Coachella 2019: Top 5 Moments

Coachella is often thought of as the biggest festival in the United States. The space allotted for the event spans several football fields, and from the top of the Ferris wheel, you can view 100,000 people enjoying different genres of music. Goldenvoice (the company behind Coachella) was well prepared for the masses. Reddit discussions and whispers from past festival goers warned this year's attendees that things would not go smoothly. Festivals are often chaotic events, but Coachella 2019 was well engineered. Those that made the trek out to the desert were rewarded with unforgettable performances. There were complaints around social media about the lineup, but that sentiment did not appear to dampen the energy or the turnout. 

There were too many artists performing to catch everything, which is too be expected. Musicians from different backgrounds and genres brought their best to the desert. Surprise performers were in abundance, adding to the lengthy list of artists gracing the many stages. Weekend one was the ultimate festival experience, so condensing it down to a list of our top five favorite moments was difficult. As the final night of the festival concluded though, the performances that resonated the most became apparent. From YG's Tekashi diss, to Anderson .Paak soulful performance, these are our favorite moments from Coachella Weekend 1.

Wiz Khalifa took the stage to a crowd of what looked like 20,000 people late on Night 2. Wiz's energy on stage makes him one of the most entertaining hip-hop acts in the game. After diving into some classic Cabin Fever and Kush & OJ material, Wiz announced that it was Ty Dolla $ign’s birthday, and proceeded to bring him out for “You And Your Friends” and “Or Nah.” Ty’s voice rocked the crowd, serenading the excited masses to the point of ultimate hysteria. Ty's birthday became a celebration for all.

I’m not sure what happened at the beginning of Childish Gambino’s set on Night 1. It appeared that there was possibly some technical difficulties or another factor that caused him to go off script. Either way, it was amazing. First, ‘Bino introduced the crowd to his band, one by one. Many artists do this at the end of their set, but ‘Bino did it at the beginning. Soon after, he began to show off how well trained the band was. ‘Bino called out insane orders such as “I need a 17 drop,” instructing the band to enter into a spirited 17-part breakdown to which Gambino danced. A simple word like “higher” or “lower” from ‘Bino would cause the band to switch from a full dance swing into a soft R&B riff, at the drop of a dime. During the impromptu performance, ‘Bino ventured into the crowd and pulled out a huge joint, and offered it to someone in the crowd. The fan looked to be no older than 25. This night was immediately burned into his memory for eternity. “Now wait…. You know you’re smoking that in front of 100,000 people,” ‘Bino joked. The fan had no qualms, as a big grin spread across his face.

French musician FKJ is known for crafting smooth jazz and neo-soul tracks that bridge the gap between the 70s and the new generation. I went to his set to enjoy his vibes, but I secretly was hoping that he would bring out Masego. I was not disappointed. The young singer/rapper/producer has collaborated with FKJ in the past, so it was not a shock when Masego stepped onto the stage and began to sing “Tadow.” The addicting single swayed the crowd before Masego moved onto “Navajo.” In the beginning, we couldn’t tell what song Masego was playing because he built the beat from the ground up while on stage using his familiar method. Watching Masego and FKJ craft an instrumental in real time with live instruments was a treat that I would not see anyone else do the entire weekend. Musicians at work, and at play.

YG’s hatred for Tekashi 6ix9ine only continued at Coachella. The California native took to the stage and premiered a new song, “Stop Snitchin.” "You got fear in your heart so you cooperate/ I guess that's how bitch n***as operate," YG rapped as an image of Tekashi flashed across the massive screen. "You's a bitch, yo mom like 'you're a bitch'/Your girl know you bitch, I don't know how she suck your dick/Pause, you gon cause some shit with your best friend and your clique." YG’s penchant for showmanship continued as he brought out Tyga to perform “Taste,” and 2 Chainz and Big Sean to perform “Big Bank.” From stomping his enemies, to supporting his colleagues, YG covered all his bases. 

The artist I wanted to watch most all weekend did not disappoint. Andreson .Paak released a new album, Ventura, just hours before his Coachella performance on Night 1. The new album is more of a soul/jazz vibe than Oxnard. Dr. Dre’s fingerprints were all over Oxnard, which isn’t a bad thing. But it wasn’t a great thing either. His necessity for perfection somewhat stifled Paak's penchant for free-flowing music. Ventura corrects this issue. Paak took the stage on Friday with a live band and dancers that looked like they were fresh out of an episode of Soul Train. Paak’s energy was immaculate as he played the drums, sang, danced, and rapped. The crowd sang along to "Come Down" and "6 Summer," two songs on opposite sides of the Paak spectrum that still brought thousands together. On Sunday, Paak popped back out for Kaytranada’s closing set and admitted to the crowd that he had been enjoying the festival all weekend. He performed his collaboration with Kaytranada “GLOWED UP” before retreating from the stage as the final performer. Yes Lawd!!