What is the Coachella Festival All About?

The Coachella Music Festival, otherwise known as Coachella, is an annual music celebration and festival, launched in 1999 and founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen. The festival, organized by Goldenvoice, takes place every year in Indio, California, and it’s held over two separate three-day weekends. The dates for the festival change, but the event is typically held over a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for two consecutive three-day weekends in April. Over 150,000 tickets have been sold to attend Coachella, and the festival has pulled in over 47 million dollars in revenue. Tickets for the festival typically sell out fast and often within the half hour after they go live. To attend the festival, each participant must be at least 18-years-old and have a valid ID to present. If a person is not at least 18-years-old, there must be a parent or legal guardian present with the minor for the minor to attend.

The festival began as a fight against Ticketmaster. The band Pearl Jam claimed Ticketmaster was financially targeting musicians and their fans. Therefore, Pearl Jam looked for alternative venues for their tour that would not include Ticketmaster. The location was the Empire Polo Club, the current site of Coachella. It will cost someone who wishes to attend Coachella over $400 for a three-day pass. Some consider this ironic given the roots of the Pearl Jam component.

Event Location

The festival is located in the desert. In addition to the cost of the pass, you’ll need to also pay for a place to stay. There are a number of hotels in the area that prepare for the influx of Coachella attendees. Staying at the hotel for the event is the most expensive way to lodge. For those who are on a budget or who prefer an alternative, tent camping is allowed in the area for approximately $100. Showers and toilets, as well as other amenities to prepare for the day, are available for free for people who are staying in the tent designated area. No person is allowed to camp at Coachella without proof of a festival pass.

The city of Indio provides services for the festival that help to run it better such as police and fire protection, medical services and private security. Music performances must end at 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays to avoid disturbing local residents. Goldenvoice must pay fines if the curfew is not followed. Efforts to keep the venue clean, to manage the carbon footprint, and to protect the environment are also a part of the festival.

Initially, Coachella focused on music. Today, it also includes fashion and art. Interactive art, for example, is one of the focuses at the festival. Festival-goers will also find a wide variety of food and other features, such as a Ferris wheel. There are five stages of the musical performances. These include the Coachella Stage, Gobi Tent, Outdoor Theater, Sahara Tent, and Mojave Tent. As with most big musical festivals, the minor artists perform throughout the day with the headlines as the last acts.

There are many forms of music presented at the event that include indie, rock, hip-hop, electronic dance music, and more. In 1999, the first headlining performers included the Chemical Brothers, Beck, Morrissey, Rage Against the Machine, and more. Other headlining artists who have performed at Coachella include The Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, Nine Inch Nails, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Beyoncé, Eminem, The Weekend, and many more. For people who are unable to attend the festival, live stream videos of the performances are available online at major video sites.

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