Six Standout Coachella Festival ’26 Weekend Two Performances

photo: George A. Paul

Review by George A. Paul and Robert Kinsler

Every Coachella Festival generates a bounty of notable moments and eye candy art installations, such as "Network Operations" by visual artist Dedo Vabo (pictured left).

The latest edition, which concluded Sunday, had its share of buzzworthy special guests, from Madonna joining Sabrina Carpenter on iconic hit "Vogue" to Billy Idol duetting with Sombr on '80s classic "Eyes Without a Face." We zeroed in on half a dozen memorable sets. 

The xx held court on the main Coachella Stage around golden hour Friday before a large audience. The London trio delivered a hypnotic performance filled with enticing, frequently danceable electro-pop music dating back to the 2009 eponymous album (which went gold in America). Back together after an extended absence to work on solo projects, the musicians’ gratitude and admiration was obvious. Singer/guitarist Romy Madley Croft and singer/bassist Oliver Sim’s sweet and low harmonies still meshed together well, especially on standouts “Say Something Loving,” an idyllic “VCR,” “On Call” (preceded by keyboardist Jamie xx’s brief remix version) and “I Dare You.” (GAP) 

Lykke Li’s Outdoor Theatre set on Friday displayed an artist whose ambition is matched equally by her on-stage persona and originality. Blending electropop, dance pop and indie stylings, the Swedish singer-songwriter’s performance was never less than compelling. The songs had strong dynamics and even when the intent may have been to get concertgoers to simply move in rhythm to the music, there was emotional weight to the originals. Introspective ballad “Highway to Your Heart,” synthesizer-swept “Sick of Love,” and romance-minded dance of “Little Bit” were the best. (RK)

CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) was a force of nature at the Gobi Tent on Friday. The sometimes-zany Irish country-pop vocalist immediately dashed out to sing while laying over a stage tier. CMAT and her impressive band wore green accented attire. “When a Good Man Cries” was marked by an emotional delivery and wild gestures; the great, retro-soul-leaning “Take a Sexy Picture of Me” saw the artist discuss online trolls who criticized her appearance before doing the splits and shaking her bottom; the serious, yet gloriously keening title track to latest album Euro-Country (a Top 5 UK/Ireland success) found CMAT touch briefly on politics beforehand. Definitely one who deserves more Stateside attention. (GAP)

photo: Robert Kinsler

Kacey Musgraves (pictured left) sure knows how to make an entrance. The country music star – a Coachella and Stagecoach alum - was a surprise addition to this lineup. She rode a horse to the side entrance of the packed Mohave Tent before starting a Saturday set that proved both tender and fun. Setting the mood was a stage adorned with a trailer and Texas bunting. Musgraves opened with the gorgeous, pedal steel-enhanced title track to upcoming album Middle of Nowhere (due May 1). She also debuted other winsome new tracks “Uncertain, TX” and “Back on the Wagon” live. Alluring older tunes “Slow Burn” and “Space Cowboy,” terrific covers by George Strait and Brooks & Dunn, plus country line dancers were all part of the captivating performance. (GAP) 

The sonic echoes of Dinosaur Jr. and Band of Horses could be glimpsed from Alex G’s wide- ranging Saturday afternoon set on the Outdoor Theatre stage. Some selections were super dense and heavy (post-goth opener “Louisiana”) and wonderfully melodic (“Gretel”), while others landed in a genre-defying area (“June Guitar,” where the singer and multi-instrumentalist played an extended accordion solo) or tapped into classic rock and punk territory. (RK) 

Foster the People, led by frontman and founder Mark Foster, showed a winning blend of synth-pop, modern rock and indie pop that resonated with the large audience gathered in front of the Outdoor Theatre. The fast-moving Sunday set was enhanced by dynamic, state-of-the-art visuals and a modern stage design. Foster is a terrific singer, and used both his full voice and an expressive falsetto to bring depth to the dance-minded opener “Helena Beat,” infectious “Houdini,” disco-flavored “Lost in Space,” sumptuous “Coming of Age,” and tuneful “Sit Next to Me.” The troupe had everyone moving on the set-ending hit “Pumped Up Kicks.” (RK)

This review originally appeared in Desert Star Weekly's April 22 issue. 

For more festival coverage from Robert Kinsler, go to rockwrite.blogspot.com.