Coachella weekend one has just concluded in a blaze of glory. With electrifying sets from Grimes, Lana Del Rey and Gwen Stefani led No Doubt, there were plenty of moments of pop culture gold to be mined from one week alone. If you weren't on standby all weekend to round up any of the most captivating showings, we've got you covered.
From mic malfunctions to the ready to wear creations (hello, bespoke Dolce and Gabbana on miss Del Rey!), there were moments aplenty which had us rocking on the edge of our seats. The good, the bad and the downright ludicrous came together in one maelstrom of affairs. At the epicentre of festival performance, here's what you missed.
New and Old with No Doubt and Olivia Rodrigo
This set showed us that being a punk rocker is indefatigable. The long-awaited return of No Doubt was amplified by surprise guest Olivia Rodrigo. A surprise duet of 'Return of Saturn' between Gwen Stefani and the budding starlet proceeded, with Rodrigo herself adorned in some I <3 No Doubt fan merch.
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Grimes faces hurdles
Technical difficulties swarmed our favourite futuristic singer as her performance on the Sahara Stage left fans mired in confusion. Tempo asymmetries, lag in track buildup and unmastered mixes all contributed to the lacking performance. Reception to the mix-up has varied, but ardent fans have called for leniency and a sensitive hand in dealing with the incident at large. Check out her twitter explainer below.
I want to apologize for the technical issues with the show tonight. I wanted to come back rly strong and usually I always handle every aspect of my show myself - to save time this was one of the first times I've outsourced essential things like rekordbox bpm's and letting…
— (@Grimezsz) April 14, 2024
Has Lana died for your sins?
Now, onto the crème de la crème of the evening. Ten years following her first Coachella appearance, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant is back as a heavyweight contender. This time she's baying for blood. In the lead-up to her performance, a giant billboard was unmasked. The ad questioning: Who died for your sins? was a direct snub at a snub of her now notorious SNL performance in 2o12. With a set that had pyrotechnic effects, fan dance, and an entrance that involved a fleet of motorcycles, Lana has cemented her rightful place as gangster princess of pop stardom once and for all.
Lana Del Rey billboard spotted near #Coachella . pic.twitter.com/99PtoWIyLr
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) April 12, 2024
she made THE face pic.twitter.com/C3nDXQuiHr
— alexis (@liedowndealer) April 14, 2024
Lana again, but this time with Billie
In a move that united the warring factions of Millennials and Generation Z, Lana Del Rey ushered out Billie Eilish for a very special rendition of Video Games and Ocean Eyes. Tears were shed. Lives were changed - namely ours.
Lana Del Rey brings out Billie Eilish during her #Coachella set for a performance of ‘Ocean Eyes.’ pic.twitter.com/jTLHOMdR0g
— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 13, 2024
