17-18-19/04/2026

Coachella Festival 2026 - Weekend 2

Indio, California

by Claudio Lancia

Second weekend of Coachella Festival 2026, April 17-18-19. The lineup is virtually identical to that of the previous week, with very few changes, among them confirmation that Jack White will not repeat the concert from seven days earlier, as had been announced right under that date. Also notable is the absence, for health reasons, of Ukrainian-Canadian producer Rezz, who in weekend 1 wowed everyone with a deeply hypnotic light show.

This second round is marked by an extremely high number of major guest appearances, a choice driven by the need to keep the shows varied. And what guests! Sabrina Carpenter brought out Madonna for a quarter of an hour, performing "Vogue" and "Like A Prayer" with her, as well as the unreleased "Bring Your Love". Olivia Rodrigo joined Addison Rae for two songs, including the brand-new single "Drop Dead", making its absolute live debut. The pyrotechnic urban-Latin show by Karol G featured – among others – Peso Pluma and J Balvin; while PinkPantheress was joined on stage by Zara Larsson, Blood Orange and Janelle Monae.

In short, Coachella pulled out every possible stop (and money is certainly no object…) to confirm itself as the most astonishing musical funfair on the planet, and it succeeded perfectly. The trendiest, most fashionable festival, the one that captures the attention of influencers and those who follow them daily, an extremely pricey event, certainly not accessible to everyone, but also one that guarantees meticulously produced shows and endless surprises. By now it has also become the most televisual of festivals, thanks to the wonderful video coverage that can be comfortably enjoyed (for free) from home on your smartphone, using the official app, which offers seven channels, each dedicated to one of the festival's stages. Full live coverage is guaranteed first, followed by streaming access for the following 24 hours. This weekend too we followed around twenty sets, and below we offer scattered notes, ratings and setlists. Enjoy the read!

Anyma

Postponed due to strong winds during the first weekend, Anyma's hugely anticipated, futuristic light show – which closes out the festival's first day – goes ahead as planned this time. As well-informed sources had predicted, the show marks a genuine turning point, a 2.0 version of anything ever seen before in the world of video art applied to music. It's not a conventional dj set, but rather a hyper-realistic audio-visual spectacle, packed with references to Ancient Rome and mythology, such as virtual colonnades rising up amid the crowd, later destroyed by a living statue. Illustrious guests ready to lend their featuring? Of course there are, and top-tier ones too, starting with Matt Bellamy of Muse and closing with Thai superstar Lisa, formerly of Blackpink, who performs facing a supernatural version of herself, a gigantic hologram hovering above the arena. And then there's also the music, and you'll find the setlist on this page. It's hard to ask for more than this. For those who don't know, Anyma's real name is Matteo Milleri, born in New York but with thoroughly Italian blood running through his veins, married until 2023 to Italian model Vittoria Ceretti, and later partner of Grimes. In short, things are never boring around Anyma… Rating: 10

Turnstile

Many people have by now had the chance to see them live, they've been constantly on tour since releasing "Never Enough", but Turnstile in live form always makes quite an impact. They win the title of best rock act of this Coachella edition hands down, even though they haven't been talked about all that much in the specialist press, overshadowed by the new hype of the moment, namely Geese, who are excellent too, as we wrote last week. But, ladies and gentlemen, there's no contest: Turnstile continue to deliver an energetic impact that recalls the best moments of Rage Against The Machine. They are a true force of nature. Let's hope they don't get watered down as time goes by. Rating: 9

Blood Orange

This is the only show we're returning to write about a week later, because Blood Orange – as we've come to understand – is an artist who needs to be left to settle, calmly, and he keeps gaining credibility and authority. The video footage of the circular stage shot from above is a spectacle within the spectacle. A show of great density, for which Blood Orange too (like many of his peers) doesn't skimp on the guest lineup: Brendan Yates, who had just finished his set with Turnstile, and Empress Of. Rating: 8.5

Iggy Pop

Powerful and forceful, a performance made entirely of nerve and electricity, as if time had stopped for him back in the first half of the Seventies. A vigorous band made up of what could be Iggy's grandchildren, including a genuinely excellent guitarist. Classic after classic goes by, wild horns, a voice unaltered despite a lifetime of excess, head and shoulders above all the other rock evergreens of Sunday's lineup, among them Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies. Truly not bad, especially for the nostalgics present at the festival. Iggy closes by showing his bare backside to the crowd. Rock'n'roll will never die. Immortal. Rating: 8

Strokes

An institution of the indie-rock scene. The band is really in great shape, lovely guitar interplay duly highlighted by extremely attentive camera direction (the director is probably a fan, since he doesn't miss a single passage), a sound that has been hugely influential, songs that are by now an integral part of the collective memory of the 2000s. Julian Casablancas struggles a little with his voice at times, but avoids effects and tries to push through without any "help". The show flows along wonderfully, but why all those pauses between songs? Perhaps precisely to let Julian avoid overtaxing himself? On "Oblivius" they close with footage projected on the big screens of deposed U.S. presidents, the war in Iran, and the destruction of Gaza's last remaining university. Important messages against U.S. imperialism, from an American band, on American soil. Rating: 8

Slayyyter

Slayyyter's electroclash takes on a far more rock-oriented edge in a live setting, with touches that even veer into industrial territory. The songs from the new album "Wor$t Girl In America" translate extremely well live, with the added bonus of a "Yes Goddd" capable of winning over even the most "alternative" crowd. A set that cements Slayyyter's status in the eyes of the world, making the most of the Coachella megaphone. Score: 7.5

Little Simz

Little Simz is here to remind the Coachella crowd that you can play excellent music without dressing like you're on a Victoria's Secret runway. She's no longer surrounded by the hype of a few years back, and she's enjoying herself all the more for it. One of the most credible heirs to Erykah Badu's throne. Score: 7.5

Kettama

A powerful techno set with a strong melodic streak. He throws everything into the mix, from Robert Myles to Turnstile. Among the many DJ sets that have played out over these three days, this is the first one we'd flag up. Score: 7.5

Wet Leg

The songs from "Moisturizer" have given the duo extra energy and sexy charge, and over the years they've also gained a firmer grip on the stage. More and more convincing. I don't think there's anyone left who could still write them off as a mere flash in the pan. Score: 7

Sombr

He passes the live test with flying colours, after having only half-convinced us on record. The hype surrounding Sombr is sky-high, and he plays his cards well, coming across as a new glam phenomenon with tremendous attention to melody and stadium-sized choruses. He brings out Billy Idol to duet on "Eyes Without A Face". Billy struggles quite a bit, but thankfully Sombr is there to keep things on track. Score: 7

Teddy Swims

He cruises along at a steady pace, hopping from genre to genre, then pulls off a masterstroke at the end: David Lee Roth, who wins over the Coachella crowd — and all of us — with "Jump". Posthumously reappraised. Score: 7

Youna

Another DJ set worth mentioning, courtesy of the South Korean producer. More fun than plenty of other, far bigger names on the bill. Score: 7

Royel Otis

Royel Otis are good, likeable, catchy, and a real pleasure to watch live with a spritz in hand. I'd dare say they're perfect for the Coachella crowd looking for some solid indie-rock. Their intense touring activity over the past two years has quickly made them a sure thing there. Score: 6.5

Holly Humberstone

Part of the singer-songwriter-with-guitar contingent, 26-year-old Holly Humberstone from Nottingham sings these songs with great grace, and they slowly creep under your skin. At times she comes across as a Taylor Swift fronting a soft-rock band. Which is more or less exactly what Taylor Swift used to do before the pop hits took over. Well done, Holly. We'll be keeping an eye on you. Score: 6.5

Lykke Li

Constantly chasing intensity, but the show never quite manages to take off. Lykke Li is one of those artists we'd expect to be operating at a much higher level by now. But maybe this is exactly the level she needs to keep doing whatever she wants. Score: 6.5

Suicidal Tendencies

Time hasn't taken an ounce of ferocity away from these guys. Maybe a touch out of place here at Coachella, where everything is too trendy for a band like Suicidal Tendencies. They remain far from the brilliant heights of Iggy Pop, whom we discussed a little earlier. Still, they make the "alternative" crowd very happy, alongside Black Flag. Score: 6.5

Katseye

An ultra-pop "global" girl-group phenomenon, basically a multinational corporation assembled by design, with members from the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland and the United States. It sounds like the setup for a joke, but beyond the six girls' obvious appeal, there's something more to be found here too. Maybe one of them will eventually become the new Beyoncé. Who knows... Score: 6

Bini

Another girl group hugely acclaimed by the Coachella crowd, though in this case the members all come from one place: the Philippines. Meticulous choreography, super-pop songs, and a genuinely massive fanbase. The future is theirs. So is the present. Score: 6

Justin Bieber

He performs on the same circular stage as Blood Orange, but while Blood Orange's band seemed unsure how to fit all their instruments onstage, so dense was the arrangement, Justin instead takes up all the space, quite comfortably. Two-thirds of the show is devoted to songs from his two most recent albums, the two volumes of "SWAG", records that are hardly essential or irresistible. In the middle of the set he places a six-song acoustic section, perhaps a bit too long unless you're a true Bieber fan. His performance is bolstered by appearances from Billie Eilish, Sexy Red, SZA and Big Sean: a considerable effort that produces a mouse. The only truly interesting moments come during the two occasions when Justin allows himself to be embraced by the adoring crowd along the barrier. Too bad everyone seems more intent on filming the moment on their smartphone than actually trying to embrace the artist. Still, it will likely end up being one of the most-watched sets among those streaming from home. Score: 5

Brief closing thoughts

On the evening of Monday, April 20th, just a few hours after the festival wrapped up, a message arrives for everyone who installed the app to follow the lineup's events. Very kindly, the message announces the dates for the 2027 edition and warns that tickets and accommodation will soon be available for purchase. So let's see how much these precious tickets cost...

The 3 Night Stay for the First Weekend of 2027 costs 513.72 euros per night, per person, including three-day admission to the Festival (Coachella has no daily tickets) and three nights in a hotel. Two people would therefore spend a total of 3,082.35 euros.

If you'd rather opt for one extra night, the 4 Night Stay costs 458.78 euros per night, per person. Two people would therefore spend a total of 3,670.24 euros. Naturally, VIP tickets, which grant access to reserved areas, cost considerably more.

The camping package, in a comfortable, super-spacious tent, costs 1,650.56 euros per night, per person. Two people for four nights would therefore spend a total of 13,204.50 euros. But there's no point rushing: the tents sold out within minutes...

A shame prices are so high for a show that should be as accessible as possible to everyone. It's truly absurd, considering that here in Europe there are some wonderful festivals, with similar line-ups, at decidedly more humane prices.

Next year too, we'll be watching Coachella comfortably from home...

Ride the wave of great music

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This article is an English translation of the original Italian text by Claudio Lancia, published on OndaRock.it. It was translated with the help of artificial intelligence, under the editorial responsibility of OndaRock's editor-in-chief, Claudio Fabretti.

Read the original in Italian · About the English edition

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