Coachella 2019: Weekend 2 Roundup

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

The 20th anniversary edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival offered up an incredible experience over Weekend 2 (April 19-21) at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Event-goers were completely immersed in a world of stellar music and larger-than-life art installations, with dozens of groundbreaking artists performing each day of the fest. 

Those attendees who only arrive at Coachella late in the afternoon miss some of the incredible up-and-coming artists who perform. This writer tried to soak in as many complete performances as possible.

Here is a chronological run through my favorite sets of a magical Coachellafest weekend:

Let's Eat Grandma performing in the Gobi tent.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

The British duo known as Let's Eat Grandma has an interesting name to be sure. In addition, long-time musical pals Jenny Hollingworth and Rosa Walton were able to unleash the musical magic and muscle to match their curious moniker with a spellbinding 40-minute set in the Gobi tent on Friday afternoon. Both have winning soprano voices that work alone or when joining forces with harmonies. While mostly using their twin Novation electronic keyboards, both showed off skills with different instruments and even the use of choreographed hand claps and a recorder on the ambitious art damage opus "Donnie Darko." 

Hurray for the Riff Raff singer Alynda
Segarra, left, with keyboardist Sarah
Goldstone. Photo: Robert Kinsler

Turning things on a dime in the same concert space was Hurray for the Riff Raff, a terrific Americana-meets-Latin rock band headed by arresting singer-songwriter Alynda Segarra. The New Orleans-based group's inspired and energetic approach was bolstered by memorable songcraft, Jordan Hyde's tasty lead guitar work and Segarra's passionate vocals. The band's 40-minute set was filled with songs tackling hot topics with equal parts protest and hope including "The Navigator," "Rican Beach" ("First they stole our language / then they stole our names" Segarra sings) and the wonderful closer "Pa'lante" (Spanish for the idea  "to move forward"). 

Brooklyn, New York rock quartet Beach Fossils attracted a huge crowd to the Gobi with their mix of dream pop, melodic rock and lo-fi atmospheric soundscapes. Standouts included the faraway "Sugar," driving New Order-minded "What a Pleasure," shoegaze gem "Sleep Apnea" and otherworldly sortie "May 1st."

Kacey Musgraves at Coachella on April 19, 2019.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Coachella

Kacey Musgraves brought her multi-Grammy winning album Golden Hour to the Coachella Stage for a fast-moving 50-minute set weighted mostly from that already-classic 2018 disc. Musgraves opened with the acoustic-styled "Slow Burn" (track one on "Golden Hour") before turning things up a notch via the uptempo sheen of "Wonder Woman." Looking around at the massive crowd during her performance there was a palpable sense of Musgraves' authentic style and burgeoning star power. One young Coachella-goer I saw was in tears for much of the set, clearly moved by the singer's brand of modern country. Musgraves' signature vocals soared in the expansive late afternoon, with the wistful "Lonely Weekend," the tender "Rainbow," bona fide country favorite "Family Is Family" (from her Pageant Material LP) and super-catchy set closing "High Horse."

The Frights performing in the Sonora tent.Photo credit: Courtesy of Coachella

What fun The Frights offered up a blistering turn inside the colorfully-decorated Sonora tent, including the use of large balloon arrangements cast into the air to enhance the cool atmosphere. From the time the Poway, California-spawned punk rockers took the stage with "Crutch," fans were moving (some clearly enjoying the mosh pit and even a few brave souls stage diving later on) in time with the hard-edged punk rock. Another  highlight was the irreverent "Whatever," with the four member band clearly having a ball at the high-profile gig.

Manchester, England's The 1975 lit up the main Coachella Stage with dance-minded electropop brew including the uptempo opener "Give Yourself a Try," slower "I Like America & America Likes Me," and monster indie rock dance cut "Chocolate." 

Dylan Minnette of Wallows at Coachella.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Saturday brought another slew of standout performances, beginning with Los Angeles-based Wallows. The emerging melodic rock outfit proved to be the perfect outfit to welcome the day, recalling all that is great about power-pop, indie rock and the '80s strains of the Psychedelic Underground via great originals like "Ice Cold Pool," "Are You Bored Yet?" and "I'm Full." Singer-guitarists Dylan Minnette and Braeden Lemasters give Wallows an obvious one-two punch; the group's official full-length debut Nothing Happens was released by Atlantic Records in late March.

A R I Z O N A performing on the Coachella stage.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

New Jersey's A R I Z O N A were many more times as powerful when I was positioned in front of the Coachella stage in person than when I had caught the band on Weekend 1 via the YouTube live-stream. One of the most exciting discoveries I've made courtesy of Coachella 2019, the band tore it up across 40 minutes; lead singer Zachary Charles, guitarist Nate Esquite and keyboardist David Labuguen (assisted by a touring drummer) were on fire throughout. So many highlights: the anthemic "Find Someone," R&B/pop brew "Electric Touch" and blistering "Let Me Touch Your Fire," the latter which included Esquite smashing one of his guitars on the stage. The finale was a beautiful take on "Cross My Mind," one of the single best moments at Weekend 2 of Coachella 2019.

Los Angeles' The Interrupters brought a fun-filled mix of ska and punk rock to their 45-minute outing on the Outdoor Theatre stage. Capturing the spirit of the weekend was the hard-edged "Take Back the Power," with lead singer Aimee Interrupter noting the song is both a song of protest and a call for unity. The band also tore through great songs like "Title Holder," "Gave You Everything," "Family" and set-ending "She's Kerosene."

Vancouver, Canada-based duo Bob Moses (featuring Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance) conjured up a mix of dream pop, electronica and alternative music during an immersive appearance on the Outdoor Theatre stage. The swirling intro "Heaven Only Knows," alt rock dance groove that played out via "Talk," textured "Like It or Not" and dance-heavy "Enough to Believe" were among the tracks that hit the mark.

Weezer performing at Coachella in Indio on April 20, 2019.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Coachella

Weezer mixed things up a bit when performing Weekend 2. While the Los Angeles rockers had played with several guests the previous week (including the two members of Tears for Fears), singer-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, drummer Patrick Wilson, bassist Scott Shriner and guitarist-keyboardist Brian Bell used this turn to handle things on their own. The results and new track listing definitely pleased the massive crowd. After offering up an a Capella vocals-only version of "Buddy Holly," the band then went on to offer the classic version of that 1994 hit via a full-on electric take. The band's set list featured a bunch of great Weezer classics ("Hash Pipe," "Undone - The Sweater Song," "Island in the Sun," etc.) as well as outstanding covers of some of the tracks off the band's 2019 Teal Album." Takes on the Turtles' "Happy Together" (with so many fans singing along) and Toto's "Africa" were especially memorable.

Emily King at Coachella.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Because there are so many stages at Coachella, it is often difficult to see everything on a "wish list." That proved to be the case for yours truly on Sunday morning; I opted to catch all of Mansionair in the Mojave tent knowing full well that I could only catch a little of Emily King in the nearby Gobi tent. The good news is I was able to catch Mansionair thrill listeners with a shimmering style of guitar- and keyboards-layered synthpop-rock. The Australian trio was outstanding across its 40-minute set, particularly on the lovely "Falling" and driving "Violet City." The group finished things off with the captivating "Astronaut - Something About Your Love."  

I quickly made my way to the Gobi where Emily King was conjuring up magic of her own. A wonderful singer, I watched her lead a band and two backing singers through several tracks including the dance-fueled "Remind Me" and R&B-funk ride "Can't Hold Me."




I stayed put in the Gobi for two more unforgettable performances. First up was boy pablo, a terrific and fun-minded indie pop group from Norway. Singer-guitarist Nicolás Muñoz and his four-man band had a blast, and so did the audience. Faves like the hyperactive "Feeling Lonely," breezy "Everytime" and aptly-pegged "Dance, Baby" were a true reason to move. 

Alice Merton at Coachella.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Rising rock singer Alice Merton impressed with her dynamic soprano and '80s-flavored rock attack, including the ferocious "Learn to Live," "dance-tinged rocker "Trouble in Paradise" and even better "Lash Out."





Soccer Mommy draws positive comparisons with a range of greats including Mazzy Star and Moonpools & Caterpillars, but the artist (a moniker for Sophie Allison) is something special on her own. The mix of three textured guitars, some keyboards and hypnotic rhythm section elevated the dreamscapes created in "Try," "Cool," "Wild Flowers" and a great new track titled "Lucy."

My last stop was to check out CHVRCHES in the Mojave tent. The Scottish trio comprised of singer Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty was simply incredible, performing its fun, high-energy synth-pop with artful persuasion for an adoring and massive crowd. The soaring "Get Out," introspective "Graffiti," driving "Forever" and electronica dance cut "Leave a Trace" were among the incredible works offered up with power and perfection in the desert late Sunday night.

An artist working on a colorful
recycling bin at Coachella.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Robert Kinsler


Editor's Note: This column was originally published in the April 24, 2019 print edition of  The Desert Star Weekly newspaper.

2019 Coachella Preview

A huge crowd greets Northern Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club at Coachella in Indio, CA on 
April 22, 2017. Photo: Greg Noire courtesy of Goldenvoice

Several impressive art installations loom over Coachellagoers as dusk arrives in Indio
 in April 2017. Photo credit: Christine Spidell

After a seemingly-forever wait, the SoCal music festival season kicks off with the arrival of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio over the next two weekends. Weekend one is April 12-14, 2019 and weekend two is April 19-21, 2019.

The highly-anticipated event will feature headliners Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande, with the event's diverse lineup also hosting appearances from Janelle Monáe, the 1975, Kacey Musgraves, Kid Cudi, Khalid, Zedd, Dillon Francis, CHVRCHES, Aphex Twin and Weezer.

This column will highlight a number of performances that I hope to catch at Coachella. With more than 160 acts performing, it is simply impossible to see every artist at the festival. And it would be criminal to not carve out some time to enjoy the always-impressive art installations from the celebrated likes of Poetic Kinetics, Office Kovacs, Do LaB and NEWSUBSTANCE that inhabit the expansive festival grounds during the event.


Fridays, April 12 and 19

Hurray for the Riff Raff singer Alynda Lee Segarra
performing at the Stagecoach Festival in 2014.
Photo: Robert Kinsler

Hurray for the Riff Raff, a New Orleans collective fronted by singer/guitarist/banjoist Alynda Lee Segarra, was an emerging newcomer when I saw them at the Stagecoach festival in April 2014. Fast forward five years and the collective is one of the leaders of the celebrated Americana music scene, having released two potent titles with ATO Records (2014's Small Town Heroes and 2017's The Navigator). Segarra has a wonderful voice and uses that potent alto soprano in the service of songs that are literate and often address issues related to social justice.

Kacey Musgraves performing at the Stagecoach
Festival in 2015. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Kacey Musgraves has lassoed a slew of prestigious awards (six Grammys along with Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music honors) since releasing her stellar debut Same Trailer Different Park in 2013. Musgraves' winning fourth studio album Golden Hour, released in 2018, helped the Texas songstress nab all four of its nominated Grammy Awards categories earlier this year. Musgraves' sound blends contemporary country and pop artfully, and the singer-guitarist's ability to connect with multiple generations of fans makes her a strong candidate to remain relevant for decades to come. Among the hits the artist is likely to deliver in the desert are the beautiful "Butterflies," shining "Golden Hour" and introspective "Space Cowboy."

What would a music festival be without some melodic sounds from across the Pond? The 1975 are an English pop-rock outfit from Manchester that has scored success in the United Kingdom and here in the U.S. via hit singles including "Chocolate," "Sex" and "Robbers." Other favorites include "Somebody Else," "Love It If We Made It" and . The 1975's most recent album "A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships" is the band's most challenging and acclaimed album release to date, with the group's modern-day sound blending pop, indie rock and dance in increasingly creative ways.

Beach Fossils are a Brooklyn, New York-based band formed in 2009 that offers up original songcraft hewed out of indie pop, rock, lo-fi shoegaze and other modern styles. Among my faves from the band is the hypnotic "Down the Line," longing "Sugar" and chamber pop sortie "St. Ivy."




Saturdays, April 13 and 20

A R I Z O N A will make their Coachella debut in 2019.

A R I Z O N A is a fast-rising trio whose enticing brand of electro-pop should go over big at Coachella. Comprised of Zach Hannah (lead vocals), Nate Esquite (guitar) and David Labuguen (keyboards), A R I Z O N A has amassed more than a billion worldwide streams via a string of strong singles and remixes. Not bad for a musical trio that only released their debut album (Gallery) in May 2017. The Atlantic Records recording artist blends the best of '80s electronica and 21st century pop as evidenced by the reflective "I Was Wrong," inspired "Running,"  retro-mining gem "What She Wants" and hypnotic "Freaking Out." 

Billie Eilish is only 17 but already a major name on the crowded Coachella lineup. The Los Angeles-based teen's full-length debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was released on March 29 on the heels of a string of well-received advance singles including "Bury a Friend," "You Should See Me in a Crown" and "When the Party's Over" that are featured on the disc alongside many previously-unheard originals including the new single "Bad Guy." Coachella will be a tremendous stage to introduce the rising singer-songwriter to an even larger audience.

Aphex Twin is the stage moniker for British musician Richard David James, a groundbreaking artist who has pioneered sounds in the electronic genres of ambient techno, experimental and dance music during the 1990s. Like Radiohead and Blur, Aphex Twin is one of the most important and influential U.K. artists to emerge that decade. The range of moodscapes created by James in his sonic creations defies easy categorization but Coachellagoers will definitely respond to an artist who has influenced subsequent heroes such as Daft Punk and Atoms for Peace. After releasing the studio LP Drukqs in 2001, James went into hiatus as Aphex Twin (although he continued to release new music under alternative aliases). However, in 2014 Aphex Twin returned with Syro, which won a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album.

Rivers Cuomo performing in Costa Mesa, CA, in
August 2011. Photo: Kelly A. Swift

Weezer is coming to Coachella in the wake of the release of not just one, but two terrific albums this year. In January, the Los Angeles quartet surprised the world with the release of Weezer (the Teal Album), a previously-unannounced album of wide-ranging covers. Weezer injected its signature sound into shining versions of Toto's "Africa,"  the Turtles' intoxicating '60s classic "Happy Together," ELO's masterpiece "Mr. Blue Sky" and other favorites. In early March, the modern rockers released Weezer (the Black Album), a 10-track disc featuring material penned by lead singer Rivers Cuomo. Featuring some of the band's most catchy songs in memory, standouts on that newer disc include the dance-minded "Can't Knock the Hustle," wistful High as a Kite" and sardonic "I'm Just Being Honest." I caught Weezer at my first Coachella (back in 2005) and it's great to see the band is returning to the event in 2019.

Four Tet is the stage name for Kieran Hebden. The English artist's music is electronic and involving enough to imagine it will make for an interesting visit in the desert. Having explored the musical universe via experimental, alt rock, jazz and other styles, Four Tet's set promises to be fun.

Coachella 2012 at dusk. Photo: Robert Kinsler

Sundays, April 14 and 21

CHVRCHES is a Glasgow, Scotland-spawned band whose synth-pop and indie pop sound is sure to keep Southern California's premiere event moving on Sunday. The group's parade of solid releases (Recover, The Bones of What You Believe and Every Open Eye) has yielded a string of infectious material.

Emily King will perform at Coachella on Sundays,
April 14 and 21. Photo courtesy of the artist.

ATO Records recording artist Emily King is an R&B and soul singer who has connected with audiences via striking and original material including her debut album East Side Story, sophomore EP Seven and this year's full-length stunner Scenery. The New York-based artist is a wonderful and expressive singer, as evidenced by her affecting tracks "Distance" (off 2015's The Switch) and "Remind Me" (from Scenery). Don't miss her.



H.E.R. (an acronym for Having Everything Revealed) is a Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter who first found fame as Gabriella "Gabi" Wilson as a participant in Radio Disney's Next Big Thing a decade ago. At the mere age of 14, she was signed to RCA Records. But it was her artistic renewal as H.E.R. in 2016 that has yielded bona fide interest in the artist, included five Grammy Awards nominations earlier this year (she won Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album).



Robert Kinsler

Editor's Note: This is an expanded version of the story also available on the Desert Star Weekly site here.