Sabrina Carpenter’s Hollywood story, Katseye’s ‘Golden’ moment and the best of Coachella Day 1

Music. Art. Fashion. Fun. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival returns to the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., for its 25th anniversary, with a sold-out crowd for its twin weekends and millions of people watching the livestream from home.

Our team is in the field to capture what it’s really like to be at Coachella, from the biggest stars on stage to the only-at-the-festival vibes of the field.

“How you feeling, Sabrinawood?” Sabrina Carpenter asked as she gazed out at the tens of thousands of fans she’d gathered into a makeshift city Friday night. “I can’t believe I’m headlining Coachella.

“I mean, I can a little bit.”

Turnstile’s set on the Outdoor Theatre Friday night had some unexpectedly poignant moments from the Baltimore band with hardcore roots.

Before the band took the stage, there was footage of interviews with fans and also a previously recorded message from Bill Yates, the father of Turnstile singer Brendan Yates.

“We love you, Turnstile loves you and enjoy the ride,” he said.

The elder Yates was recently injured after he was allegedly intentionally hit by a car driven by the band’s ex-guitarist Brady Ebert, who was arrested with charges of attempted murder in the second degree and first-degree assault.

During the set the cameras also focused on a red tape heart on an amp around the name “Bo,” a nod to Bo Lueders, the guitarist and co-founder of Chicago hardcore band Harm’s Way who died last week.

Brendan Yates, lead singer of Turnstile, jumped into the crowd during the band’s set at Coachella on Friday night.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Beyond those moments, the band played a 55-minute set split between its last two albums, 2025’s “Never Enough” and 2021’s “Glow On,” in a condensed version of the tour they brought through Southern California last fall. Highlights included “Seein’ Stars” off the latest record, where Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes joined the band on the cello before his own late night set in the Mojave Tent, “Mystery” and “Holiday” off “Glow On” and set-closer “Birds,” which won a Grammy earlier this year.

The fans were into it. At one point I counted three separate mosh pits when the camera filmed the crowd.

The EDM artist Anyma has canceled his much-anticipated Friday main stage set due to high winds.

“Due to strong wind conditions affecting Anyma’s stage build, he is unable to perform. Coachella & Anyma have made this decision together with your safety as the priority,” the fest wrote in a message on its app early Saturday morning.

Anyma, the alias of producer Matteo Milleri, was slated to debut a new tour “Aeden,” at Coachella this year.

Katseye was one of the big draws of Day 1 of Coachella 2026 and the girl group’s Friday night Sahara Tent set was overflowing, to say the least. Check out our images from the performance.

Katseye performs in the Sahara Tent during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 10, 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Fans watch Katseye perform at the Sahara Tent during Coachella.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Katseye performs Friday night at Coachella 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Fans watch Katseye perform at the Sahara stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 10, 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Some artists don’t allow press to photograph them at their shows or at festivals like Coachella. When that happens, I break out my pen and notepad. Unfortunately for them, I’m not an artist.

Sabrina Carpenter said no photos for her headlining set at Coachella, so I created an artistic representation of the point during her set that was giving “A Chorus Line” auditions mixed with Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted” video.

Carpenter and her dancers were dressed like they were at a dance audition and the stage had scaffolding.

Katseye proved no this ain’t their debut at their first Coachella performance, bringing out Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami for a kinetic performance of “Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters.” Despite the absence of Manon, the girl group packed the festival field with Eyekons packed shoulder to shoulder as far as the Do Lab.

VIDEO | 02:28

Katseye performs ‘Golden’ with ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ at Coachella

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It’s been eight years since The xx performed together as a band, but it sure didn’t feel like it when the U.K. trio took the Main stage on Friday.

For one, the members haven’t exactly disappeared. Producer/drummer Jamie xx is a festival mainstay and one of the most sophisticated, exultant DJ’s working. Romy Madley Croft became a sapphic-nightlife sovereign in 2023 with the clubby “Mid Air,” after Sim’s own minimalist, horror-streaked “Hideous Bastard.”

One of the best parts of Coachella is catching the sherbet-colored sunset at the end of the day, not just because cooler temps are ahead but because of the Lisa Frank explosion of colors that bleed into the horizon as it shifts to night. That event was made all the sweeter today when I paired the actual sunset with the Coachella sunset cocktail, which layers citrus and a speared kumquat with tequila, served in a branded cup that doubles as a souvenir.

Look, it’s a very different Coachella than when we last saw Devo here in 2010. The Mojave Tent should have been more packed for these legends.

However, those of us who hightailed it here were treated to a set of the band’s best. Early on in the performance the band played “Girl U Want” into “Whip It” and during the latter, Mark Mothersbaugh tossed a handful of red “energy domes” — you know them as the Devo flowerpot hats — into the crowd.

Similar to Bini earlier, Devo had a costume change from the navy worksuits into their signature yellow Devo suits for a rousing performance of “Uncontrollable Urge.” There was even some choreography.

Finally! Coachella has its own version of the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction from Disneyland — and it comes from the most unlikely of artists: British alt rockers Radiohead.

Here’s what I mean by that.

Say you’re in search of an air-conditioned place to rest your weary feet while a visual and musical spectacle plays out before you, where do you go? If you’re a parent taking your kid to the happiest place on earth, you go to the Enchanted Tiki Room. If you’re a desert festivalgoer in Indio, you go to the Bunker.

Tip: The ushers appeared to be letting festivalgoers into the experience throughout the runtime of the movie, so there’s a possibility you’ll be able to get in even if you didn’t land one of the scarce time slots. And seeing as how the experience was only about a quarter of the way full by the time it ended, you might be in luck.

Teddy Swims’ set is the all-star showcase to beat so far. The face-tatted soul-rock singer brought out Joe Jonas (to duet on the Jonas Brothers’ “When You Look Me in the Eyes”), Vanessa Carlton (for a collab on her “A Thousand Miles”) and none other than David Lee Roth (to sing Van Halen’s “Jump”). Roth even brought one of his signature swords for the occasion.

Filipina girl group Bini made their Coachella debut Friday. Check out images from the group’s set and read our interview with the group.

Bini performs on the Mojave stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Friday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Fans scream as Bini performs on the Mojave stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Bini, wearing coordinated denim outfits, performs on the Mojave stage.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Bibi performs during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

When I heard that Korean hot sauce brand Buldak was collaborating on a handful of dishes with Coachella food vendors for a social media heat challenge, I had to participate. Personally, I’m a medium Thai spicy girl, but I can appreciate layered heat, and when chefs manage to make complex dishes without the spice overpowering other flavors.

I tried three of the five dishes and here’s my ranking:

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1. Buldak Bomb from Birrieria San Marcos: The birria quesadilla is infused with the sauce and served with a consommé that also features the tangy hot sauce. The birria is tender and flavorful, the cheese is gooey and hot, and the Buldak sauce provides slow-building heat that forces you to stop and savor each bite. The quesadilla comes with a side of red onions and a lemon wedge for a crunchy textural contrast and some acid, respectively.
   
2. Godzilla from Sumo Dog: This footlong hot dog comes with a fork and knife, and is piled high with strips of seaweed, jalapeño slices and a Buldak ranch sauce drizzled on top. This dish is the least spicy of the three, but a solid hot dog nonetheless, with a snappy sausage and a squishy bun.
   
3. Spicy marinara pie with Buldak ranch sauce from Prince Street Pizza: The spicy ranch sauce is my favorite part of this mediocre pie. It’s creamy with bits of fresh dill, brightening an otherwise forgettable slice of pizza.

Teddy Swims has had a set on the main stage filled with special guests. I’m typing away in the press tent and heard the roar for the latest one — Vanessa Carlton.

They’re doing a duet on her biggest hit, millennial anthem “A Thousand Miles.”

Our team hasn’t hit 1,000 miles yet for the day, but we’re into many thousands of steps.

The gentle breeze from earlier in the day has picked up. I had to hold on to my hat as I made my way across the field. Another sign that the wind and dust advisory is real? I have yet to see Coachella’s famous balloon chain.

Even though it’s not up now, you can read all about the balloon chain and the art that shaped Coachella’s first 25 years.

If Bini’s packed afternoon set at the Mojave Tent is any indication, everyone in the crowd is going to brag about how they saw the pop group from the Philippines on a small stage way back when.

A half dozen dancers appeared on stage, flipping and leaping until the members of Bini joined them, clad in gold costumes for set opener “Shagidi.”

By the next song, “Zero Pressure,” the dancers had left and the group had a costume change into sparkly blue bikini-like costumes with glittering fringe.

The dancers came back and this was the choreographed dance party I needed to pump me up for the Coachella afternoon.

I spotted people waving flags of the Philippines in the crowd early on and a very excited fan cheering joyfully when she saw them as she entered the guest viewing area.

The group acknowledged everyone watching along on the livestream at home, too.

Bini’s fans had been pumping them up all over social media and encouraging people to watch the stream.

Coachella is never cheap, much less this year’s sold-out edition with the long-awaited live return of Justin Bieber. But if you’re looking to score a last-minute pass, you likely lost your swag when you saw the resale prices on secondary sites like StubHub.

As of Friday afternoon, you’ll pay between $4,000 and $5,000 for a sold-out weekend one GA pass on StubHub. (Prices are lower for weekend two on Coachella’s official resale site. Weekend one tickets originally retailed for $649).

Blood Orange plays the Mojave Tent from 11:55 p.m.-12:45 a.m. Friday, April 10. We talked to Dev Hynes before the release of “Essex Honey.”

It’s a Friday in New York City, where Devonte Hynes, otherwise known as Blood Orange, is tucked away in his apartment. The afternoon sun has just begun to peer through his windows, revealing stacks of books with a black cello case gently leaning against them.

Radiohead isn’t playing Coachella this year — but the English art-rock band is still here.

The desert festival has a new space for 2026 called the Bunker, which Radiohead has taken over to premiere an audiovisual installation that looks back at its albums “Kid A” and “Amnesiac” on the occasion of both albums’ turning a quarter-century old.

With an elaborate horn intro and fanfare, L.A.’s beloved Bob Baker Marionette Theater made its Coachella debut in the Gobi Tent Friday afternoon.

Our emcee for the afternoon, Pink Cat, a pale pink feline marionette with a glittery neck piece kicked things off with a song, joined by a multicolored rainbow parade of marionettes that were somewhere between Cousin Itt of the Addams Family and the old McDonald’s Fry Guys for a discofied rendition of “I Got Rhythm.”

I feel like I am watching one of those colorful and insane ‘70s variety shows in real time. (Complimentary.)

Pink Cat introduced a special guest, Geese, a few songs in. The crowd cheered thinking it was the band but it was actually marionettes of geese.

After an appearance by Dracula, we got Frankenstein’s monster and Dr. Frankenstein doing “Puttin’ On the Ritz” à la Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein” and this might be one of the most memorable things I have ever seen at Coachella.

Katseye plays the Sahara Tent from 8-8:45 p.m. Friday, April 10. We caught up with Katseye in late 2025.

Almost every Katseye performance begins the same way. The bass notes of the girl group’s first single “Debut” echo through the venue, bright stage lights shine on its members and a screaming crowd nearly drowns out their vocals.

Turnstile plays the Outdoor Theatre from 8:05-9 p.m. Friday, April 10. We talked to the band before the release of “Never Enough.”

Brendan Yates says he’s learned innumerable things fronting his band Turnstile over the last decade and a half, not the least of which is that an ambitious musician needn’t move to Los Angeles or New York to make it.

The gates are open at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday, April 10, 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

While there are plenty of new large-scale art installations at Coachella this year, an old favorite remains. “Spectra,” the rainbow-colored tower, greets fans as they walk into the festival’s main gate just past the Ferris wheel.

It’s early afternoon on Day One of Coachella and despite feeling like it’s over 100 degrees (actual temp: 90), I’m off to a good start.

I toured through the disco-inspired Electrolit activation for a free sample of the electrolyte-packed beverage and then high tailed it to the almost-empty VIP Rose Garden to sit at KazuNori’s hand roll counter, which typically involves a wait. But thanks to my ace planning, I was first in line and sat at the counter within minutes. I ordered a set of five hand rolls, which came out so fast I was only able to snap haphazard photos and video. Either way, each roll — warm and packed with scallops, toro and lobster — was delicious and refreshing, with plenty of omega-3s to power me through the rest of the day.

Now that my hunger is sated, time for an Aperol spritz! Cheers!

Updated April 16 for Coachella Weekend 2.

Sabrina Carpenter is back to headline the first day of Weekend 2 at Coachella 2026 at 9 p.m. Friday. She brought “Sabrinawood” to the desert alongside Susan Sarandon and some classic cars for Weekend 1. It’s worth noting that her set time is 10 minutes longer this weekend. What does she have in store? We’ll be watching Coachella’s YouTube livestream to find out.

You may not have noticed, but it’s right there in the name: “and Arts.” As in, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Since 1999 — more than two decades as America’s most culturally influential music festival — music has dominated the spotlight at Coachella. Within the three-day festival is an immersive gallery staged over two weekends in April at Indio’s Empire Polo Club.

Coachella couches that the gates open at 1-ish and they opened at 1:08 p.m. by my count.

It is a pleasantly warm 87 degrees, according to my phone, with a high of 89 expected, again, according to my phone.

Even though there’s a dust storm advisory through 3 a.m. Saturday there’s a gentle breeze at the polo grounds this afternoon.

Joyce Manor plays the Gobi Tent from 5:10-5:50 p.m. Friday, April 10. We caught up with the punk band earlier this year.

One hour into cruising the streets in a car near the Pacific coastline of Long Beach, the band Joyce Manor’s sightseeing leads to the destination that, to their amusement, is now a pop-punk landmark: the Joyce Manor midcentury condominium off Alamitos Avenue. With its Art Deco lettering and being a stone’s throw from Ocean Boulevard, this cozy condo complex feels like a humble monument to SoCal Americana. You could picture Elvis walking out of here in one of his classic surfing movies.

These are the acts our team can’t wait to see on Friday. See the full list for Coachella’s first weekend.

Fleshwater

4:50 p.m., Sonora Tent

The kids love shoegaze for the dissociative vibes, but real heads know all the genre’s best bands have monster rhythm sections too. Fleshwater’s crystalline guitar leads and tidal currents of noise hit so much harder for the revving percussion, which moves with the dexterity of metal and hardcore. When vocalist Marisa Shirar wails those desperate high notes, they’re well earned. (August Brown)

CMAT

6:15 p.m., Gobi Tent

Who would have thought a suite of songs that cover being annoyed at TV chef Jamie Oliver and some rich Tesla driver moving into an old flame’s flat would be so comprehensively devastating? What a bounty of heart, wit and captivating stage presence from this Irish singer behind “Euro-Country,” one of the funniest and most wrenching albums of 2025. (AB)

Turnstile

8:05 p.m., Outdoor Theatre

Turnstile’s 2025 album “Never Enough” — my favorite of the year — translates even better live. I have made it a point to see the Baltimore band with hardcore roots every time because the show is simultaneously energy-giving and cathartic. Hoping we see fellow Coachella artist Blood Orange show up for “Alien Love Call” and maybe for “Seein’ Stars.” Warning: It doesn’t matter where you are in the general crowd, you need to be aware of mosh pits breaking out around you at any point. (Vanessa Franko)

Blood Orange

11:55 p.m., Mojave Tent

Blood Orange has consistently penned enough hits to fill an entire set with them, let alone cement himself as one of the mostly highly anticipated performances at this year’s festival. Dev Hynes’ 2025 was highlighted by the release of the emotionally driven “Essex Honey,” which he told The Times was “made from a place of living life” rather than living in the music. Notably, he also discussed the unexpected, social media-stemmed revival of “Champagne Coast,” 13 years after it was released on “Coastal Grooves.” “It’s funny [how] people are constantly chasing virality, because even the word itself tells you how random it is,” he said. “You don’t try to catch viruses; they come to you.” Regardless of how the surge came to light, it’ll be a pleasure to hear on the Empire Polo Club lawn, alongside ever-alluring tunes like “Augustine” and “Saint.” (Julius Miller)

READ THE FULL LIST

The eight members of the Filipina girl group Bini learned they were playing Coachella the same way their fans did: from people freaking out on social media when the lineup dropped.

“We were at an event in the Philippines, and then I found out from a fan on X,” Bini member Stacey said. “I was shocked. At first, I didn’t believe it, because I thought it was just a joke. But when I messaged our group chat, we found out that it’s true, we are performing for Coachella. It was a surprise from the management. I think history was made.”

Do you want the house tour? Rebecca Castillo took a peek inside Sabrina Carpenter’s Airbnb pop-up at Coachella. Filled with Easter eggs from her music videos — including the Pretty Girl Clean-Up Crew van — the pit stop has photo ops, a slushie wall, themed merch and more.

VIDEO | 00:34

Inside Sabrina Carpenter’s Pit Stop at Coachella

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Coachella 2026 just got a little less punk.

The Lambrini Girls announced on social media that they had to pull out of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival due to an injury that’s forcing the duo to also reschedule their U.S. tour dates.

Slayyyter plays the Mojave Tent from 3-3:45 p.m. Friday, April 10.

Slayyyter crawls in through the window of her pseudo-childhood home, her long blond waves damp from a night out and the fringe of her Western jacket swinging as she reaches for a beer in the fridge. Her dad is screaming at her as she escapes to her room; as he bangs on the bedroom door, she reaches for a shotgun.

INDIO, Calif. — On a quiet neighborhood corner across the street from a local watering hole, a roughly 40-foot shovel towers above the desert. Visible from more than half a mile away, the oversized hand tool sits about 15 minutes from the Coachella festival grounds.

To most, the shovel fits alongside Indio’s large-scale public artworks. Pieces like “Sarbalé Ke,” “Colossal Cacti” and a cactus forming rock music’s most famous hand gesture that once graced the Empire Polo Club have made their way from the Coachella festival grounds to parks across the city. Amid that landscape, a big shovel — perhaps the biggest shovel in the world — feels somewhat ordinary.

It’s that time of year again when caravans of festival-goers head to the desert for Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. And just like in years past, some of the region’s top culinary talents will be joining them.

Fans from all over the world will fly in for the sold-out festival that’s set to take over Indio’s Empire Polo Club from April 10-12 and April 17-19, with Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G. headlining alongside a host of emerging acts.

A low-pressure system is set to sweep across Southern California this weekend, bringing scattered rainstorms in coastal counties and possible hazardous dust storms in the Coachella Valley, where thousands of festivalgoers will gather for the first weekend of the eponymous extravaganza.

Light rainstorms are expected in the L.A. County area from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, with heavier rainfall expected north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County, according to the National Weather Service.

Planning a proper trip to Coachella or Stagecoach is a master class in logistics. Before setting foot on the Empire Polo Club where these annual fests are held, fans have already made decisions on where to stay, what to pack, where to eat, what to see and which bandanna will be covering your nose and mouth from the dust on the walk back to the car. But true veterans of this fest know that one of the best parts of this desert journey is planning some side quests. Carving out time to indulge in natural wonders, great food, outsider art, local record shopping and more is all part of making the most of any festival weekend in Indio. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a very doable list of enjoyable extracurricular excursions to fill some free time with 14 essential experiences.

READ THE FULL STORY

This is what it looks like when you’re driving to the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on the 10 Freeway for Coachella.

Billboards line both sides of the freeway, promoting Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Karol G and more. We even saw some people stop and get out of the car to pose for pictures on the drive out Thursday.

VIDEO | 01:02

POV you’re on your way to Coachella

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It’s almost time to make the annual pilgrimage to the desert for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The event will celebrate its 25th year on the polo fields in Indio, this time with Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G topping the lineup.

Whether you’re heading to the festival or watching from home, we’ve compiled a guide for maximizing your Coachella time from what to pack and what parties and pop-ups are open to the public to how to watch from the comfort of your couch.

Before the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival became a world-famous event, it started as a much more modest music festival in Southern California’s desert in 1999.

During the festival, the Empire Polo Club in Indio has been the site of some of the biggest music and pop culture moments of the century, from Daft Punk’s iconic pyramid spectacle in the Sahara Tent in 2006 to Beyoncé bringing a legendary “Homecoming” to Coachella’s largest stage in 2018.

As Coachella kicks off its 25th year, our team of reporters, photographers and editors are on the ground at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Since you’ll be hearing from us a lot this weekend, here’s a little bit about who we’re excited to see.

“Finding out whether I’m the youngest person or the oldest person in the audience for the Strokes.” — Mikael Wood, whose first Coachella was 2005

“Finding out whether I’m the youngest person or the oldest person in the audience for Katseye.” — David Viramontes, who is attending his second Coachella

“Nine Inch Noize in the Sahara — the old goths will be camped out all day, obviously, but do the raver zoomers know what kind of violence they’re in for later?” — August Brown, who first Coachella’d in 2006 — the Daft Punk pyramid year

“Having a Sunday night catharsis at The Rapture set yelling ‘HOUSE OF! JEALOUS LOVERS!’ and remembering the best of the indie sleaze era.” — Vanessa Franko, whose first Coachella was 2007 and is celebrating her 18th year and 27th weekend of covering the fest

“Seeing if I can successfully stay awake for Blood Orange’s super late set.”— Danielle Dorsey, whose first Coachella was in 2010 and will hopefully catch Blood Orange at 11:55 p.m. Friday night

“I’m very excited to see Dijon and seeing some of my favorite artists in three days.” — Kayla Bartkowski, who is attending her first Coachella

“I am very much looking forward to the White Claw and Starbucks tents as well as standing in the heat for as long as it takes to get Radiohead merchandise while telling my editor I am working but the internet is slow so my videos will come through eventually.” — Mark Potts, The Times’ senior editor for video who is attending his first Coachella