Coachella 2025 Weekend 2 Recap

Coachella at night is magical. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Weekend 2 of the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was one of discovery to be sure. I not only enjoyed catching a number of artists for the first-time ever, I was more able to fully appreciate a few returning favorites (Lady Gaga, Japanese Breakfast, The Marias) and saw the Go-Go's for the first time in more than 30 years! Here I showcase my favorite artists seen as Coachella last weekend (April 18-20).

Glixen performing at Coachella on April 18.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Glixen — The first artist I caught on day one (April 18) was Glixen, a strong shoe gaze-styled quartet whose sound came off as a cross between Mazzy Star and Dinosaur Jr. The band made the most of its 30-minute set inside the Sonora tent and pleased the enthusiastic crowd on hand with a powerful set of heavy originals. 

TOPS — Canadian quartet TOPS blended melodic rock, ear candy-styled songcraft, new wave, occasional jazzy flourishes and winning vocal harmonies across their 40-minute set in the Sonora tent. 

Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go's at Coachella.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

The Go-Go's — Although the Go-Go's were not as tight as many of the other bands that appeared at Coachella over the weekend, there is no denying the unbridled enthusiasm of the groundbreaking all-female Los Angeles outfit elevated their performance on the Outdoor Theatre stage on Friday afternoon. With a setlist filled with catchy and memorable material, the band thrilled the faithful with tracks including "Vacation," "Lust to Love," "Head over Heels," "Our Lips Are Sealed" and set-ending "We Got the Beat." However, I thought the single best selection of their set was "This Town," a song that showcased the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers' formidable strengths.

Benson Boone performing his new advance track "American Heart" at Coachella.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Benson Boone — The biggest surprise of Weekend 1 was when rising 22-year-old singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Benson Boone covered Queen's timeless hit "Bohemian Rhapsody" and brought out that band's Brian May to play his timeless lead guitar work on that 1975 classic. Although May didn't show up for Boone's Weekend 2 set on the Coachella Stage, Boone had no trouble impressing the audience with his signature style of modern pop-rock. Opening with "Sorry I'm Here For Someone Else," other uptempo cuts included "Cry" and "Mystical Magical." He proved equally skilled when sitting on the piano and performing more intimate material as evidenced by the early sections of "Slow It Down," "There She Goes" and the piano-anchored power ballad "Forever and a Day." Late set standouts included the title track from his forthcoming album ("American Heart"), a stunning take on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (the latter complete with a large vocal choir) and rousing version of his 2024 hit "Beautiful Things."

Maria Zardoya of The Marias.
Photo courtesy of Coachella

The Marias — Los Angeles' the Marias attracted such a large and enthusiastic crowd to the Outdoor Theatre it's clear the quartet could have performed on the larger Coachella stage. Lead singer Maria Zardoya is a particularly charismatic singer and she connected strongly with Coachellagoers on Friday; the stylish talents of drummer Josh Conway, guitarist Jesse Perlman and keyboardist Edward James enhance the Marias' remarkable style. Highlights included a shimmering take on "Real Life," the fanciful "Only in My Dreams" (the latter a track fully utilizing the striking set design), intense "Hush" and bewitching "Paranoia." The Marias closed with the Spanish language gem Cariño," with Zardoya venturing out into the crowd to greet excited fans. 

Parcels — One of the best sets of Weekend 2 belonged to Parcels, a five-member Berlin, Germany-based group that masterfully blended synth pop, disco, funk and alternative dance styles together on the Outdoor Theatre stage. Opening with the intoxicating dance track "Overnight," the group proceeded to keep the dance-minded party going with winning tracks including the harmonies-adorned "Lightenup," "Tieduprightnow" and the new single "Safeandsound," the latter featuring an explosive finale.

Fans watch Lady Gaga perform on one of the massive Coachella Stage screens.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Lady Gaga — No matter any Coachellagoer's specific taste in music — be it rock, jazz, dance, rap, hip-hop or you name it — there is a better than good chance they were blown away by Lady Gaga's 20-song performance spread over five specific acts on the Coachella Stage to cap the opening day of Weekend 2. The large audience was immersed in the artist's so-called "Mayhem Ball" (named after her mega-successful new album Mayhem), and were treated to a fast-moving concept concert featuring Lady Gaga singing and dancing up a storm. Following her acclaimed Coachella Weekend 2 performance, it was announced that Lady Gaga will bring her "Mayhem Ball" tour across the nation beginning in Las Vegas on July 16.

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast on April 19, 2025.
Photo credit: Robert Kinsler

Japanese Breakfast — As wonderful as indie art rock troupe Japanese Breakfast was at Weekend 1, the Michelle Zauner-led band was even more impressive Weekend 2. Over the course of 45 magical minutes the band ( which also features guitarist Peter Bradley, bassist Deven Craige and drummer-keyboardist Craig Hendrix) brought a mix of literate, musically diverse and fun material to the Outdoor Theatre stage. Zauner played guitar at times, danced at others and sang with palpable emotion throughout. A wide range of material connected with the crowd including alt rock ("Honey Water"), uptempo dance-minded cuts ("The Woman That Loves You," "Paprika," "Be Sweet"), breezy pop ("Road Head," "Picture Window") and semi-acoustic sorties ("Winter in LA," "Kokomo, IN"). 

Beth Gibbons at Coachella.
Photo courtesy of Coachella

Beth Gibbons — Best known as the singer and lyricist for groundbreaking English band Portishead, Beth Gibbons delivered one of the most ambitious and memorable sets of Weekend 2. Like Radiohead, Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, Gibbons brings an intensity, depth and immersive soundscape to her sonic world. Backed by a seven-member band of virtuoso players, Gibbons made the most of every moment of her 45-minute set in the Gobi tent. Her set featured a number of amazing originals from her acclaimed 2024 album Lives Outgrown including her set opening "Burden of Life," the lush "Floating on a Moment," the edgy "Rewind" with its creative use of strings and a horn, and "Lost Changes" — the latter with its probing and potent exploration of mortality and love. Additionally, she thrilled music lovers with a powerful take on the Portishead favorite "Glory Box."

The Beaches turned in an impressive set at Coachella.
Photo courtesy of Coachella

The Beaches — Canadian indie rock heroes the Beaches were one of my top discoveries of Coachella 2025. The all-female band blended New Wave, post punk and alt rock sonics throughout their fiery audience-pleasing appearance on Sunday. It's rare for a modern rock band to have undeniable chemistry across their complete lineup but Jordan Miller (lead vocals, bass guitar), Kylie Miller (guitar, backing vocals), Leandra Earl (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals) and Eliza Enman-McDaniel (drums) showcased that in spades. Standouts of the Beaches' set included the catchy opener "Cigarette," '80s-flavored "Takes One To Know One," sweeping "Jocelyn," confessional rocker "Edge of the Earth" and explosive closer "Blame Brett."

Kraftwerk — Pioneering German electronic band Kraftwerk conjured up the beginnings of electronic music with a set of the quartet's distinctive material constructed via generally sparse arrangements, mechanical vocals, drum machine-driven rhythms, synthesizers and snappy melodies. Led by co-founder Ralf Hütter, highlights included the driving opener "Numbers / Computer World / Computer World 2," unsettling "Autobahn," pulsating "Radioactivity" and engaging "The Robots." 

Regarding the widely reported antisemitic, jew-hatred performance by the Irish rap group Kneecap, I encourage everyone to read the "Setting the Stage for Hate: Kneecap and Coachella's Collapse of Conscience" Opinion piece in the Hollywood Reporter HERE. Although this writer did not see any of that performance, I was contacted by many who knew I was at Coachella and concerned to see a performer spewing these hate-filled views at the festival. There is no place for this type of hate at Coachella.

Robert Kinsler

Coachella 2025: Weekend 1 sets the stage for Weekend 2 music making

Headed to Weekend 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival? In addition to catching well-known acts such as Lady Gaga, Green Day and the Go-Go's, there are more than 150 other artists scheduled to play over the three-day span (April 18-20). Here are some under-the-radar rock artists worth catching when they perform in Indio this weekend.

TOPS performing in the Sonora tent  
Photo credit: Coachella / YouTube

TOPS — Canadian indie rock troupe TOPS (singer Jane Penny, guitarist David Carriere, drummer Riley Fleck and keyboardist Marta Cikojevic) impressed throughout their 40-minute set in the Sonora tent on Friday afternoon; TOPS blended '80s and modern rock stylings into their own signature sound. The band's debut album Tender Opposites was released in 2012, and TOPS has since released three more full-length studio albums. 

Brian May at Coachella 2025.
Photo credit: Coachella /YouTube

Benson Boone — Performing on the Coachella Stage on Friday evening, rising singer-songwriter Benson Boone impressed in the early evening with a set that ended with an inspired cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and his own hit "Beautiful Things," both selections featuring guitar great Brian May in a surprise appearance. The sight of May playing guitar so masterfully was great to see; the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer suffered a minor stroke back in September 2024 that rendered him temporarily without the use of his left arm. At Coachella, May looked terrific and this writer hopes he makes an encore appearance Weekend 2. 

The Marias — The Los Angeles-based quartet made an eagerly-awaited return to Coachella last weekend, having last performed at the festival in 2022. The band delivered one of the best and most memorable sets of Weekend 1 with an incredible hour-long performance on the Outdoor Theatre stage on Friday night. Fans of Cocteau Twins, the Album Leaf and Zero 7 will all find something to love about the Marias' bewitching sound. 

Parcels performing on the Outdoor Theatre stage on April 11.
Photo credit: Coachella / YouTube

Parcels — Blending funk, electropop, disco, progressive and modern rock, Australian quintet Parcels defies easy categorization — and that's a good thing. At their performance last Friday night, the crowd danced and grooved to the group's infectious originals including "Tieduprightnow," "Safeandsound" (the latter featuring a fiery close recalling the power of Neil Young & Crazy Horse), infectious "Gamesofluck," shimmering "Somethinggreater," and harmonies-adorned ballad "Leaveyourlove."

Blonde Redhead — An enduring American rock outfit that blends psychedelic, dreamy alt rock, Baroque pop, shoegaze and art damage stylings, Blonde Redhead delivered a mesmerizing performance in the Sonora tent on Saturday. Catch them if you can when they return for Weekend 2.

The Beaches tearing it up at Coachella.
Photo credit: Coachella / YouTube

The Beaches — Canadian rock quartet the Beaches performed in a packed Gobi tent on Sunday afternoon, offering up a slew of catchy melodic rock originals over the course of 45 fast-moving minutes. The all-female rock outfit offers up a winning style that blends post-punk, melodic rock, dance rock and indie effortlessly; "Everything Is Boring," burning "Edge of the Earth" and fiery kiss-off "Blame Brett" were among the strong songs the Beaches tore through during their Weekend 1 set.

Information: Coachella.com.

Robert Kinsler

2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Preview

The Desert Star Weekly's contributing music writers Robert Kinsler and George A. Paul each highlight some of their must-see artists coming to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Taking place over consecutive weekends at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Coachellafest will be held April 11-13 and again April 18-20, 2024. This year's headliners are Lady Gaga, Charli xcx and Green Day. There are countless emerging and established artists performing this year equally worth catching this year.

Pictured: "Dancing In The Sky" 2024 art installation by Morag Myerscough.
Photo courtesy of Coachella / Photo credit: Lance Gerber

By Robert Kinsler and George A. Paul

The Desert Star Weekly’s contributing music writers spotlight some can’t miss music acts headed to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 11-13 and April 18-20. This year’s headliners are Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott. More than 150 established and emerging artists are scheduled to perform over the two consecutive weekends. 

Fridays, April 11 and 18

Photo credit: Frank Lebon

Lady Gaga — On the heels of the release of her seventh No. 1 album in a row, Mayhem (released last month), singer-songwriter/keyboardist Lady Gaga appears at Coachellafest for the first time since 2017. The influential New York City native and 14-time Grammy Award winner should thrill festivalgoers with her signature mix of dance, synth-pop, funk, disco, and rock. Among the new cuts she will surely feature in the Indio sets: "Disease" and "Abracadabra," the first two Mayhem singles and “Shallow” off the film soundtrack to “A Star is Born.” Read George A. Paul's review of the new book titled "Lady Gaga is Life: A Superfan's Guide to All Things We Love about Lady Gaga" HERE. (RK)

The Marias / photo credit: Jaxon Whittington

The Marias — The Los Angeles-based quartet make an eagerly-awaited return to Coachella, having last performed here in 2022. The Marias just dropped new tracks “Back to Me” and “Nobody New.” The latter was co-written by Benny Blanco and follows The Marias’ appearance on Blanco & Selena Gomez’s current charter “Ojos Tristes.” The troupe's ’24 album Submarine included gold-certified hit “No One Noticed” and such enticing tracks as the hypnotic "Hamptons," immersive "Echo," dance-minded "Blur" and Spanish language delight "Lejos de Ti," which recalls the sonic magic of '80s favorite Cocteau Twins. (RK)

Go-Go’s — Initially part of the LA punk music scene during the late 1970s, the Go-Go’s broke new ground when they became the first all-female band to write and perform everything on a No. 1 album (1981’s pop-leaning, double platinum debut Beauty and the Beat). The quintet notched indelible hit singles like “Our Lips are Sealed,” “We Got the Beat,” “Vacation,” and “Head Over Heels,” later serving as inspiration for Bikini Kill. HAIM, The Linda Lindas, and others. Various reunions have happened over the years. The Go-Go’s were the subject of an acclaimed documentary in 2020 and they unveiled a spirited “Club Zero,” the first new song in decades. Since Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong co-wrote/played on 2001’s God Bless the Go-Go’s, could a guest appearance be in store at Empire Polo? (GAP)

Saturdays, April 12 and 19

Green Day / Photo credit: Alice Baxley

Green Day — This California trio helped spearhead the Nineties punk revival via massively successful album Dookie and hit singles “Basket Case,” “Longview,” “Welcome to Paradise” and “When I Come Around. The musicians subsequently appeared at most major music festivals around the world but somehow hadn’t played Coachella (although frontman Billie Joe Armstrong did do a memorable guest spot with the Replacements in 2014) until now. Last year saw the incisive, compelling new studio album Saviors, sporting timely rocker “The American Dream is Killing Me.” Then the excellent American Idiot 20^th Anniversary reissues arrived. The highly recommended super deluxe box set features a wealth of unreleased demos, live tracks (from Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe, VHI Storytellers, a full American Idiot live run through at NYC’s Irving Plaza), rare B-sides, 2 Blu-rays with compelling documentaries, memorabilia, detailed liner notes and more. (GAP)

    

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast at Coachella in April 2022.
Photo credit: Julian Bajsel / Getty Images for Coachella

Japanese Breakfast — The moniker for singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast was clearly a wonderful discovery for many music fans at Coachella ‘22. With the release of Zauner's bewitching fourth album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) last month, Japanese Breakfast will likely attract even more attention this time around. There is a dreamy quality across the new material and the singular setting afforded by the Empire Polo Field should bring even more magic to gems such as "Here is Someone," "Orlando in Love" and "Magic Mountain." (RK) 

Jimmy Eat World / Photo credit: Jimi Giannatti

Jimmy Eat World — Hailing from Arizona, Jimmy Eat World formed in 1993 and came to national prominence eight years later with the stellar, platinum-selling fourth album Bleed American. The Mesa band’s emotionally driven brand of alt-rock led to modern rock radio staples like “The Middle” (a Top 5 pop crossover among Spotify’s Billions Club), “Sweetness,” “Pain” and “Work.” Jimmy Eat World’s last studio album, 2019’s Surviving, featured guests Davey Havok (AFI) and James King (Fitz and the Tantrums). The quartet – which previously played Coachella ‘11 – recently put out the Phoenix Sessions, derived from three engaging 2021 entire album livestream performances, on limited edition vinyl. Each “reimagined” title reveals subtle new sonic nuances from playing the songs on the road for years. Multiple photos are included. The Futures 2LP gatefold features a detailed recollection by the band about the original album creation alongside producer Gil Norton. Chances are good fans will hear recent single “Something Loud” live in Indio. (GAP)  

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

Weezer (Weekend 1 Only) — Rivers Cuomo and company were just added to the 2025 Coachella lineup late last weekend; the Los Angeles-spawned band is slated to appear at 3:10 p.m. on the Mojave Stage on Saturday for Weekend One. Weezer last appeared at the festival in 2019 and delivered memorable sets featuring original material and artful remakes at each of the band's weekend sets. (RK)

Ed Sheeran (Weekend 2 Only) – For the first time since surprise performers started being added to the Weekend 1 lineup (Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire), Weekend 2 attendees finally get to enjoy one too. The British pop superstar – who headlined Dodger Stadium in 2024 and is best known for such Billboard top 5 singles as “Shape of You,” “Perfect,” “Thinking Out Loud,” “Bad Habits” and “I Don’t Care” will appear in the Mojave tent. Expect to hear the festive, Middle Eastern-tinged new single “Azizam” in the singer/guitarist’s set. (GAP)

Sundays, April 13 and 20

Kraftwerk / Photo credit: Falcon Publicity

Kraftwerk — The term “pioneer” often gets bandied around, but Kraftwerk truly fits the bill. If Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider hadn’t started the German electronic music band in 1970, the Eighties new wave, alternative, rap and EDM landscapes might’ve sounded far different. Kraftwerk has been sampled by Dr. Dre, Afrika Bambaata & Soulsonic Force and Busta Rhymes. Additionally, everyone from David Bowie, Depeche Mode and Duran Duran to Bjork, The Prodigy and Daft Punk have cited the Dusseldorf musicians as an influence. Previously performing at the 2004 and ’08 Coachellas (where it rivaled Prince for the event standout), the Indio sets arrive on the back of a nine night Walt Disney Hall in 2024 stand. (GAP) 

Information: Coachella.com.

Coachella 2025 Lineup is here; Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone to headline

The lineup for Coachella 2025 has just been announced! Lady Gaga is the headliner on Friday nights, April 11 and 18; Green Day is set to rock Indio on Saturdays, April 12 and 19; Post Malone will be front and center on the main stage on Sundays, April 13 and April 20. 

Maria Zardoya of The Marias performing at Coachella in April 2022.
Photo credit: Beth Sarah / Getty Images For Coachella

Japanese Breakfast / Photography by Peter Ash Lee

Other highly-anticipated artists set to perform at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA include the Marias, the Prodigy, Japanese Breakfast, Kraftwerk, Jimmy Eat World and Huntington Beach-based Ginger Root.

Below is the official media release from Goldenvoice:

Lady Gaga performing on April
22, 2017.
Photo: Greg Noire courtesy
of Goldenvoice

Los Angeles, CA (November 20, 2025) – Coachella returns to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA for two weekends set for April 11 – 13 and April 18 – 20, 2025 with Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone performing a career retrospective set, and Travis Scott + many more. 

Presale begins Friday, November 22, 2024 at 11am PT. 2023/2024 attendees and purchasers get early access starting Thursday, November 21 at 11am PT. For your best chance at passes, look to Weekend 2. This is a presale and does not guarantee pass type, packages or camping.

New for 2025: VIP areas adjacent to the Outdoor Theater and Sahara offer specialty drinks, added bars, shaded lounges, flushable restrooms and more amenities to be announced later. Plus, additional camping options include Ready-Set and La Campana tent camping for fans looking for more comfort during their desert stay. 

YouTube returns in 2025 as the exclusive livestream partner for both Coachella weekends on our official YouTube channel; bringing the legendary performances and so much more to millions of music fans across the globe.

Official Hotel Packages that bundle festival passes with local lodging and transportation are available for Weekend 1 and Weekend 2, sold exclusively through Valley Music Travel. 

For more festival information and updates, please visit coachella.com. 

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ABOUT GOLDENVOICE 

Goldenvoice, creators of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival, operates successful Los Angeles and Bay Area music venues including the Fonda Theatre, The Roxy Theatre, El Rey Theatre, The Novo, Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, The Regency Ballroom and The Warfield. Goldenvoice holds exclusive booking deals at Brookside at The Rose Bowl, Santa Barbara Bowl, Mountain Winery and Frost Amphitheatre. They also have produced events such as Desert Trip, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Cruel World, Just Like Heaven, Power Trip and many more. Beginning as an independent punk rock promoter in the early 1980s, Goldenvoice grew to be the preeminent alternative promoter in Southern California by forging strong relationships with both bands and music fans. Currently, Goldenvoice promotes over 2,000 concerts a year in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada plus recently adding North American tours to their growing list of accomplishments. For additional info, please visit www.Goldenvoice.com.