Coachella Weekend 1 live updates: Beyoncé banner mystery, Peso Pluma and Big Sean guest star

The 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is about to kick off Friday with Lana Del Rey as headliner and rumors are running rampant of a possible guest appearance by her collaborator-friend Taylor Swift. On Saturday, Vampire Weekend is playing a "surprise" set before Tyler, the Creator takes the main stage and Doja Cat will wrap the festival as headliner on Sunday. Who's to say what might happen between now and then?

Follow The Desert Sun's live team coverage all weekend long for the latest on celebrity sightings, special guest performances, weather, traffic, music reviews and more.

• Plan your festival:Coachella Weekend 1 set times, and where to see Vampire Weekend
• Know before you go: What you need to know about road closures and traffic delays in Indio
• No pass, no problem: How to livestream Coachella and buy merch from the comfort of your own couch
• First look at Coachella 2024: Five things that are new on at the festival grounds

Coachella traffic: What Palm Springs roads are closed?

Weekend 1 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is in the books, and many festivalgoers will be starting their trek home today. Drivers should expect delays later in the morning on Interstate 10, one main artery in Palm Springs remains closed after the windstorm Sunday:

• North Indian Canyon Drive at the wash, from Sunrise Parkway to Palm Springs Station Road.

The Joy, 21 Savage, Teezo Touchdown surprise guest for Doja Cat's Coachella headlining set

Doja Cat opened her Sunday set with five powerful male backup singers who most of us don't know, but we sure do now. The men are from a South African acapella group called The Joy, and after hearing them sing “Shutcho” with Doja, we hope they only grow in notoriety.

The first famous special guest of Doja's Sunday headlining set was 21 Savage, who came out to perform “n.h.i.e.” Teezo Touchdown then emerged during “MASC” in spiked football shoulder pads before Doja finally acknowledged the crowd nearly an hour into the set while carrying what appeared to be a bottle of whiskey.

— Brian Blueskye

Do Lab ends Coachella Weekend 1 with not-so-surprising guests Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim

And the surprise is… Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim. Goldenvoice threw a little mystery into Sunday when the set list in its app included what was labeled only as a surprise set. Shortly before it was set to begin, the app was updated to explain that DJs Bonobo and Barry Can’t Swim would be playing the set together. Barry Can't Swim performed in the Gobi tent earlier in the evening Sunday, so it wasn't that shocking to see him come out for a back-to-back set with Bobono at 10:45 p.m.

While it wasn’t as cool as Billie Eilish’s surprise Do Lab set from yesterday, it was surely still (electronic) music to the ears of those looking to get in some final beats before the festival ends.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

End-of-the-night Coachella special guests include Robin S, Peso Pluma and Kodak Black for DJ Snake, Big Sean for Jhené Aiko

DJ Snake's Sunday night set in the Sahara tent included three special guests: Robin S, Peso Pluma and Kodak Black. Kodak Black sang "Tunnel Vision," and Peso Pluma came out to sing a brand-new collab with the DJ.

There was a rumor cirulating online that Lisa of BLACKPINK was going to come out as a surprise guest for DJ Snake as well, but she did not. However, a video of the two supposidly meeting backstage after his performance is going viral on Twitter, and many fans are speculating that she was meant to perform, but arrived late, or DJ Snake went over time and was told not to have her come out. Neither rumor has been confirmed.

Meanwhile, on the Outdoor Theatre stage, rapper Big Sean came out as a guest for his longtime partner, Jhené Aiko, who he's been dating and collaborating on music with since 2016.

— Ema Sasic and Niki Kottmann

Will Smith comes out during J Balvin's Coachella set to sing 'Men in Black'

The trippy otherworldly space visuals that provided an undeniably epic backdrop (perhaps the best of the festival so far) for J Balvin’s set took on newfound thematic significance when the Reggaeton star brought out the iconic rapper and actor Will Smith Sunday.

Will Smith appeared as a literal man in black as he was dressed in the clean-cut suit and sunglasses of his character from the famous '90s film and received a rapturous welcome from the crowd that only grew more excited as he began rapping to the movie’s iconic theme song.

Read the full story here.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Khruangbin offers Coachella guests a place for good vibes and good jams

Khruangbin’s Outdoor Theater performance Sunday night was full of hazy, feel-good vibes as the festival began to wind down. During the hour-long set, the trio of Laura Lee Ochoa (bass), Mark Speer (guitar) and DJ Johnson (drums) didn’t stop playing, and seamlessly transitioned between songs that sounded like a spaghetti western soundtrack with funk, surf rock and psychedelic rock.

During the handful of tunes when Speer and Ochoa sang, the vocals were drenched in effects. The catchy song “Time (You and I)” felt like being in the world’s largest discotheque as many in the audience began dancing.

There were no guest appearances, but since the trio has worked with Leon Bridges — who is performing at the Stagecoach country music festival April 17 — there's a hopeful possibility he may be a surprise for next weekend. 

For those leaving the festival early or looking to recharge before DJ Snake, J. Balvin and Doja Cat’s sets, Khruangbin was the perfect performance to catch.  

— Brian Blueskye

Coachella's Heineken House quickly reaches capacity ahead of Lupe Fiasco set

If the first weekend of Coachella has taught us anything, it’s that people still want to hear hits from the early 2000s.

One day after many fans grew frustrated by long lines to enter the Heineken House stage area for T-Pain, a similar situation unfolded Sunday to enter the branded area to see "The Show Goes On" rapper Lupe Fiasco. Just like yesterday, a lengthy line was already visible about half an hour before the 7:15 set was scheduled to start. That line seemed to have more than doubled in size by the time the set started, with hoards of more generally frustrated people still arriving even as others gave up and left for other easier-to-access stages. While the line was moving at a decent clip as of 7:25, it seemed clear many of the people in it would likely not get in (unless the set flopped and sent people toward the exits prematurely).

Adding to the frustration and confusion was that the branded area requires a 21-and-up wristband, which many people did not seem to realize until they had already waited for a while. The clear lesson: Coachella should book more early and mid 2000s throwbacks (Ludacris, anyone?) and put them on bigger stages.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Bebe Rexha, David Guetta turn Coachella into 'biggest club in the world'

Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha has collaborated with plenty of artists over the years, but her heart seems to lie with French DJ David Guetta the most. It came as no surprise then, although fans were still delighted, that she welcomed Guetta on stage toward the end of her Coachella set. Their latest collaboration, "I'm Good (Blue)," was a huge dance hit last year, and Guetta said they were going to turn Coachella into "the biggest club in the world," which got the crowd screaming and jumping around.

The DJ also took time to praise Rexha. He shared that he heard her singing in a recording studio years ago and her voice impressed him so much that he asked her to help him with a record. Since then, he's watched her go from a songwriter to a touring artist.

"I've been seeing you work so hard, and not many people can sing like you," Guetta said. "I want to say I'm so proud of you and I love you."

— Ema Sasic

YG Marley brings out his mom, Lauryn Hill, and Busta Rhymes during Coachella set

Many of us scratched our heads when we saw YG Marley, grandson of Bob Marley, was getting his own set on the Coachella Stage on Sunday. The vocalist has only released one song (TikTok hit "Praise Jah in the Moonlight"), so his spot on the lineup — and coveted stage placement — made many people cry "nepo baby" online, but the rumors that he'd bring out some famous family and friends proved true, which made the set an unforgettable one.

Fugees member Lauryn Hill, YG Marley's mother, joined her son onstage after he performed unreleased tracks "Marching to Freedom" and "Running to a Solution," singing "Ex-Factor" and "Lost Ones."

"So YG, before you were born, we used to do something like this," Hill said, before launching into "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and welcoming fellow Fugees member Wyclef Jean. They then performed "Fu-Gee-La" together.

Busta Rhymes came to the stage to perform two songs, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See," and his verse from "Look At Me Now." He was joined by Spliff Star.

Read the full story here.

— Ani Gasparyan

Crowd goes wild as Reneé Rapp brings out Kesha, girlfriend Towa Bird during Coachella set

There's nothing like watching your favorite singer of the moment at one of Coachella's biggest stages — crushing it, mind you — and then reaching a new level of ecstasy when she brings out a special guest you never would have predicted. That's exactly what happened for me and my fellow fans of Reneé Rapp during her debut Coachella set Sunday afternoon.

Five songs into the already electric set, Rapp introduced a special guest with the words "please welcome who I consider the hottest person ever, KESHA!" The crowd of course roared, and the two broke into a duet of Kesha's iconic (or at least iconic for us millennials) 2010 banger "TiK ToK." The 37-year-old songstress came out wearing a white tank with the words "I Am Mother," and quickly proved that she is, indeed, Mother.

The best part? When Kesha changed the opening words to "Wake up in the mornin' like f*** P Diddy" instead of "feelin like P Diddy," a clear reference to the rapper's rape and sexual assault accusations as well as recent home raid (on March 25, Homeland Security Investigations agents searched his Los Angeles and Miami homes as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation).

Kesha left the stage after "TiK ToK," but a few songs later, Rapp brought out her rumored girlfriend Towa Bird, a fellow musician who opened for her throughout her recent Snow Hard Feelings Tour, to play the guitar on "Tummy Hurts."

— Niki Kottmann

Taking Back Sunday proves they aren't stuck in the 2010s

Taking Back Sunday? More like Taking Back Coachella. The emo-punk band’s Sunday afternoon set at the Mojave tent was packed and speaks to the resurgence of all things emo and pop-punk from the early 2000s.

Half the band appeared on stage in their Sunday best in brown suits, the others in brown trousers and black shirts. The 45-minute set started with “A Decade Under the Influence,” which is said to be about frontman Adam Lazzara attending a Coldplay concert with his ex-girlfriend.

Fans sang along to the lyrics of Taking Back Sunday’s songs “Amphetamine Smiles,” “You’re So Last Summer” and “You Can’t Look Back.” Many had their phones up taking pictures and videos, but more of the audience savored the melodic musicianship and lived in the moment. 

— Brian Blueskye

Grimes apologizes on X for issue-ridden Saturday Coachella set

After a set that appeared to involve several equipment malfunctions Saturday (that, at points, saw her screaming in frustration into the mic), the Canadian musician Grimes published a lengthy apology for the technical issues on her X page (formerly Twitter) late Saturday night.

In an apology filled with technical terms and producing jargon, Grimes explained that she had chosen not to handle certain aspects of her production and now regrets that decision after several glitches occurred.

Read the full story here.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

The man behind Desert Daze gets his Coachella moment with band jjuujjuu

Desert Daze founder Phil Pirrone made his Coachella debut on Sunday in the Sonora tent with his Los Angeles-based band jjuujjuu. The early Sunday sets are tough to draw a crowd to, regardless of status in the music industry, but a decent crowd for the smaller Sonora tent turned out to see the band play its multifaceted rock music. Pirrone made no mention of Desert Daze, but he did ask how many were attending Coachella for the first time. Several hands went up, and he dedicated a song to them. 

— Brian Blueskye

'Cowboy Carter' banner spotted above festival grounds on 6-year anniversary of 'Beychella'

Do our eyes deceive us? A sky banner with the words "Cowboy Carter," the name of Beyonce's latest album, was spotted above the festival grounds on Sunday. Does this mean Queen Bey herself will make a surprise appearance at the festival? We can only hope, especially because her pal Taylor Swift was spotted dancing and singing along at friends' sets on Saturday. It could also be a nod to her infamous Coachella performance, nicknamed "Beychella," which occurred exactly six years ago to the day. We'll be on the lookout for any superstar wearing "LEVII'S JEANS" and report back.

— Ema Sasic

Orbital makes its mark with Coachella 2024 set

As Gesaffelstein’s catchy but abrasive DJ set at the Outdoor Theater ended and Tyler, the Creator took the Coachella Stage for his headlining set, the British electronic dance music duo Orbital took to the Gobi tent for the first time since 2010.

Since founding in the late ‘80s, Orbital set itself apart from contemporaries by composing a dynamic techno and trance soundtrack for highlighting sociopolitical and environmental issues. One example of of this is the 2022 collaboration with Sleaford Mods, “Dirty Rat,” which was performed early in the set.

Another highlight was “Satan,” which began with an audio clip of a child talking to her father who tells her “If you see your mom this weekend, tell her ‘Satan.’” Images of recent social unrest and military dictators also flashed on the screens.

Both Hartnolls performed with lights on their heads, making them appear as robots at times.

— Brian Blueskye

Tyler, the Creator brings out Donald Glover, A$AP Rocky and Charlie Wilson during his headlining Coachella set

Musician, actor and TV writer Donald Glover made a surprise appearance during Tyler, the Creator’s headlining set Saturday, coming on stage to help with a special duet version of “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” from the 2019 album, “Igor.” Tyler joked that he “used to hate” Glover before thanking him for his wide-ranging creative works.

Soon after, rapper A$AP Rocky emerged onstage to perform his verse from their songs, “Potato Salad” and “Who Dat Boy,” to screams from the crowd.

Later in the set, Charlie Wilson, the 71-year-old former lead vocalist of the Gap Band, joined Tyler onstage as another guest performer.

— Tom Coulter

Saint Levant speaks about Israel-Hamas war during Coachella set

Rapper Saint Levant is known for his advocacy for Palestinians and bringing attention to the Israel-Hamas war, which has resulted in the death of over 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza. He did so again on Saturday. Some fans had Palestinian flags and many were wearing keffiyeh, a traditional headdress in the Middle East that has become a symbol for Palestinian liberation and solidarity.

“Coachella, my name is Saint Levant and I was born in Jerusalem and raised in Gaza,” he said. “As I hope all of you are aware, the people of Gaza have been undergoing a brutal, brutal genocide for the past six months. And the people of Palestine have been undergoing a brutal occupation for the past 75 years.”

Read my full review here.

— Ani Gasparyan

Ice Spice doesn't bring out Taylor Swift but announces new album

With Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in attendance, rapper and internet sensation Ice Spice delivered a high-energy, half-hour set at the Sahara tent on Saturday — ending the show with the announcement that her new album, “Y2K,” is dropping soon.

The New York rapper performed many of her viral hits, including “Deli,” “boy’s a liar, Pt. 2,” and “Barbie World (with Aqua),” and she also played a new untitled song, dancing and twerking every step of the way. While Swift didn’t perform, Ice Spice also played her verse from the “Karma” remix after giving her a shoutout.

Ice Spice closed with “Think You the S*** (Fart),” before a screen behind her declared the new album — which the rapper has teased in recent months — will be released soon, to cheers from the crowd. 

— Tom Coulter

ICYMI: Last Dinner Party looked and sounded great during Coachella set

The Last Dinner Party’s performance on Saturday transported the audience to Sunday prayer or a seance performed by a coven of witches. It was an enchanting set, showcasing songs from their debut album “Prelude to Ecstasy.” 

Some of the songs they performed included “Caesar on a TV Screen,” “My Lady of Mercy,” “Sinner” and their most popular, “Nothing Matters.” As a treat for their very first Coachella, they also performed the unreleased “Second Best.” 

Besides their music, the indie rock band also always brings their unearthly charm to fashion — past ensembles seemingly inspired by things like the Victorian era or a medieval romance novel. Saturday’s garments generally appeared to be themed around lace and added to their charismatic performance. 

— Ani Gasparyan

Olivia Rodrigo jumps onstage with No Doubt

In perhaps the most shocking twist of the day, No Doubt, a band that rose to prominence in the '90s, brought out the Queen of Gen Z pop, Olivia Rodrigo.

Rodrigo, wearing an I (heart) ND shirt, sang the No Doubt song “Bathwater” with Gwen Stefani to the delight of the crowd as cell phones flew in the air in unison to capture the moment. The magical moment no doubt — pun intended — made every Gen Zer (and some of us past our 20s) lose their minds.

— Niki Kottmann and Shad Powers

Desert Cahuilla Bird Singers make guest appearance with Blur on the Coachella Stage

Blur’s set on the Coachella Stage Saturday night had a surprise local guest appearance by the Desert Cahuilla Bird Singers, who appeared at the festival in 2023 and 2022. The singers and dancers performed the songs “Bird Song” and “Death Of A Party” with the band and returned on stage for the final song “Tender.”  

Read my full review here and setlist here.

— Brian Blueskye

Billie Eilish and brother FINNEAS jump onstage at the Do Lab

If there's one thing we learned this weekend, it's that seemingly every day at Coachella brings a new chance to see Billie Eilish. Less than 24 hours after her showstopping guest appearance onstage with Lana Del Rey, Eilish and collaborator (and brother) FINNEAS made a surprise appearance in the much smaller Do Lab, where they seemed to perform a couple unreleased electronic songs, one of which is called "Lunch."

The famous siblings, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song earlier this year for "Barbie" soundtrack hit "What Was I Made For?" (and won the Chairman's Award at the Palm Springs International Film Awards for the same song here in January) showed up with FINNEAS' girfriend, makeup YouTuber Claudia Sulewski.

— Paul Albani-Burgio and Ani Gasparyan

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce spotted watching Bleachers at Coachella

Just as was rumored earlier this week, Taylor Swift opted to use a Blank Space in her schedule this weekend to attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in support of pal Jack Antonoff.

It all became clear when Antonoff's band, Bleachers, was performing an energetic set in Coachella's Mojave tent Saturday night, and many attendees had their cell phones trained not on Antonoff, but on the wings stage left.

That’s because there, amid the smoke machine fog, stood two figures with the body size and musical enthusiasm to match Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. It soon became clear it was the world’s biggest power couple bopping along to the band led by Swift's longtime friend and collaborator Antonoff. The long-held rumor that the two were attending Weekend 1 of Coachella was finally confirmed.

As fans with the right angle scrambled to capture an image or video of the two, Swift and Kelce danced and fist-pumped to the lively Bleachers set.

Read our full story here.

— Shad Powers

T-Pain causes the Heineken House to reach capacity

It may have been a few years since T-Pain’s glory days, but it appears Coachella’s organizers may have underestimated just how big of a draw the hip-hop star still is. About 40 minutes before he was set to take the stage in the Heineken House Saturday, a lengthy line had formed, leading some festivalgoers to audibly express frustration that the line would likely prevent them from hearing “Buy U A Drank” and other hits.

Right before publishing this article at 6:50 p.m., the rumor in line was that they'd reached capacity and nobody still in line would be let in.

It has not been announced whether T-Pain will be invited back for Coachella Weekend 2, but if he is, they may want to look at a bigger stage.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Vampire Weekend brings out Paris Hilton during Coachella set

Vampire Weekend was added to the Coachella lineup on Tuesday, thrilling Indie rock fans and setting off furious debate about whether or not they will play Weekend 2.

During their Weekend 1 set Saturday afternoon, the band made the interesting choice of bringing out Paris Hilton to ... play cornhole on stage? While they played a country tune? And then, they made the even more fascinating choice of bringing out an unidentified dude dressed as Abraham Lincoln to play some cornhole after Hilton left the stage? We're confused, if you can't tell.

The last 15 minutes were "one continuous honky-tonk," Desert Sun columnist Shad Powers said, as the band ended the set on a jovial yet inexplicability random note.

Read Powers' full review here.

— Niki Kottmann/Shad Powers

RAYE stuns the Coachella crowd with killer vocals

RAYE came out in full force at her Coachella performance on Saturday, stunning the crowd with her vocal prowess. Her high notes could give you goose bumps.

She performed songs off her debut album, “My 21st Century Blues,” which included "Worth It.," "Mary Jane," and "Ice Cream Man." She also performed an unreleased song she’s been teasing audiences with, with the lyrics “I'm seein' a sad little sinner, in the mirror. The devil works hard, like my liver.” She implored fans to be patient for its official release, saying it’s not finished yet and art takes time.

RAYE spoke with the audience throughout her set, often times joking like when she mentioned how easy it is to get cannabis in California or revealed her obsession for cheese before performing “Mary Jane.” She grew emotional before introducing “Ice Cream Man.,” a heartbreaking and beautiful song about her experience with sexual assault and overcoming the pain that entailed.

RAYE ended her Coachella performance with her most popular songs that you’ve likely heard on TikTok — "Prada" and "Escapism." Her set went about two minutes over, but no one was complaining as the Mojave tent was stuffed with fans and they gave her deafening cheers.

— Ani Gasparyan

Women of the WTA tour get in on the Coachella fun

The Tennis Channel had a little fun with some of the top women on the WTA tour this week and asked them who they would choose as their dream Coachella headliners.

The stars, all of whom were in the desert last month for the BNP Paribas Open, had a wide range of answers from U2 to Chance the Rapper to Rolando Boldrin. You might be asking who is Rolando Boldrin? He is the uncle of Brazilian tennis star Beatriz Haddad-Maia who kept it in the family for her third headlining spot. Her other two choices were Jack Johnson and Eddie Vedder.

Two-time BNP Paribas Open champion Victoria Azarenka wanted a country takeover at Coachella, choosing Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson. She might want to just wait a couple weeks and go to Stagecoach.

Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, Ons Jabeur and Maria Sakkari all shared their thoughts. Try to match the player with one of their headliner choices: Bon Jovi, Damso (a popular rapper in France), Linkin Park and Arctic Monkeys. Watch the video above to find out.

— Shad Powers

What it's like being a Coachella traffic flagger

Traffic at Coachella is the bane of every festivalgoer's existence (especially this year, with a new Blue Lot design that makes for a much longer walk to the festival). But no one has it worse than the people who have to stand there in the blazing heat, guiding disgruntled drivers on where to go and park. 

Carlos Chavez and Kenneth Carleton are both flaggers for traffic control at the festival. Their hours vary from 12 to 18 hours a day, Chavez said. But they don’t keep the money they make. They donate it to Set Free Church in Sanger, which is near Fresno, instead. 

“We do this for our ministry to keep the doors open for the next person who struggles with addiction, homelessness and (to) get them off the streets,” he said. “So this is a way to give back.” 

There are about 18 of them from the church working , according to Chavez. They commute an hour every day from where they’re staying in Desert Center.

Both Chavez and Carleton are doing this for the second year.  

“We’re all doing it for the glory of God, for the next person … so it’s a blessing just to be out here in the heat, just working for the next brother,” Carleton said. 

— Ani Gasparyan

What do you think of the Coachella 2024 art installations?

This year, Coachella only features three new art installations, but they've definitely made an impression. The pieces include:

• "Dancing in the Sky" by Morag Myuerscough
• "Babylon" be Nebia
• "Monarchs: A House in Six Parts" by HANNA (the studio of Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic)

We weren't huge fans at first, but by the evening, we realized what makes these pieces so cool. Read Desert Sun reporter Paul Albani-Burgio's hot takes on the artwork here.

— Niki Kottmann

Coachella 2024: 3.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Saturday, felt in Indio

A magnitude-3.8 earthquake struck at 9:08 a.m. about 8 miles northeast of Borrego Springs and 20.9 miles south of La Quinta, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A small rattle was felt in the Coachella Valley, including in Indio on Day 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

— Kate Franco, City News Service

Coachella Friday headliner Lana Del Rey brings out Billie Eilish, Jon Batiste

As of 12:37 a.m. Saturday, Coachella Weekend 1, Day 1 headliner Lana Del Rey had brought out two back-to-back special guests: five-time Grammy Award winner Jon Batiste and Coachella 2022 headliner Billie Eilish.

Batiste and Del Rey sang their collaboration “Candy Necklace” off her latest album, "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd." Batiste played piano and Del Rey sang while seated atop the instrument). Eilish and Del Rey first sang Eilish's 2016 hit "Ocean Eyes," followed by a duet of Del Rey's "Video Games," the 2012 debut single off her sophomore album.

— Ema Sasic

Coachella Weekend 1:Highs, lows and in-betweens from Day 1 of the festival

Justice proves why they're Coachella veterans

During an April interview with Billboard, the French electronic music duo Justice discussed its first return to Coachella since 2017. Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay explained that the lengthy periods between albums cause uncertainty.

“We’re both like, ‘OK, is there going to be anybody that’s still interested?’” Augé said during the interview.

On Friday at the Outdoor Stage, it was obvious throughout the headlining set that the French disco fused with rock ‘n’ roll and dubstep remained popular during its fourth appearance at the festival since 2007, the same year Daft Punk headlined the Sahara tent and videos of the performance went viral, elevating French electronic music and taking it mainstream around the globe.

However, this performance was more refined and featured more stunning visual production beyond the illuminated cross in the Justice logo. Both Augé and de Rosnay dropped the varsity jackets and appeared suave in suits as they masterfully transitioned between songs.

Some highlights were the duo opening with the banger "Genesis," the live debuts of "Generator" and "Incognito," and "D.A.N.C.E."

— Brian Blueskye

Chlöe starts Coachella set with a bang but ends early

Those hoping to see catch Chlöe singing her biggest hit better have gotten to the Gobi tent on time Friday night.

The singer broke with convention by opening her set with a heart-dropping rendition of her hit “Have Mercy” that surely roused anyone who was starting to drag after a long day at the festival.

Unfortunately, that choice was also perhaps an early sign that Chlöe would be treating things a bit too expediently: despite repeatedly mentioning how bummed she was about how fast the set was going by, she ended her performance about 10 minutes early.

But the set generally made up for what lacked in length with sheer power as Chlöe spent much of it tearing through several songs that were clearly written as a response to a man who wronged her.

At one point, she asked how many people in the audience could relate and then denounced those who cheat with an epithet that can’t be printed in this publication. That charged sequence of songs seemed to reach a thematic peak when she performed “Boy Bye,” a powerful song of liberation that she said was released earlier today. And while Chlöe surely left some feeling a little, well, cheated themselves, she did at least leave the crowd with her other hit “Treat Me,” which closed out her show.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Peso Pluma brings out Becky G in a fun throwback to Coachella 2023

Peso Pluma's much-anticipated Coachella set got even better Friday night when friend and collaborator Becky G popped up onstage to sing their song "Chanel," which Becky G brought out Peso Pluma to sing during her set on the main stage at Coachella last year.

— Tom Coulter

Sabrina Carpenter doesn't bring out Taylor Swift, but shines all by herself

Pop singer — and Taylor Swift pal — Sabrina Carpenter made a stunning Coachella debut Friday night, and even though she didn't bring out her famous friend, she did reward fans with her latest groovy single "Espresso," as well as an hourlong set featuring all her biggest hits.

Perhaps the highlight of the set was Carpenter's beloved "Nonsense," which she's known for changing the outro of during each live performance. On Friday, the outro was, naturally, Coachella-focused:

""All about the balls I'm Cinderella. Only use my mouth that's acapella. I'm so glad you came for me Coachella," she sang.

Read my full review here.

— Ema Sasic

Bizarrap brings out Shakira during electric Coachella set

Global superstar Shakira made a guest appearance at Argentine producer Bizarrap’s set at the Sahara tent Friday night, bringing her signature dance moves and her world-famous diss song to the Empire Polo Club.The crowd, already excited throughout Bizarrap’s DJ set, became fully rapturous when the Colombian star emerged to first perform “La Fuerte,” a collaboration with the producer. She followed it with her "Vol. 53" of the Bzrp sessions, a scathing diss song aimed at her ex-husband Gerard Piqué, about halfway through the hour-long set. She also announced her upcoming world tour for her latest album, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.”

Read my full story here.

— Tom Coulter

Coachella traffic: If you're not in Indio, beware that many Palm Springs roads are closed after 8 p.m. Friday

It's after 8 p.m. on Friday, the opening night of Coachella 2024. If you haven't made your way into the desert yet, beware. Many main arteries in Palm Springs are closed due to blowing sand. Road closures as of about 8:15 p.m. include:

• North Indian Canyon Drive from Sunrise Parkway to Garnet Avenue at the wash.
• North Gene Autry Trail from East Via Escuela to Salvia at the wash.

Sid Sriram brings a slice of India to Indio during Coachella set

Sid Sriram, an Indian musician, gave an engaging performance infusing pop and Carnatic music at the Gobi tent on Friday. He started his set with an invocation prayer to the Hindu god Ganesha.Many of his fans likely know him for performing movie soundtracks in South Asian cinema and, of course, Carnatic music. His performance included a small riff on the Tamil movie song “Kannalane enadhu kannai” and an improvisation in Carnatic music about Muruga, the son of the Hindu god Shiva and a common subject for songs in the genre. He ended his set with a prayer that he said his mother taught him.In addition to Indian music, his set mainly included English songs from his discography.

— Ani Gasparyan

Chappell Roan shows what Midwest Princesses are made of during Coachella set

At the start of her Friday set, emerging pop singer and Missouri native Chapell Roan declared herself a Midwest Princess (a reference to her debut album that came out last year, "The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess"). Then, she spent the next 45 minutes demonstrating exactly what that means. A Midwest Princess, it turns out, always owns the stage, whether they are dramatically singing to a wig they placed over a microphone (like during “Picture You”),  leading the crowd in a dance designed to spell out the title of one their most infectious bops (“Hot-To-Go”), or epically dissing their ex before launching into a lively rendition of one of their most popular songs (“My Kink is Karma").

This set was a clear contender for having the most hyped crowd of the first half of Friday (shout out to the two girls near me who appeared to be having the time of their lives during “My Kink Is Karma”) and I think I have a clear theory for why: anyone who catches Chapell Roan live finds themselves wanting to be a Midwest Princess, too. 

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Deftones fulfills many fans' Coachella dreams

On Friday afternoon, the French pop band L'Impératrice entered a sizable crowd with its funky grooves and overall feel-good music. Less than an hour later, the Sacramento metal band Deftones arrived on the same stage to perform an ear-piercing and ferocious set.

It felt right considering Deftones have been on many Coachella fans’ wishlist for several years, but the closest thing the festival put up in the past was frontman Chino Moreno’s side-project Crosses in 2014. Fans embraced the band’s revolving heavy sound of melodic and screeching vocals, frenzied guitars and pounding rhythms. Some crowdsurfed, and there appeared to be mosh pits throughout the set.

Deftones rose to prominence during the late ‘90s on tours opening for the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and KISS. As nu-metal bands Korn and Limp Bizkit were featured on MTV, Deftones attracted the same crowd while appealing to fans of alternative and pop music.

Moreno has been open about his pop influences. In 2011, the band released a compilation of covers such as The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want,” Sade’s “No Ordinary Love,” Duran Duran’s "The Chauffeur” and more. 

— Brian Blueskye

Faye Webster wows sans Lil Yachty during Coachella set

Faye Webster gave a delightful performance at the Mojave tent on Friday, coupled with stunning and sometimes even comedic visuals. 

Her stage was adorned with a large blue t-shirt, blue shirts on clothing racks and washing machines in a nod to the cover art from her latest album, “Underdressed at the Symphony.” She bookended her set with visuals of a minion-version of herself. 

Webster, dressed in a cool, blue-striped ensemble, opened with “But Not Kiss” and performed several other songs from her new album. This included “Lego Ring,” which features Lil Yachty on the album. Lil Yachty was absent from Webster’s Friday performance, but he will perform in the Mojave tent on Sunday. 

The crowd reacted with outward joy when Webster played some of the most-loved songs in her discography, singing along to  “Right Side of My Neck,” “In a Good Way,” and the closing song of her set “Kingston.” 

— Ani Gasparyan

The Japanese House set plagued by technical difficulties

One of the biggest bummers that can happen at Coachella is when a rad artist is making the debut you know they've been dreaming of their whole lives only to have it blindsided by technical difficulties.

That was the unfortunate turn of events for The Japanese House, a band created and helmed by lead singer Amber Bain. Their set was supposed to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Mojave tent. At 4:36 p.m. the band came out and Bain said they were having technical difficulties and as she strummed her guitar a couple times you could see her face drop as it was clear the problems were persisting. After a few minutes, she said "We're going to pretend like this never happened and we're going to backstage and come back out when everything's fixed."

The band filed back to the wings and returned about six minutes later. After more adjusting and back-and-forths with the sound techs they started at around 4:45 p.m. even though you could tell Bain was still struggling with her ear piece and her levels. Not to mention the frustration knowing that 15 minutes of their 40-minute set was wasted.

"This is my first Coachella, can you tell?" Bain deadpanned opting for gallows humor and putting on a good face despite what had to be a heart-sinking moment.

She sounded great and had raucous support from the crowd as she was able to get seven songs in before her 5:10 p.m. cutoff time. The crowd swayed and sang along to "Something Has to Change" (a very appropriate song for the circmstances). She then said "This one goes out to my gays" which drew a roar before jumping into her song "Boyhood."

She closed with "Sunshine Baby," thanked the crowd and hustled off the stage.

I felt the same sympathy for Bain that I did for the Linda Lindas at last year's Coachella as their entire Weekend 1 set was ruined by similar technical snafus.

Kudos to Bain for powering through a tough situation and still providing her fans something to remember, even if it was just 25 minutes worth.

— Shad Powers

Young Miko crushes her debut Coachella set

Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko made her Coachella debut on Friday, performing an array of hits, including several popular songs from her brand-new album, “attn.”

Donning oversized jean shorts and with a full band backing her, the 25-year-old rapper braved the afternoon heat to deliver a thrilling performance on the Coachella Stage. She played several songs from her new album released earlier this month, including “wiggy,” “ID” and “princess peach.”

Several people in the crowd waved Puerto Rican flags throughout the performance, to the delight of Young Miko, whose real name is María Victoria Ramírez de Arellano Cardona. She closed with a pair of popular collaborations: “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 58,” followed by “Classy 101,” which she recorded with Feid.

Young Miko also performed her full verse from Bad Bunny’s “Fina." While there were no guest appearances during her set, the rapper clearly didn’t need any assistance to boost the crowd’s excitement despite the scorching afternoon sun. 

— Tom Coulter

Coachella brand pop-ups: Where to get freebies, sometimes AC

Across from the Indio Central Market is a row of air-conditioned tents for Absolut vodka, Carrera eyewear and International Delight cold foam cream. If you forgot your shades at home, stop by Carrera, where you can get festival-exclusive sunglasses. And if you’re running low on caffeine, the International Delight tent has coffee samples that can be topped with its latest cream. There’s also a music station that you get to take DJ reins over and a lounge area.

— Ema Sasic

La Quinta locals celebrate a decade of attending Coachella

Sally (celebrating her 72nd birthday today) and 80-year-old Bob Arroyo of La Quinta arrived in time for the gates to open for what they say must be nearly their 10th year attending the festival. The pair was always curious about Coachella in its first few years, and read about it in the paper when they lived in Los Angeles County, but have made attending a tradition now that they're locals. They attend both weekends so that they can catch any artists they missed Weekend 1, and sometimes even take the chance to see a set they loved a second time. "Some people go on cruises," Sally said, "but we go to Coachella." 

— Andy Abeyta

Coachella Sahara tent: The trek to new site is no joke

You've probably heard by now that the Sahara tent has moved quite a bit south on the grounds this year, stretching out the distance from the Sahara to the rest of the festival. As an experiment I walked from the Outdoor Theatre to the Sahara tent, what I would call the farthest possible trek on the grounds. It took me 13 minutes, and 13 seconds and 985 steps. And that was at 2:45 p.m. with a mostly open field in front of me. So, factor that math into your daily plan if you hope to see an act at the Sahara tent followed by an act at the Outdoor Theatre. Whew!

— Shad Powers

Coachella time: Fans rush in as gates open 20 minutes late

In true Coachella fashion, the gates opened 20 minutes later than scheduled on Friday, but that only made festivalgoers at the front of the line even more eager to run to the most important area of the grounds this early in the day: the merch tent.

Lana Del Rey Coachella concert merch: Where to find artist-specific tents

This year, the artist-specific tents aren't next to the main merch tent you see when you walk in the gates. Instead, Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and No Doubt have their own merch tents to the right of the Heineken House stage at the back of the festival grounds. Noticeably, Tyler, The Creator doesn't have his own merch tent.

— Niki Kottmann

Update: Coachella livestream on YouTube schedule for Friday

The livestream schedule for Coachella 2024 Weekend 1, Day 1 has been released. Here's how to watch the livestream on YouTube on Friday, April 12 by stage. All times are Pacific Daylight Times, and the schedule is subject to change:

Channel 1: Coachella Stage

• 4:45 p.m.: Young Miko
• 6 p.m.: Sabrina Carpenter
• 7:35 p.m.: Lil Uzi Vert
• 9:05 p.m.: Peso Pluma
• 11:20 p.m.: Lana Del Rey (headliner)

Channel 2: Outdoor Theatre

• 5:25 p.m.: L’Impératrice
• 6:45 p.m.: Deftones
• 8:10 p.m.: Everything Always
• 10:15 p.m.: Justice
• 11:30 p.m. Honey Dijon x Green Velvet

Channel 3: Sahara

• 4 p.m.: Cloonee
• 5:20 p.m.: Ken Carson
• 6:30 p.m.: Skepta
• 7:45 p.m.: Bizarrap
• 9:15 p.m.: Peggy Gou
• 10:45 p.m.: Ateez
• Midnight: Steve Angello

Channel 4: Mojave

• 4 p.m.: Mall Grab
• 4:30 p.m.: The Japanese House
• 5:40 p.m.: Faye Webster
• 6:55 p.m.: Tinashe
• 8:20 p.m.: Yoasobi
• 9:50 p.m.: Hatsune Miku
• 11:15 p.m.: Anti Up

Channel 5: Gobi

• 4:20 p.m.: Sid Sriram
• 5:30 p.m.: Chappell Roan
• 6:45 p.m.: Brittany Howard
• 8 p.m.: Neil Frances
• 9:15 p.m.: Chlöe
• 10:30 p.m.: Suki Waterhouse

Channel 6: Sonora

• 4 p.m.: Late Night Drive Home
• 4:50 p.m.: The Beths
• 5:55 p.m.: Eartheater
• 7 p.m.: Narrow Head
• 8 p.m.: Black Country, New Road
• 9:05 p.m.: Clown Core
• 10:20 p.m.: Son Rompe Pera

— Kate Franco

What time is it in Indio, California?

Trying to plan out your Coachella livestream-watching schedule and have no idea what the local time is at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California? Well, it's Pacific Standard Time. Here's a cheat sheet. Are you in New York (Eastern time zone)? Subtract three hours and that's local time in Indio. Are you in Chicago (Central Standard time)? Subtract two hours and ... there you have it. Denver (Mountain time?) Take away one hour, bro. You're welcome.

Coachella Weekend 1 weather: Storm to hit SoCal, but not Indio

While another spring storm is set to hit Southern California this weekend, bringing rain mostly to the Los Angeles area and parts of the Inland Empire, those who are flocking to the Empire Polo Club in Indio for Weekend 1 of Coachella should be pleasantly surprised. The National Weather Service out of San Diego on Friday is predicting picture-perfect (selfie-perfect?), if breezy, conditions in Indio and across the Coachella Valley Friday through Sunday.

• Friday: Sunny with highs near 90 degrees. The afternoon will see wind of 5 to 10 mph with some gusts hitting 20 mph.
• Friday night: Clear with lows around 56 degrees, which should make for good sleeping weather in the car camping area. Northwest winds will be 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny and highs near 81 degrees. Wind of 5 to 10 mph expected.
• Saturday night: Clear with a low around 52 degrees. A west wind of 15 to 25 mph could gust as high as 40 mph.
• Sunday: Another sunny day, with a high near 75. Wind of 10 to 15 mph could increase to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon, gusting to up to 30 mph.
• Sunday night: Mostly clear and breezy, with a low around 52 degrees.

— Kate Franco

Coachella special guest predictions (of the non-Taylor Swift variety)

The official Coachella lineup is thinner this year than recent festivals, but does that mean there's more opportunity for special guests? Read about why The Desert Sun staff is keeping their eyes peeled for Anitta, Sia, Kali Uchis, Megan Thee Stallion, The Weeknd, Leon Bridges, PinkPantheress and Blake Shelton.

— Kate Franco

Taylor Swift at Coachella? Here's why she might show up in Indio

Snow touching down in sunny Indio is as rare as crossing paths with Taylor Swift, but for Coachellagoers, the rumors are spiraling if the star will make an appearance to support her friend and "Snow On the Beach" collaborator Lana Del Rey (headlining Friday's show). Her opening act in South America, Australia and Singapore, Sabrina Carpenter, also has a set at Coachella on Friday. On Saturday, Swift's friend and co-producer Jack Antonoff is playing with the Bleachers fresh off a new album release. The three acts will also repeat next week, so be on the lookout for Taylor and Travis.

— Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter

It's going to be a (Vampire) Weekend 1. What about Weekend 2?

Vampire Weekend was added to the Coachella lineup on Tuesday, thrilling Indie rock fans and setting off furious debate about whether or not they will play Weekend 2, largely regarded as the "music lovers'" weekend (as opposed to Weekend 1's reputation as the influencer weekend). History suggests it's anybody's guess. Arcade Fire was similarly added to the 2022 lineup and only played Weekend 1. Blink-182 was added last-minute in 2023 for Weekend 1, and then got a huge upgrade to headliner Weekend 2 when Frank Ocean controversially bowed out.

Vampire Weekend, which was formed in 2006 in New York City, is no stranger to Coachella, Desert Sun Features Editor Niki Kottmann writes. The group played the festival in 2008, 2010 and then again in 2013. Check them out Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Outdoor Theatre.

— Kate Franco

Car camping at Coachella? How to get there, rules, tips, silent disco

Car camping is the most classic way to experience a weekend at Coachella. Make friends. Do fun activities (silent disco, anyone?). Goldenvoice has perfected the experience over the years, and campers will be happy to know that the amenities are plentiful: Food vendors, free water refill stations, free WiFi, general stores where you can purchase basic necessities including ice, phone charging stations, restrooms and showers and even a free supermarket shuttle, should you run out of provisions.

First, let's get you there. GPS is fickle so here are some directions as provided by Goldenvoice:

• Day parking: From all directions, approach the Empire Polo Club and follow signs and traffic personnel.
• Preferred parking: From eastbound Interstate10, exit at Monroe Street and travel south. Take a right on Avenue 49 and a left into Lot 1. Don’t attempt to approach north on Monroe.
• Car camping/toll booths (Lot 13): From Eastbound Interstate 10, exit at Jefferson Street and continue to Indio Boulevard. Take a right at Jefferson Street and follow signs and traffic personnel to check-in lanes.
• Lake Eldorado: From Eastbound Interstate 10, exit at Jefferson Street and continue to Indio Boulevard. Take a right at Jefferson Street. Then take a left at Avenue 50 and a right at Madison Street. Follow signs to Lake Eldorado on left.
• Companion camping parking and tent camping parking (Lot 2A): From Eastbound Interstate 10, exit at Jefferson Street and continue to Indio Boulevard. Take a right at Jefferson Street and then a left at Avenue 50. Follow signs to Lot 2A on left

Some car camping rules, again from Goldenvoice:

• A festival pass is required for entry into the campground
• You must be 18 or older (or accompanied by an adult) to enter the campground
• The campground opened at 9 a.m. on Thursday and will close Monday at 10 a.m.
• All car camping sites are 30 feet by 10 feet
• Unlimited friends/tents per site
• One vehicle per site allowed, and required
• A vehicle must be a passenger car, truck or van. RVs and motorhomes (or any vehicle with running water or toilets) are not allowed, nor are motorcycles, buses or U-Haul trucks.
• Sites assigned in order of arrival
• Each site also includes one overnight parking space in an adjacent lot to leave a car for the weekend
• Campers and cars will be searched at check in
• Noise curfew starts at 1:30 a.m.

Want more? Check out our evergreen guide to making your life easier while car camping at Coachella.

— Kate Franco

What is Coachella's bag policy?

Backpacks and bags are allowed, and they don't have to be clear but they need to be 18 inches x 13 inches x 8.5 inches or smaller. The trick is in what you can bring inside. The full list is long but here are a few key items that are allowed, and those that aren't.

Allowed: Cameras (non-professional), eye drops, hydration packs, binoculars, breast pumps, chapstick, face masks, GoPros, hand sanitizer, gum, inhalers, lighters, makeup, phone chargers, empty reusable water bottles, water misters.

Not allowed: Aerosol products, air horns, blankets, chairs, coolers, drones, discriminative or appropriative items, divisive or appropriative symbols, flags, fliers, glass bottles, glow sticks, illegal drugs and paraphernalia, laser pointers, selfie sticks, tripods, umbrellas, walkie talkies.

— Kate Franco

More:Coachella 2024 essentials: Everything you need to pack as well as what to leave at home

From TikTok to Coachella: 5 viral acts to know

Love it or hate it, TikTok has become an integral part of the music industry, writes Desert Sun reporter Ani Gasparyan. So it should come as no surprise that several artists who gained success on the popular social media platform will be taking the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this year.

Check out Gasparyan's story about TikTok stars Kenya Grace, Thuy, YG Marley, Jungle and Saint Levant, all of whom are slated to play this weekend.

— Kate Franco

3 Coachella artists likely to get political as Ukraine, Israel-Hamas wars continue

Speaking of Saint Levant, he's one three acts USA TODAY California elections fellow Kathryn Palmer has picked to make a political statement at Coachella.

Palmer writes that music and politics have always had an intertwined relationship, as evidenced when more than 80 performers pulled out of the South by Southwest festival in Austin in March to protest several defense contracting companies participating in the event, and its "super sponsor," the U.S. Army. Though there have not been any high-profile disputes among artists and Coachella organizers similar to that in Austin, the festival is by no means insulated from the Israel-Hamas war or the war in Ukraine.

Read about the backgrounds of Saint Levant, ARTBAT and Miss Monique, and their personal connections to ongoing world strife

— Kate Franco

More:Coachella '24: A first timer's guide to merch, packing, set times and other festival info

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More:Coachella 2024: 8 pop acts you can't miss, including Sabrina Carpenter, Reneé Rapp