I went to Coachella for the first time with a general-admission wristband and quickly realized I made a mistake by not splurging on VIP tickets

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Jensen RubinsteinApr 28, 2022, 03:19 IST
I went to Coachella for the first time with a general-admission wristband and quickly realized I made a mistake by not splurging on VIP tickets

The writer at Coachella.Jensen Rubinstein

  • I attended Coachella for the first time this year.
  • It wasn't the easiest festival to get to, but guest appearances and production value were worth it.
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I went to Coachella for the first time this year. I thought the weekend was exhausting, but I would go again.

I went to Coachella for the first time this year. I thought the weekend was exhausting, but I would go again.
The author standing in front of the Coachella ferris wheel.Jensen Rubinstein

I attended the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with a general admission ticket. I wasn't totally sure what to expect from the three-day festival, apart from seeing lots of musicians that have been on the top of my list. While it was an exhausting weekend spent standing in the sun for hours, I would absolutely go again. Here's what it was like.

I bought a travel package through Coachella, which included lodging and a shuttle to and from the venue.

I bought a travel package through Coachella, which included lodging and a shuttle to and from the venue.
Arriving at the shuttle drop off at Coachella.Jensen Rubinstein

My sister and I bought a hotel package through Coachella that included a shuttle to and from the venue. The fact that it included transportation was a huge motivating factor in deciding to go, as how to get to the festival grounds can be one of the biggest pain points of the event.

The hotel was in Palm Desert, about a 30-minute drive to Indio, where the festival took place. Taking an official shuttle also meant we were able to avoid additional car traffic by being dropped off in a shuttles-only parking lot.

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Entering the festival grounds was quick and easy.

Entering the festival grounds was quick and easy.
Crowds walking from the shuttle drop-off area to the venue entrance.Jensen Rubinstein

Entering the festival after drop-off was surprisingly easy, even with the number of people coming in at the same time. We were quickly waved through metal detectors and scanned into the venue, without really having to stop and wait.

Each day, we entered the festival in the late afternoon, which probably helped us get in even easier. I found that the crowds grew a lot towards the end of the day when more of the well-known musicians were about to perform.

Fences separated hotel shuttles in the drop-off area at Coachella, helping to organize the shuttle lines for pick-up at the end of the night.

Fences separated hotel shuttles in the drop-off area at Coachella, helping to organize the shuttle lines for pick-up at the end of the night.
Each shuttle line had its own holding area for drop-off and pick-up.Jensen Rubinstein

Though the shuttles weren't always perfect, they felt more dependable than waiting in the Uber line, which could top a wait of up to 1.5 hours with surging prices.

The first night, I waited for the shuttle for about 20 minutes. The biggest problem I experienced with shuttles was at the end of the night. In order to be one of the first groups back to the hotels, I had to leave Billie Eilish's and The Weeknd's performances a few songs before they were over. While it wasn't ideal to miss a headliner's full set, I thought it was necessary to ensure I could get back to the hotel by 2 a.m.

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We went to Coachella each day on a full stomach because the food was expensive inside the venue.

We went to Coachella each day on a full stomach because the food was expensive inside the venue.
The author and her sister on the shuttle to Coachella.Jensen Rubinstein

Inside the venue, food like burgers, wraps, and rice bowls was available and cost upwards of $16. Our hotel offered a complimentary breakfast, so we filled up on that in the mornings and snacked on Clif bars during the 40-minute shuttle ride.

Because the weather was so hot, we drank a lot of water throughout the day and were able to keep it to buying only one meal inside the venue.

The surprise guest appearances were my favorite part of the weekend.

The surprise guest appearances were my favorite part of the weekend.
Shania Twain performs onstage during Harry Styles' Friday-night set.Jensen Rubinstein

I thought that the guest appearances were easily the best and most exciting part of the weekend. I never knew who would pop up at a performance, and a lot of times, the guest performed a song of their own.

When I saw Harry Styles on Friday night, Shania Twain took the stage and together with him, performed "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "You're Still the One." The feeling of the crowd was electric in those first few beats because none of us knew if Styles was playing a cover or if Twain would actually appear.

Other surprises I saw included Billie Eilish bringing out Damon Albarn from the Gorillaz, and Khalid and Flume bringing out multiple singers from various songs including Tove Lo, Beck, Kai, Caroline Polachek, and others.

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Getting a good view was surprisingly easy.

Getting a good view was surprisingly easy.
A view of Harry Styles' set.Jensen Rubinstein

We arrived at the Coachella Stage for Harry Styles' Friday-night set about 30 minutes early. There was already a big crowd, but people weren't too packed in and it was easy to maneuver and find a spot we liked.

I was surprised by how high quality the production was.

I was surprised by how high quality the production was.
Maggie Rogers smiles during her set on the Coachella Stage.Jensen Rubinstein

Most of the performers made use of the stage's screens to show visuals of their performance. I thought this made it even less necessary to get to any show too early because, with the speakers and screens, I could still see what was going on.

It felt like I was watching elaborate music videos and I thought everything looked top quality: the stages, cameras, and effects.

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We were in the fourth row for Karol G.

We were in the fourth row for Karol G.
Karol G performing on the Coachella Stage on Sunday afternoon.Jensen Rubinstein

With general admission, I noticed that many people would arrive hours early for sets scheduled later in the day. This resulted in people standing in the front of the crowd who were not necessarily there to see the artist that was currently performing.

I noticed that people got to the barricades for Harry Styles first thing in the morning, and also saw this during the Karol G performance as people tried to push forward for the next performance, Doja Cat.

Billie Eilish used a crane to travel deeper into the crowd for a few songs during her performance.

Billie Eilish used a crane to travel deeper into the crowd for a few songs during her performance.
Billie Eilish performing on a raised crane during her Saturday night set over the crowd.Jensen Rubinstein

While I thought it was possible to have a good view from almost anywhere in the crowd, Billie Eilish made it even easier for people to see her. She used a crane to come out into the middle of the crowd towards the end of her set.

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Bands typically played simultaneously on all seven stages throughout the day, so I missed some sets I was interested in seeing.

Bands typically played simultaneously on all seven stages throughout the day, so I missed some sets I was interested in seeing.
People walking around during a performance at Coachella.Jensen Rubinstein

I was surprised by how much overlap there was between bands I wanted to see. It was disappointing to not be able to watch full sets scheduled for the same times, but thankfully, the stages were located close together, so I never felt like I was missing that much when walking from one to another.

I thought the weather changes in Indio were extreme.

I thought the weather changes in Indio were extreme.
People sitting in the shade of a sign.Jensen Rubinstein

The weather in Indio went from one extreme to the next. The temperature on Sunday topped 92 degrees during the day, but then dropped to 70 degrees at night.

During the hottest part of the day, I saw people seeking shade anywhere possible, whether by one of the art exhibits or under the small cover of a sign.

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Some stages were covered, offering much-needed shade.

Some stages were covered, offering much-needed shade.
Most of the stages had roofs over them.Jensen Rubinstein

I was surprised to find that most of the stages actually did have coverings. The only two that were in direct light were the Coachella Stage and the Outdoor Stage, which were beside each other.

At night, the temperatures dipped and it became gusty.

At night, the temperatures dipped and it became gusty.
I used bandanas when it got windy at night to protect my face.Jensen Rubinstein

While the days were hot, the temperature dropped drastically at night and it got quite windy. I noticed that many people either carried jackets with them throughout the day or rented lockers to keep extra clothes.

I ended up buying a sweatshirt on Saturday to use at night, and because it was so windy, I wore a bandana and sunglasses to try to keep the dust out of my eyes.

The walk back to the shuttles at the end of the night was especially dusty and I felt congested throughout the following days as a result.

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While I had a fun weekend, next time, I'm getting VIP tickets for the added perks.

While I had a fun weekend, next time, I'm getting VIP tickets for the added perks.
Barricades separate the VIP and GA viewing areas.Jensen Rubinstein

I bought general admission tickets for the weekend because I assumed VIP wouldn't be worth the extra dollars, but in the future, I would shell out for VIP tickets.

The main reason is that VIP tickets come with access to a separate, roped-off viewing area that is the closest to the stage. Having a guaranteed spot would have allowed me to show up to the performances a little bit later, and still have a prime spot.

I also was surprised by the toll the music festival took on my body. It was very tiring to stand for hours on end in the crowds, and the VIP area included tables and chairs that weren't common throughout the rest of the venue. This would have offered some much-needed rest.

Weighing the pros and cons, I would absolutely go back again.

Weighing the pros and cons, I would absolutely go back again.
Me and Jaidan standing in front of the Coachella vista.Jensen Rubinstein

As with any big event, there were a lot of moving parts to get to Coachella, especially since it takes place in a desert — not a populated city — but I would 100% go again.

Being able to see so many incredible shows in just one weekend, not to mention all the surprise performances, as well as admission that included hotel and shuttle transportation, will keep me excited for future Coachella weekends — so long as I have a VIP seat.

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