When the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival ends, there’s a bittersweet feeling similar to the emotions of saying goodbye to friends at a high school graduation.
Fans at the festival’s first weekend at the Empire Polo Club got to see major headliners such as Lady Gaga, who for sure would’ve been a theater kid; the alt-punk rockers Green Day, who would hang out under the bleachers; and Post Malone, the guy who always knew where the parties were.
But let’s face it: Three days in the desert with back-to-back scorchers and all your favorite bands? It’s a whirlwind, like going to prom or “that one time at band camp.” It’s healthy to move on but also essential to have something to cherish the moments you’ve shared together.
To commemorate the end of Coachella weekend one memories at the festival, our team put together a list of awards. In no particular order, here are the high school yearbook categories for Coachella weekend one.
Most likely to steal the show
If there was one artist who proved she doesn’t need headliner billing to command the entire polo field, it was Charli XCX. Slotted for a 7:15 p.m. set, the pop star transformed her stage into a full-blown rave with what felt like the entirety of the festival crowd pulsing along. From the moment she stepped out, it was clear that Bratchella was in full swing.
With a sold-out global Brat tour, viral tracks like “Guess” and “Apple” dominating social media, and her status as the reigning queen of chaotic internet party girl energy, Charli delivered a set that felt less like a warmup but a finale to the day. Fans screamed every lyric, danced like it was 3 a.m. at the nearest club, and let loose.
Most likely to drop his phone in the toilet
Viagra Boys frontman Sebastian Murphy stumbled around the Gobi stage, drooled White Claw onto his bare, heavily tattooed chest and rubbed his belly while joking that he’d been working on his “Coachella bod.” Toward the end of his set, he stripped off his Adidas track pants and sang the next several songs in dirty socks and blue boxer briefs. The unhinged performance, which also included Murphy laying down behind a speaker, was on brand for the post-punk group, known for satirical hits like “Sports.”
Murphy is so convincing with his glorified trash punk schtick, that it’s hard to tell if it’s a deliberate onstage persona or if Murphy is just kind of wasted. Either way, it’s one of the reasons the group is so well-loved, and their shows are so fun. The Gobi tent was packed with fans yelling out lyrics like “WEINER DOG” along with Murphy as he grooved in his underwear and sunglasses.
Most likely to lead a protest
It’s not out of the ordinary for performers at Coachella to bring out special collaborative guests, but not too many of them bring out Senators and members of Congress. Before Clairo took the stage, Rep. Maxwell Frost introduced Sen. Bernie Sanders, who gave a nearly five-minute speech condemning billionaires, corporate greed, and President Trump. The speech was a short detour after holding the “Fight Oligarchy” rally earlier in Los Angeles on Saturday with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other musical guests.
The guest appearance from Sanders isn’t much of a surprise if you’ve followed Clairo throughout her career. She has long been a vocal advocate for social issues, including ending all forms of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, women’s rights, and calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Best bromance
There is just something so special about sharing good times with your friends on stage, and English punk rock duo Soft Play knows how to have fun. While they’re performing music that, off the top, seems fast, rude, and aggressive, they’re a lot more silly than people might expect. They crack jokes about being unprepared to perform and laugh about all the things that are meant to be serious, which is the exact kind of approach that makes punk rock fun. Watching their chemistry and how they bring out each other’s inner child with giggles and laughs is heartwarming. They even shared a kiss towards the end of the set. “Kiss your friends more often,” said drummer and lead vocalist Isaac Holman.
Most likely to visit Mars
Coming off of her Out of This World tour, Missy Elliott showed that the sky isn’t the limit; it’s just the pregame party before heading to the unlimited vastness of the cosmos. Elliott came out in a “Transformers” car exoskeleton suit over a sparkling speed racing outfit. Other intergalactic highlights included a trip through a neon planet where dancers were dressed in vibrant and fluorescent hues. Elliott, the only female rap artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, showcased a tour last year featuring outer space and planetary themes alongside her friends and long-time collaborators Ciara, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland.
Most likely to help a friend
Seun Kuti, who, as his backing dancer in Egypt 80, shimmied across the blazing hot Outdoor Stage floor, walked over and poured a bottle of water to keep the surface from burning her feet. What a pal!
Most Committed to the gig
Weezer bassist Scott Shriner hit the Mojave Stage at 3 p.m. on Saturday, but fans weren’t sure if he’d show after the news broke that his wife, author Jillian Lauren, was shot by police after allegedly pointing a gun at them as they searched the couple’s Eagle Rock neighborhood for hit-and-run suspects. Lauren was hospitalized and later booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer. The New York Post caught up with Shriner ahead of the show, and he told the outlet that Lauren was doing “alright” before adding, “See you at Coachella!”
Most likely to puke and rally
One song into her set, the lovely British singer Lola Young appeared to gag once or twice before asking for a bucket and briefly slipping off stage. She was back in seconds and sang beautifully the rest of the way.
Most likely to do bad karaoke
Rapper-singer T-Pain did a lot of great things during his main stage set on Saturday, but his cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” was not one of them. Oof. If that was all T had, his midnight train wouldn’t be going anywhere.
Most likely to cuss out anyone who looks at him
Glenn Danzig of the Original Misfits has a potty mouth. There, I said it. And in his between-songs-banter he frequently and cheerfully called us all bad names, especially one very bad reference to our mothers. Probably to let us know he loved us just like mom.
Most likely to be 20 minutes late to class
Travis Scott complained about his set time (11:40) on social media, writing, “Yes, I’m headlining Coachella on Saturday. They think they gon put the rage on late F– thaat . . . All the fans you know whats up let em know while u out there.” But then the rapper showed up twenty minutes later than he was scheduled for, starting his set around midnight on Saturday night.
Most likely to go to the zoo
Tie: Basement Jaxx wrapped out their set with a stage full of dancers, including two large people inside ape suits. Megan Thee Stallion had backing dancers that looked a bit Bigfoot-y from a distance.
Most likely to surprise DJ at a wedding
Paris Hilton surprised festivalgoers when she popped up at the Absolut House of Cosmo to DJ a set alongside Too $hort. The pop-up Absolut activation next to the Gobi tent was one of Coachella’s best hidden gems. The cocktails like the Sliving Cosmo are delicious, there are neon mirror inside, dancing bartenders and best of all, air conditioning.
Most nostalgic
Few bands can make thousands of festivalgoers scream like it’s 2004 all over again, but Green Day did just that. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of “American Idiot,” they tore through the album’s biggest hits like “Holiday” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” For millennials who came of age during the Bush era, it was like stepping back into a pre-teens bedroom plastered with posters. But the nostalgia wasn’t just about the songs — it was the way Billie Joe Armstrong still commands a crowd, the shout-alongs that felt like therapy, the Queen pre-show singalong, and even the bunny mascot throwing it back to the band’s chaotic early energy. Green Day reminded us that punk’s not dead.
@d4vdd LMFAOOOO BRUH W CLIP FARM 😭 #d4vd #invincible
Worst Benson Boone impression
Most of us can’t always land a flip the way Benson Boone does on stage, and D4VD found that out the hard way when he face-planted during his set. We have to give him props for trying. Hope you’re okay!
Most Dramatic
Leave it to Lady Gaga to turn the desert into an opera house. Midway through her breathtaking headlining set, the pop icon paused to declare, “I love you so much I wanted to make a romantic gesture to you this year, in these times… I decided to build you an opera house in the desert.” And for two full hours, that’s exactly what she served. Her performance, split into four acts, fashion, art, and theatricality with her ever-shifting personas. Blending 11 tracks from her new album “Mayhem” with classics from across her catalog, Gaga commanded the Coachella Stage with a level of drama and emotional intensity that few have ever brought to the festival.
Best Stage to Recharge
The Outdoor Stage quietly stole the show as the go-to spot to recharge during the Coachella weekend. Surrounded by open lawn space, churro and lemonade stands, and a nearby food court, it became the unofficial lounge area of the festival, perfect for sprawling out on a blanket, snacking, and catching a breeze between high-energy sets. But it wasn’t just the chill setup—the lineup matched the mood. Acts like The Marías and Clairo delivered dreamy, sun-soaked performances, while Parcels brought feel-good funk. Zedd flipped through his hit catalog with surprise guests including Julia Michaels, Bea Miller, and even John Mayer. And in a curveball twist, the LA Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel, brought highbrow drama with a full orchestral set. At any point in the day, the Outdoor Stage offered a nice balance of comfort and fun.
