COACHELLA DAY 3: FRANKLY DRAMATIC (UPDATE)
Nicole Ghapgharan provided additional material for this update; scroll down.
Coachella bid us adieu on Sunday night (4/17)—but just for a few days; the annual desert romp will return to the Empire Polo Club next weekend (4/21-23) with more meme-able moments (and perhaps an accompanying hangover for all those who maybe took it a tiny bit too far).
But Weekend 1 provided enough watercooler talk to last the week, including about Frank Ocean's first performance in seven years. Fans started to panic when they discovered signs reading, "NO FRANK OCEAN MERCHANDISE" at the merch booths. The panic was only heightened when they learned his set wouldn't be livestreamed either, leading many to wonder: Will he actually show up?
About an hour after Ocean was scheduled to hit the stage, the elusive Odd Future alum finally materialized, albeit not in the traditional sense; the stage had been transformed into one giant screen, creating the illusion that he was singing from a recording studio. For roughly 90 minutes, Ocean performed a catalog-spanning set, including "Night," "Nike," "Pink + White," "Solo" and "Chanel." Shortly after midnight, he announced from backstage, "Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show.” Still, there was a sense he'd appeased his oh-so-patient fan base and that the faithful went home happy.
🤍 wishing you godspeed 🤍 pic.twitter.com/MXRPL0h2BK
— Frank Ocean Daily (@TeamFrankDaily) April 17, 2023
Day 3 elicited plenty of other internet fodder, like Björk's otherworldly symphonic set. Backed by a Hollywood string ensemble conducted by Bjarni Frimann, the Icelandic sprite sang some of her most beloved hits, including "Joga,” “Quicksand" and “Isobel."
On the other end of the spectrum was a spirited performance by CMG's GloRilla, who brought out special guests Lil Durk for "Ex's" and "Back in Blood" and Moneybagg Yo for "On Wat U On." At the Sahara Tent, Streamcut/RCA's Latto was joined by TiaCorine for “FreakyT,” Lola Brooke for “Don’t Play With It” and Saweetie for the remix of “Bitch From da Souf.”
Other highlights of the final day of desert shenanigans included Porter Robinson, who concluded his Nurture tour with his Coachella set. He brought out Madeon to perform their hit, “Shelter.”
Kali Uchis, in all her R&B glory, put on a banner show with surprise guests like Tyler, The Creator, Omar Apollo and Don Toliver. The Colombian American artist opened with “Telepatía” before diving into songs like “See You Again,” "Worth the Wait” and “Fantasy.” And to top it all off, she teased her upcoming, Spanish-language album.
Dominic Fike lit up the Outdoor Stage and despite now being sober, which he proudly mentioned mid-set, brought the wavy vibes for everyone else. No, seriously—I’ve never inhaled so much smoke.
Taking over the Mojave Stage and surrounding area, WILLOW rocked the fuck out. Her killer set started with “transparent soul” and also featured tracks like “Falling Endlessly,” “psychofreak,” “Meet Me at Our Spot” and “Summertime in Paris,” which was performed with her brother, Jaden Smith.
As expected, Chris Lake & Fisher’s back-to-back set was one for the books. The dynamic duo knows how to make the crowd dance; heavy bass and infectious beats nearly kept me from schlepping to Frank Ocean, and honestly, I wish I hadn't.
Given the wide array of artists on the schedule, there was truly something for everyone. Bring on Weekend 2—but remember to be kind to your liver. Click here to purchase passes.
