Coachella

Coachella: The Festival That Changed Music Festivals Forever

Imagine a place where music, art, and culture converge in a spectacular celebration of creativity. Welcome to Coachella, the annual music and arts festival that has become an iconic event in the entertainment world.

The Birth of an Icon

In 1998, Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen, co-founders of Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, were on the hunt for the perfect venue to host their music festival. After scouting several sites, they returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, where Coachella was born.

The First Year

On October 9-10, 1999, the inaugural Coachella took place with a lineup of 40 acts. Headlining were Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine. Despite the sweltering temperatures exceeding 100°F, the event went smoothly and received positive reviews from attendees and critics.

Challenges and Triumphs

The festival faced financial challenges in its early years. Goldenvoice lost $850,000 on the first year’s undertaking, forcing them to ‘struggle for almost two years to survive as a company.’ Prominent acts agreed to receive deferred compensation.

Expansion and Growth

In 2001, Coachella returned in April with ticket prices raised to $65. The event expanded to include more acts, such as Queens of the Stone Age, and featured headliners Björk and Oasis. In 2003, on-site camping was offered for the first time.

Artistic Expression

The festival’s art director, Paul Clemente, aims to outdo himself each year with installations that grow in scale and outrageousness. Artists are given access to the grounds just 10 days before the festival, and only about half of their pieces appear again outside of Coachella.

Environmental Sustainability

Coachella manages its carbon footprint by partnering with Global Inheritance for several environmentally friendly initiatives. The ‘TRASHed :: Art of Recycling’ campaign challenges local artists to design and decorate recycling bins, while the ‘Carpoolchella’ program rewards festivalgoers who carpool in groups of four or more.

Camping

In 2003, Coachella began allowing tent camping as an option for festival lodging. The campground site is on a polo field adjacent to the venue grounds and has its own entrance on the south side of the venue. For that festival, there were more than 17,000 campers.

Talent Booking

Tollett begins to book artists for each festival as early as the previous August. The booking process takes approximately six months, and according to the Los Angeles Times, booking fees for most artists playing Coachella start at $15,000 and extend into the ‘high six figures.’

Corporate Sponsorships

Goldenvoice has protected the Coachella brand by filing lawsuits against outlets using the name or suffix ‘chella’ without permission. In 2023, Goldenvoice filed a lawsuit against radio presenter RaaShaun Casey for his event ‘Carchella.’

The Impact of Coachella

Coachella is considered a trendsetter in music and fashion. Singer Katy Perry said, ‘The lineup always introduces the best of the year for the rest of the year.’ The festival has become known for the variety of distinctive apparel worn by attendees.

Economic Impact

A 2015 ranking by online ticket retailer Viagogo showed that Coachella was the second-most in-demand concert ticket, trailing only Tomorrowland. According to a 2012 economic impact study, Coachella brought $254.4 million to the desert region that year; of that total, Indio received $89.2 million in consumer spending and $1.4 million in tax revenue.

Future Prospects

The success of Coachella led to Goldenvoice holding additional music festivals at the Empire Polo Club. It founded the country music festival Stagecoach in 2007 and continues to hold it on an annual basis. In 2016, Goldenvoice staged Desert Trip, which featured older rock-oriented and legacy acts such as the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Bob Dylan.

Coachella has grown from a small event in 1999 into one of the largest and most profitable music festivals in the US and world. It continues to set trends, inspire creativity, and bring people together under the banner of music and art.

Will Coachella continue to evolve and surprise us with its innovative spirit? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: it has already left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. As we look forward to future editions, let’s embrace the magic that Coachella brings every year.