Thousands of celebrants returned to the Empire Polo Club in Indio Saturday for the second day of the two-weekend Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, featuring a wide range of artists highlighted by the expected reunion of No Doubt.
The 1990s Orange County punk/pop/ska band is scheduled to play at 9:25 p.m., preceding Saturday’s headlining set by Tyler, The Creator.
Members Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young appeared in a social media announcement earlier this year, saying they will “do a show,” but didn’t release any further details at the time.
This weekend’s fest runs to Sunday, and then re-commences for the weekend of April 19-21.
Other performers on the Saturday slate are Ice Spice, Blur, Jungle, Dom Dolla, Bleachers and Kevin Kaarl.
Doja Cat will close out each weekend on Sundays. She’ll be preceded by J Balvin, Jhene Aiko, Ludmilla, Lil Yachty, John Summit and DJ Snake.
An additional stage was added this year, as well as extended three-hour sets, featuring Honey Dijon and Green Velvet on Friday, Michael Bibi on Saturday and Jamie XX, Floating Points and Daphni on Sunday, April 14.
The weekend of April 19-21 will feature Rufus Du Sol the first day, Eric Prydz and Anyma the second day, and Diplo and Mau P for the closing number.
Friday’s opening day featured a surprise appearance by Colombian superstar Shakira, who took the stage during Bizarrap’s set. Shakira performed “La Fuerte” and “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53” and also told fans between songs that she’ll be launching a global tour later this year.
Also Friday, headliner Lana del Rey welcomed Billie Eilish — who was a headliner herself at the 2022 festival — and Jon Batiste.
Preparations for traffic connected with the fest started last month.
Avenue 50, between Monroe Street and Madison Avenue, has been closed since March 25 and will remain shut down until May 6 for the dual-weekend entertainment and extensive post-fest cleanups.
According to Indio’s traffic plan, there will be no pedestrian access on Monroe, between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52, nor along Madison Street, between Avenues 50 and 52.
Police cautioned travel delays will be heavy along Washington Street, between Interstate 10 and Avenue 52, as well as Jefferson Street and Avenues 48 and 50 going into the Empire Polo Club grounds.
Campers began arriving to set up on Thursday. Non-campers can seek spots in the general parking area as early as 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, before the venue opens at around 1 p.m. each day. Shuttle services will depart from local hotels at 12:30 p.m. daily.
Along with Indio police, other law enforcement agencies will lend support throughout the event, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol.
Arrests for various, usually misdemeanor, violations are common during the celebrations.
High desert winds, churning up sand and dust clouds, have been known to disrupt the shows. According to the National Weather Service, a trough of low pressure from the Gulf of Alaska will make landfall in Southern California in the predawn hours Saturday, racing across the region, generating “brief heavy showers” in isolated locations, though “overall rain amounts look to remain light.”
Only a few hundredths of an inch are possible in the deserts.
“Gusty winds over the mountains and deserts will occur … peaking Saturday afternoon and evening, with top gusts of 40-55 mph,” the NWS stated. “A second, weaker round will occur Sunday afternoon and evening.”
Air quality regulators issued a windblown dust advisory for the area from 1 p.m. Saturday to at least 11 p.m. Sunday.
Festival information, including the entire list of musical acts, can be found at coachella.com/lineup.