The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival‘s second day on weekend 2 seemed similar to last Saturday, April 12, with a few notable exceptions, including an Easter egg introduction for Green Day.
It began with a guy in a pink bunny costume running out on stage to introduce the band, and that pink bunny guy was quickly revealed to be none other than Flava Flav introducing the alt-rock icons Green Day.
Looking good and sounding tight, guitarist and singer Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool proved that after nearly 40 years together, they’re still cool, still relevant, and still loud. The set started with “American Idiot,” which ended with a blast of fireworks that rose from the stage followed by thunderous cheers from the crowd. The band followed with songs like “Holiday,” and “Know Your Enemy.”
While the band didn’t bring out any surprise guests, as they usually do, they pulled an audience member to help sing “Know Your Enemy.” And the audience member Armstrong chose came out in full force, grabbing the mic from the singer and taking over the stage for a bit, and it seemed to really amuse the band, which looked to be having as much fun as the crowd.
One of the most prominent differences was the performance by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, who was this weekend’s addition in the slot that Weezer performed. About half an hour before Sheeran took the stage, the Mojave tent was at capacity with fans pouring out of every open end. The lucky ones were who landed a spot in the shade. The others, well, they got a chance to even out any sun burns at the 3 p.m. set. But when Sheeran opened with “Castle on the Hill,” and fans heard his honey-dew voice, the crowd melted for a different reason.
One of the unique aspects of Sheeran’s performance is his ability to deliver a dynamic show completely solo. He utilizes a loop pedal to record music in real-time, performs, and then uses that to build a song. It’s akin to watching a studio session happen in real-time and is a treat even if it’s your first time watching one of his performances live. It was the singer’s first time performing at Coachella, and he brought out his arsenal of hits, including “Thinking Out Loud,” “Azizam” and “Bad Habits,” which he played last.
Over at the Gobi tent, Glass Beams showcased their blend of psychedelic rock and Eastern Indian sounds, rocking their unique gold bejeweled masks. The project is the brainchild of Indian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer Rajan Silva. The group that borders a trippy and groovy jam band, had a dedicated set of fans who danced along to “Snake Oil,” “Rattlesnake” and “Mirage.” By the middle of their set, the group had even picked up the festival passerby walking from stage to stage.
Yo Gabba Gabba! returned to the Mojave tent to sing their hits, which seemed to have the adults and children shaking out all their wiggles and giddy with excitement. They didn’t bring out any new surprise guests but featured last weekend’s treat for weekend two, which included Flavor Flav, Paul Williams, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Portugal. The Man, and other characters, such as the Care Bears and the Teletubbies.
Midday, when the heat felt like it had no plans to leave, a melodic refuge was needed. As always, indie pop band Japanese Breakfast delivered. On the Outdoor Stage, lead Michelle Zauner’s performance was dreamy, combining a fun-loving stage presence with ambitious vocals. The band performed a mix of songs from their new album “For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women),” along with fan favorites like “Kokomo, IN,” “Road Head” and “Posing in Bondage” and a cover of Donna Lewis’ “I Love You Always Forever.”
The set time for 1990s alt rockers Jimmy Eat World on Saturday at Coachella was at 4 p.m. It was a tough time for the band because it seemed to be one of the hottest part of the day, and sundown, which is known as the golden hour at music festivals when the setting sun creates an ethereal and inspiring glow, was still hours away. This time of day was more like naptime for music fans in front of the stage, who seemed a bit tired and in need of catching their second wind. So when the Jimmy Eat World set started, the crowd’s energy was low, but as the lyrics in the band’s biggest hit say, everything was going to be just fine.
The band took things back to simpler times, playing straight up rock with no flashy images projected on the screens or gimmicks on stage. It was just Jimmy Eat world and years of hit songs. They got into one of their biggest hits “Sweetness” from the band’s 2001 “Bleed American,” album pretty early in the set. By the time the band got its biggest hits, “Bleed American,” and “The Middle,” which closed the performance, the crowd was fully into it, jumping to the music and singing along, especially during the hook of the final song “The Middle,” as music fans loudly belted out the lyrics “everything, everything’ll be just fine everything, everything’ll be alright, alright.”
Who doesn’t love a reunion? After all, it often leads to electrified stage presence, as was the case for LA rap group Shoreline Mafia. The group reunited for their second performance in five years, trailing only behind weekend one’s performance, understandably leading to a massive – and hyped – crowd in the Sahara Tent. Classics like “Musty,” “Bands” and “Bottle Service” brought the crowd to life, as did a surprise performance from female rapper BIA.
One of the differences this weekend also appeared in Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. While Dudamel and the LA Phil welcomed back Laufey, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso there was no sign of LL Cool J, Becky G or Zedd. Instead fans were treated to performances alongside Natasha Bedingfield, Dave Grohl and Cynthia Erivo.
In contrast with her weekend one performance, Charli xcx opted against a guest-filled set on the Coachella Stage. For those who follow her discography closely, that means fans got a performance of the “BRAT” album, instead of the “Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat” album. The only guest to join the British singer was influencer-turned-singer Addison Rae, who delivered a lively performance of “Von dutch” – complete with the iconic Addison scream that captivated the internet last year.
While there was a sizable chunk of festivalgoers waiting to watch Charli xcx on the mainstage, Ivan Cornejo drew a strong crowd at the Mojave tent. The Riverside native wore a shimmery denim two piece and delivered his somber ballads such as “Sale Para Ser Feliz,” “Ya Te Perdí” and “Aquí Te Espero” to an audience that yearningly sang back every word. Whether the crowd was full of die-hard fans, people seriously going through it or both isn’t 100% clear. What is clear, however, is that Cornejo’s commanding presence suited him well for the festival’s 7 p.m. hour. In the years to come, he’s an act that can easily end up among the company of the mellow acts booked at the Outdoor Theater.
Although Green Day was considered the headliner, a handful of acts were still slated to perform in the other tents, including Rawayana in the Gobi tent. The Venezuelan group weaves elements of reggae, psychedelic, electronic, funk, and salsa that are extremely groovy. Rawayana’s stage design evoked an oasis of troubles that melted away into the sands of the beach and was overshadowed by palm trees. The group recently had to cancel all of their tour dates scheduled in their home country because of the country’s political turmoil and beef with president Nicolás Maduro. Yet, they came in with an upbeat mood and party vibe that was a meld of Miami Vice and ’80s disco with some of their hits, such as “Nada Malo” “Miel” and “Binikini.”