Coachella 2024 Weekend 1 recap: established favorites and rising newcomers set to return for Weekend 2

With a lineup featuring approximately 50 different artists performing each day over its 3-day run, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has something for everyone.  Electronica, rock, pop, R&B, soul, urban, dance and Americana are among the genres celebrated at the fest.

Weekend 1 of the 2024 edition of Coachellafest delivered on the promise of the event, with a wide ranging field of both established legends and rising names bringing their A game to the Empire Polo Field in Indio, April 12-14. Superstar acts typically perform on the large "Coachella" and "Outdoor Theatre" stages, while up-and-comers perform at the festival's smaller stages.

Amber Mary Bain, aka the Japanese House performs at Coachella on April 12, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images for Coachella 

Among the early highlights of day 1 were driving alt rock outfit Late Night Drive Home, singer-songwriter the Japanese House (the moniker for English songstress Amber Mary Bain) and New Zealand indie-pop band The Beths.

From left, Elizabeth Stokes and Benjamin Sinclair of
The Beths performing at Coachella.
Photo credit: (YouTube)

Later in the day American singer-songwriter Faye Webster thrilled at the Mojave Stage with her introspective and literate original song craft while singer-guitarist Brittany Howard blended soul, gospel, R& B in her set on the Gobi Stage. The day's headliner, Lana Del Rey, delivered a high-profile set including turns from guest stars Jon Batiste, Jack Antonoff (Bleachers) and Billie Eilish.

Vampire Weekend lead vocalist-guitarist Ezra Koenig at Coachella on April 13.
Photo credit: (YouTube)

Day 2 of the festival featured an equally strong and diverse lineup of artists. Early Saturday attendees were rewarded with a fun set from Huntington Beach-spawned rock band The Aquabats, as well as a stunning return from indie rock great Vampire Weekend (the latter a last-minute addition to this year's festival), and an inspired set from singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste.

Blur guitarist Graham Coxon performing with the Desert Cahuilla Desert Bird Singers on
Saturday, April 13, 2024. Photo credit: (YouTube)

The Coachella Stage hosted terrific full-length sets on Saturday afternoon and evening, with impressive performances from Southern California reggae rockers Sublime, groundbreaking Britpop rock quartet Blur, and the reunion performance by Orange County, CA-spawned No Doubt performing live together for the first time in nine years (Olivia Rodrigo was a guest at the latter's set during a performance of "Bathwater"). Late into the night, The Drums thrilled with a 10-song set of '80s-tinged New Wave originals on the Mojave Stage. 

Olivia Dean performing on April 14, 2024.
Photo credit: (YouTube)

The final day of Weekend 1 saw outstanding sets from pop punk rockers Taking Back Sunday, American R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét and experimental English electronica duo Jockstrap. I was most impressed by Neo soul singer Olivia Dean; performing on the Gobi Stage, the 25-year-old English singer used her soprano in the service of terrific original songs (including the heartfelt "Carmen" and wonderful closer "Dive") that fully connected with the audience during her 40-minute set.

The good news for fans of the annual event is the same lineup is scheduled to return to Indio, Friday-Sunday, April 19-21. Music lovers who are not able to attend the fest in person can catch the majority of performances being live-streamed on the Coachella YouTube site. Visit that Coachella Livestream site HERE.

Information: Coachella.com.

Robert Kinsler