Gwen Stefani teases No Doubt’s Coachella appearance with behind-the-scenes rehearsal
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The Saturday afternoon of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2024 is well underway, with rising British indie stars The Last Dinner Party currently performing in front of a sizeable crowd in the Gobi tent.
We’ve got a stacked line-up still to come today, including No Doubt’s first show in ten years, Britpop survivors Blur and a headline set from Tyler, the Creator.
Last night, Lana Del Rey was joined by Billie Eilish and Jon Batiste during her rapturously received and beautifully staged headline performance.
Earlier in the day there were performances from rising Mexican singer Peso Pluma, rapper Lil Uzi Vert, French dance act Justice and a history-making set from K-pop boyband Ateez. Shakira made a surprise appearance during DJ Bizarrap’s set, and announced a new world tour while she was there.
Tomorrow night Doja Cat is set to close the festival. The second weekend takes place from Friday 19 April to Sunday 21 April, with the same artists performing at both events.
Asides from its reputation for drawing influencers, many celebrities have been known to attend the event over the years, with Vanessa Hudgens being unofficially dubbed the Queen of Coachella. However, one person who doesn’t seem to have made the trip to the desert this year is Taylor Swift – perhaps put off by reports of ridiculous traffic jams and overpriced burritos?
The festival also includes some must-see art installations, food and drink, and immersive experiences for ticket holders, which you can read about here.
1713061276Grimes arrives onstage riding a robotic tarantulaIf Lana Del Rey’s bike motorcade last night was meant to evoke classic Americana, Grimes’ arrival on the Sahara Stage atop a sort of gigantic off-road tarantula robot looked more like something out of a terrifying futuristic sci-fi dystopia. As Grimes – born Claire Boucher – kicks off her DJ set, the robo-car sticks around to “dance” on its metal legs. You don’t get that with a Harley.
Grimes arrive onstage at Coachella atop a robot vehicle (YouTube)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 03:21
1713060095The Last Dinner Party lay on a feastThe Last Dinner Party provided an indie rock masterclass on the Gobi stage earlier this afternoon, rocketing through 11 songs including a triumphant, closing “Nothing Matters”. Here’s Abigail Morris, Emily Roberts, a mystery guest, Aurora Nishevci, Georgia Davies and Lizzie Mayland backstage looking deservedly pleased with themselves:
The Last Dinner Party at Coachella 2024 (Getty Images for Coachella)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 03:01
1713056579Vampire Weekend play cornhole with Paris HiltonWho had this on their Coachella bingo card? Vampire Weekend just brought out hotel heiress and reality TV star Paris Hilton to play cornhole live on stage during their set. If you predicted that one coming, well, I’d love to know your thoughts on this weekend’s lottery numbers.
Also nice to see Paris getting onboard with this year’s Cowboy Carter-influenced fashion trend.
Vampire Weekend and Paris Hilton onstage at Coachella 2024 (YouTube)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 02:02
1713054286Is Gwen Stefani ready for Coachella? No DoubtNo Doubt’s first show together in over a decade is one of the big draws on today’s lineup – and singer Gwen Stefani is getting into the mood in ripped tights and a vest that reads ‘Anaheim’, the Los Angeles suburb where the band formed all the way back in 1986.
Kevin Perry14 April 2024 01:24
1713053556Vampire Weekend nod to Shane MacGowan during Coachella setVampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig wearing a ‘The Pogues’ shirt onstage at Coachella 2024 (YouTube)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 01:12
1713052507Food at Coachella – overpriced or simply ‘par for the course’?The Independent’s Matthew Cooper has been dispatched to find out whether food prices at Coachella are really as exorbitant as has been previously claimed. He reports he paid $40 (£32) for this vegetarian quesadilla and a beer. Did he feel ripped off? “Just par for the course,” he says. “Not sure if that’s worse. Food was fine.”
Veggie quesadilla and beer at Coachella (Matthew Cooper/The Independent)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 00:55
1713051665Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce appear to skip CoachellaKevin Perry14 April 2024 00:41
1713050509Raye gets Saturday off to a swingin’ startMultiple Brit-winner Raye is onstage in the Mojave tent, dressed in what she describes as “office chic”, backed by a brass section and delivering vocal dramatics. “I’m a dramatic person,” she notes during opening song “The Thrill is Gone”, “So I’m gonna give this song a dramatic ending.”
Raye onstage at Coachella 2024 (YouTube)Kevin Perry14 April 2024 00:21
1713039011Raye of sunshineEnglish singer-songwriter Raye recently swept the board at the 2024 Brit Awards, so stop whatever you’re doing at 4:10pm PST and make sure your eyes are glued to the Mojave stage. As The Independent’s Nicole Vassell learned at a recent O2 Arena show, she’s adept at making “a sold-out arena feel like an intimate gig”. Read more here:
Kevin Perry13 April 2024 21:10
1713035051Taking reservations for The Last Dinner PartyWhether you’re at the festival or tuning in from home, be sure not to miss The Last Dinner Party at 5:30pm PST on the Gobi stage. The British indie darlings have been one of the breakout success stories of the year – and their debut album Prelude to Ecstacy is well worth getting acquainted with. Here’s our five-star review:
Kevin Perry13 April 2024 20:04
