COACHELLA OFF, STAGECOACH RISING
That’s according to Goldenvoice promoter Paul Tollett, whose Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival drew 30,000 fewer people than in 2007, while the following week’s Stagecoach Country Music Festival more than doubled its size in its second year.
The internationally acclaimed festivals were held April 25-27 and May 2-4, respectively, at the Empire Polo Club in
Coachella, headlined by Jack Johnson, Prince and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, drew 150,000 people, well below the record of 180k set in 2007.
Stagecoach, headlined by The Eagles, Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw, drew 120,000 people, exceeding its first year attendance of 55,000.
Stagecoach was expanded from two to three days, but its daily averages also far exceeded last year’s daily attendance.
The Eagles, added as first-day headliners after the announcement of the initial Stagecoach lineup, were making their first country musical festival appearance on the heels of their first new studio album since 1979.
Prince apparently bumped up the Coachella attendance, with the Saturday lineup he headlined drawing 60,000 alone.
