan added: “Lady Gaga is serving vocals, choreo, visuals, and a STORY all in one performance. this deserves a grammy in itself idgaf.” A third wrote: “Satanic rituals, fighting doppelgangers, chess queen dance battles, zombies, unsettling crutch walks… It’s a Lady Gaga opera at Coachella. Our girl is back.”
Who’s that?
While Gaga flawed fans, others were left slightly confused with a rap performance from BAFTA award winners, Kneecap. The band, hailing from Belfast, Ireland, took to the stage for their Coachella debut on day one.
As well as celebrating their first huge Californian stage, the bandmates decided to celebrate something else – the death anniversary of former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher.
The group, comprising of Mo Chara, DJ Provai and Moglai Bap, hit the Sonora stage at 6.10pm local time. Halfway through their set, the group led crowds to recite a rendition of an anti-Margaret Thatcher song to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band’s 1983 hit Give It Up.
With the group members mocking the former Prime Minister’s 2013 death by chanting ‘Maggie’s in a Box,’ they were joined by thousands of festival-goers belting out the phrase.
However, during the chant, the live stream of the Coachella set went down due to temporary censorship. While some found the chant amusing, others couldn’t help but suggest one thing – the Americans had no clue who she was.
“Kneecap gettin the crowd to sing ‘Maggie’s in a box’ at Coachella,” wrote a fan on X with several laughing faces. Another added: “Kneecap getting a bunch of Americans to pop for ‘Margaret Thatcher is still dead’ then sing ‘Maggie’s in a box’ is crazy.”
The Queen’s coronation
Fans were delighted elsewhere in the festival as legendary guitarist Brian May stepped out on stage just seven months after a stroke left him unable to move one of his arms.
The Queen bandmate performed his iconic solo in the hit Bohemian Rhapsody alongside Coachella debut act, Benson Boone. During the first guitar solo, Benson pointed to a guitarist at the top of the stage, who was revealed as Brian May.
The rock legend appeared from underneath the stage on a raised platform to huge cheers from the crowd. Brian’s appearance came just seven months after he revealed he suffered a stroke. The 77-year-old rockstar has announced that he was rushed to Frimley Hospital in Surrey last September after suffering a minor stroke.
The iconic musician said he was temporarily unable to use his left arm after the incident. However, he insisted that he can still play guitar despite the “little health hiccup”.
Fans were dleighted with the appearance – with some even suggesting it has changed their mind son Benson. “I don’t like Benson Boone but the fact that he bought out Brian May to perform Bohemian Rhapsody at Coachella… i fear i may have to tolerate him now,” wrote one on X.
Another added: “Excuse me. What!? What a killer f****** performance playing Bohemian Rhapsody in full. Benson didn’t try to sound like Freddie. He did his thing and then Brian May shows up. Bravo!”
‘Dead crowds’
Many fans were not delighted, however, at the crowd reactions throughout the night. Many brandished the viewers as “dead” and even suggested they are unworthy of attending due to their tame reactions.
One X user said: “Americans are p****** me off omg how do you have the BRIAN MAY performing Bohemian Rhapsody at Coachella and they’re not moving.” Another added: “Watching Coachella on YouTube and these crowds are so dead!! Why is no one dancing to Tyla and Missy Elliot!!”
A third wrote: “That lame crowd at Coachella doesn’t deserve Missy Elliott.” A fourth noted: “This just might the worst crowd I have ever seen. They really spent THOUSANDS of dollars to just stand there and stare in silence.”
Videos from inside the festival showed multiple crowd members still as performers took to the stage.
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
