Coachella Week One: Featuring A Captivating Experience of Live Music and A Record-Breaking Heat

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival began its first week with unforgettable moments, from standout performances to an unexpected traffic backup accessing the campgrounds and a heat wave. This year, festival-goers experienced iconic music and challenging issues, such as the weather conditions, making it a week to remember.

Located yearly at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, Coachella featured a diverse lineup catering to various music genres, including Charli XCX, T-Pain, Clairo, and even K-pop sensations BLACKPINK members Jennie and Lisa. Artists headlining the festival included the legendary Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Green Day, and Post Malone. Each artist brings a new element to their music and delivers performances that keep fans nostalgic for their original hits yet intrigued with the latest releases and dancing for more.

Some of the most talked-about sets were Lady Gaga’s live debuts of songs off her new album, Mayhem, which featured a theatrical four-part performance. Lady Gaga also brought back some nostalgia when performing Poker Face across a life-size chessboard, yet the concept challenged her persona from 2009, as a figure dressed in white stood across the board, and she asked, “What are you doing here?” As for Charli XCX, she brought guest artists such as Lorde, Billie Eilish, and Troy Sivan to duet on songs such as Charli’s iconic Guess featuring billie eilish and Girl, so confusing featuring lorde.

However, it was not just the artist that made headlines; many faced the challenge of accessing the campgrounds through a massive traffic backup that left many festival-goers stuck in their vehicles for five to six hours without access to restrooms. One festival-goer said, “Parking was the worst I’ve ever seen. This is my 5th year car camping, and each year, I could drive right into the security lines and make it through in an hour.”

Adding to the list of festival challenges is Coachella’s first day, when temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly different from the usual mild weather typically enjoyed during the festival in the years before. While the temperatures began to cool the following days, the heat wave challenged attendees, prioritizing hydration and sun protection. A festival-goer, Tyler Perrino, said, “The heat during the day was rough, especially on Friday, but it made for absolutely perfect nights.” Some helpful suggestions for staying protected from the sun include spending time in the tent for various stages to avoid the sun at peak hours and staying hydrated all weekend with IV Hydration packets. Something beneficial is that the Coachella staff organized the venue to help individuals locate water and rehydrate easily. The venue also kept water bottle pricing at $2; occasionally, artists at certain sets had security pass water to those in the crowd.

Overall, Coachella Week One was full of excitement and unforgettable moments, continuing to reign as one of the best international festivals. As the festival continues for weekend 2, attendees are left with lasting memories, both on and off the stage, making this year one for the books.