And just like that, it’s over. The excitement and chaos that is the Coachella Valley’s festival season closed out Sunday night when Garth Brooks closed out the Stagecoach Country Music Festival with “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up),” which I should note, was performed about 7 hours before the sun was due to come up. Here are some random observations from Day 3 of the Indio festival.
It was really all about Garth
I am told that other artists performed, but, really, 90% of the crowd of 75,000 spent their entire day basically preparing and waiting around for the highly anticipated Garth Brooks set and, when he took the stage a little after 9, Brooks did not disappoint.
His set was all about performing the hits and he has a ton of them from “Rodeo,” to “The Dance,” to “The Thunder Rolls,” to “Friends in Low Places.” Brooks gave the crowd what they wanted and, as a bonus, brought out his wife Trisha Yearwood to performa a trio of her songs in the middle of the set.
The biggest Garth fan was Goldenvoice
We set a record this weekend – most passes ever sold for Stagecoach! Whose ready for some @GarthBrooks?!
— Stagecoach Festival (@Stagecoach) April 30, 2018
Perhaps they can get Garth to play every year?
Festival goers really put a lot of time into some interesting things
High-noon humor…Slim, left, and Curly, from Morro Bay Fables of the West, parade their small horse costumes through the RV Resort at #stagecoachfestival Sunday. @alschaben https://t.co/nXOTj3dgpD pic.twitter.com/dlk1gu31u6
— Hal Wells (@lahalw) April 30, 2018
I am happy if I remember to leave the house with my phone, ID, and shuttle pass. Others are not satisfied with their time at Stagecoach unless they dress up as a cowboy riding a horse and stroll through the RV park. My hat (that I probably forgot at home) is off to you.
Toyota has no confidence in you
That’s quite the posted notice in a tent of “love.” Toyota has no confidence in your ability to not injury yourself.
It was windy yet again
The last two days of Stagecoach saw some wind gusts over 30 mph and plenty of festival goers wishing they had brought goggles or at least some eye drops because of all the blowing dust. This couple decided to battle the winds by putting up their tent inside the venue.
Abraham Lives!
#Stagecoach2018 …….. tonight I see @garthbrooks for the first time live. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/UORFrEh3qQ
— Michael Cudlitz (@Cudlitz) April 29, 2018
Screw you, Neegan. Abraham is alive and he’s ready to see Garth for the first time.
It’s weird that it’s all over
One month out of every year, the Coachella Valley is basically at the center of the music and entertainment universe. There’s always so much going on, so many people, so much excitement and then, poof, it’s all over.
Sure, there will be some traffic Monday morning and crews still need to dismantle the small city built at the Empire Polo Club over the next few days – but, other than that, it’s time for the desert to revert to being a sleepy little, scorching hot village for the late spring and summer.
Perhaps we get a little surprise with the announcement of a fall festival now that the pressure is off of Goldenvoice to produce a bigger and better Desert Trip 2 and they can announce some sort of other fall festival?
Let’s hope so.
