Among those agreeing with him are Bonobo and Alison Mosshart
American musician, actor and comedian Reggie Watts has shared his thoughts on Coachella‘s deterioration in management over the years – see what he had to say below.
On Tuesday (April 15), Watts – who used to lead the house band on The Late Late Show with James Corden between 2015 and 2024 – took to social media to share his thoughts on the iconic Californian festival.
Watts wrote, starting off his lengthy post: “I’ve been to Coachella a handful of times now, and while the scale is impressive, the soul feels increasingly absent. The experience is confusing and impersonal – checkpoint after checkpoint, wristband logic puzzles, security everywhere. Most people on the grounds move like walking credit cards, pinging from one branded experience to the next.”
He continued: “There’s no real sense of love coming from the festival toward the people. No care. No reverence. Just vibes curated for influencer culture. You’ll catch glimpses of something real – an artist outpouring their heart out on stage, a sudden wave of connection – but those moments are fleeting. They’re easily lost in the chaos, buried beneath the logistics, the brand activations, the overpriced everything.”
A post shared by Reggie Watts (@reggiewatts)
The musician-comedian would then go on to point out the festival’s waste issue, “Plastic, garbage, thrash in the desert wind. Leaving is especially grim”, before suggesting that “there are better ways to do this”.
“There are independent festivals run by people who give a shit – about the music, the artists, the fans, the land. They treat performers with care and build environments where real community can take root. That’s where the magic is. That’s what’s worth supporting.”
Watts’ post has since done the rounds, amassing over 23,000 likes and counting, with fans and other artists echoing their support. Among those agreeing with Reggie Watts are the likes of Bonobo and The Kills‘ Alison Mosshart.
Bonobo wrote that he “very much agree[s]” with Watts, while Mosshart added: “Perfectly said Reggie”.
Coachella – which is due to return for its second weekend this Friday (April 18) and will again be headlined by Lady Gaga, Green Day and Post Malone – faced criticism last weekend after it was reported that fans were stuck in a “horrendous” 12-hour traffic jam to enter the festival.
Apart from complaints on social media from attendees slamming the camping conditions, many have also compared this year’s edition of Coachella to the infamous 2017 Fyre Festival – one fan wrote on X/Twitter: “coachella borderline turning into fyre fest this year…… oh i’m sat, people waiting 12-18+ hours to get in for car camping, people shitting & pissing on the sides of the line in bushes, coachella not giving anyone water while they bake in their car in line”
Other artists on the bill include Missy Elliott, Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion, solo performances from BLACKPINK‘s Lisa and Jennie, Benson Boone, the original Misfits, Zedd, The Prodigy, Beabadoobee, Clairo, Enhypen and more.
Check back here to see the latest Coachella updates.
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