No Doubt, Blur, Vampire Weekend and above all, Taylor Swift. The American festival Coachella gave pride of place to indie rock nostalgia this weekend, with the notable return to the stage of the group No Doubt. But it was again and again Taylor Swift who stole the show, attracting all eyes, without even performing on the festival stage.
The gigantic musical event, which launches the festival season in the middle of the Californian desert, was buzzing with rumors about the presence of the American pop mega star, on break from his tour The Eras Tour. Perhaps even the billionaire singer – according to the latest Forbes ranking – would take the stage.
Finally, Taylor Swift was content to attend the shows, from the right of the stage, singing and twirling on the arm of her companion, the American football player Travis Kelce, during the Bleachers set, noted a journalist from the ‘AFP. The rock group is led by producer Jack Antoniff, who co-wrote and produced several Taylor Swift albums. The star’s presence was immortalized in videos from fans on social networks, who also surprised him in the VIP section at Bronx rapper Ice Spice’s show.
But the crowds were there for the music, especially for headliner Tyler, The Creator, who burst onto a burning stage inside a camper van parked in a mountainous desert setting. His set was enriched by guests such as Kali Uchis, Childish Gambino and A$AP Rocky.
The second day of concerts, Saturday, especially plunged Coachella back into the nostalgia of the indie rock years, which recalled the beginnings of the festival. First with the group No Doubt, reformed for the first time in 15 years. At 54, Gwen Stefani took the stage with the voice of her youth, leading the crowd in singing classics such as Just A Girl and Don’t Speak.
English rockers Blur also took the stage. And stoner reggae rock band Sublime, known for their hit Santeria, drew crowds of fans to the main stage for a sunset concert, with late frontman Brad Nowell’s son Jakob leading the way.
Another return, Vampire Weekend, who last performed more than ten years ago at Coachella. The New Yorkers, who have just released their fifth album Only God Was Above Us, alternated between fan favorites and new compositions, including a honky tonk mashup that lasted 15 minutes. And, in an unlikely sequence, they brought star Paris Hilton on stage to play a game of “cornhole”, a typically North American game of skill where you have to throw bean bags into a hole.
