Coachella took 27 days to sell out its first weekend in 2024. In past years the passes were gone the same day they went on sale. NME reported that ticket sales for the festival were the slowest in a decade.
The desert crowd came anyway. The festival ran over two weekends, April 12 to 14 and April 19 to 21, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. It was the third edition since the Covid-19 pandemic forced organizers to cancel in 2020 and 2021.
Three headliners and a reunion
The full lineup was announced on January 16. Lana Del Rey took the Friday slot on both weekends, Tyler, the Creator the Saturdays, and Doja Cat the Sundays. For Del Rey it was a first turn as headliner, a decade after she debuted at the festival in 2014. Tyler had played Coachella in 2011 with the rap collective Odd Future.
No Doubt also played, their first shows together since 2015. Olivia Rodrigo walked out as a guest during the band’s set on the first weekend.
Guests were a feature across the headline sets. Del Rey brought out Jon Batiste, Billie Eilish, Jack Antonoff and Camila Cabello. Tyler’s list ran to Childish Gambino, ASAP Rocky, Charlie Wilson and Kali Uchis, and on the second weekend Earl Sweatshirt joined him for “AssMilk” and “Rusty”. Doja Cat had 21 Savage, Teezo Touchdown and ASAP Rocky.
A smaller bill
Organizers trimmed the program to 147 acts, down from 166 in 2023. Teen Vogue’s guide listed Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Ice Spice, Blur, Vampire Weekend and J Balvin among the other names. Tyla dropped out with an injury.
For the second weekend, Teen Vogue published set times in Pacific time. No Doubt were due on the main stage at 9:25 p.m., Doja Cat at 10:25, Del Rey at 11:20 and Tyler at 11:40.
Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen started the festival in 1999. Goldenvoice, which AEG Presents has owned since 2001, organizes it.
