Coachella 2016 Review

Anonymous, Staff Writer

Every year, the two Coachella weekends of April are highly anticipated for many Marymount music lovers; yet, the festival is sometimes frowned upon by some of our teachers. So is it really worth going to the proclaimed event of Coachella?

Our answer is… YES! Coachella is a weekend filled with amazing musicians ranging from extremely relaxing bands like Lord Huron, to crazy DJs, like Zedd. This year, we attended Weekend 2 of Coachella, which was extremely crowded with around 99,000 people per day.

Many of the popular musicians this year included:

  • DJs: Zedd, Disclosure, RL Grime, Chainsmokers, Snakehips, Flume, and Calvin Harris.
  • Bands/Solo Artists: Of Monsters and Men, Ellie Goulding, James Bay, A$AP Rocky, G Eazy, BØRNS, Halsey, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Cold War Kids, and the 1975, among others.

Guns N’ Roses, one of the headliners this year, took the main stage Saturday for 2.5 hours! Even though Axl Rose sat injured throughout his entire set, his voice was completely flawless. Despite being fifty-four years old, he sang just as well as when his albums first came out. Guns N’ Roses did not miss a beat and sang with the same intensity and spunk they had in their early days. Calvin Harris was another popular headliner who ended Coachella on Sunday night with a huge crowd and special guest Big Sean with his girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from the audience. Finally, LCD Soundsystem, another headliner, put on a great show!

Even though Coachella is widely known for its music, there were many more aspects to the festival that made it very exhilarating and appealing. First, the food was amazing, and there were innumerable options. Many of the most popular items included popsicles, watermelon, mac and cheese, and pizza. Second, there were beautifully crafted artistic installations that brought an entire different element to the scene, making the venue come to life. Third, there was always something to do, whether it was sitting on the grass relaxing, listening to music at the outdoor stage, dancing with thousands of people in the various tents, or going crazy while being sprayed with water in the Do LaB.


Although Coachella was an amazing experience, there were few downsides:

  • The DUST! I don’t know if you have all heard about this, but the Coachella illness is real and has been spreading around. We came back from the festival with fevers and colds that persisted for a week even after arriving home. After being congested in fields of people with the desert sand filling your lungs each time you scream or sing, it was impossible not to get a sore throat. If you go next year, make sure to bring a bandana to protect your lungs, and don’t forget to drink tons of water.
  • Watch out, short people! At a solid 5 feet, I was often unable to see the artist while immersed in the dense crowd, which made the atmosphere a little less surreal. However, if you manage your time well, you can get to the front of your favorite artists.

Despite these few flaws, our experience at Coachella was fantastic and we recommend it for those looking for new adventures. However, make sure to stay on top of all your assignments if you plan to go next year!