As festival season creeps upon us, the major question arises: is it worth the hype? If you are planning on going to Coachella be prepared to drop a hefty penny between the $429 listing price for tickets, hotel accommodations, shuttle passes, and the outfits of course. With an impressive lineup this year Coachella goers will be wowed by the likes of Ariana Grande, Tame Impala, Childish Gambio as headliners. Smaller acts to follow include Billie Eilish, Janelle Monet, Solange Knowles, Kacey Musgraves, Diplo, and more.
Coachella is a 3-day music festival held at the polo fields in Indo, California. It has been around since 1999, becoming increasingly mainstream throughout the recent decade. If you attend you can expect a star studded weekend, with celebs such as Vanessa Hudgens, the “queen of coachella”, roaming about. With seemingly the experience of a lifetime, should you have fomo (fear of missing out) if you aren’t there?
Image via Study Breaks Magazine
Olivia Bernheimer, a UCSB junior, has been going to Coachella since she was 10. As a resident of Indio, CA, where Coachella is held, she has always had the advantage of the biggest music festival of the year right in her backyard. She loves the adrenaline rush you experience when listening to live music with your friends. One downside that she points out though are the huge crowds because of how popular it’s becoming.
Image via Greater Palm Springs
Personally, as someone who has been to Coachella (as well as various other music festivals), there are two extremely important factors you have to consider when deciding if you want to go. First, you have to be interested in at least some of the music and be excited for at least a few acts. While dancing in the desert all day is certainly fun, if you aren’t into the music, you’ll get bored after a few sets. The second and most important factor is the people you go with. Make sure you go with people who have similar music tastes and want to have similar festival experiences. The people you surround yourself with can make or break your experience. Make sure to go with a group of friends you can stand to spend all day and night with for 3 consecutive days, and people who you know you will have a good time with!
It’s safe to assume Coachella will be a long living tradition, so if you can’t make it this year, keep your eye out for the 2020 lineup!