I don't know many people who didn't wish they were in the desert last weekend with the tens of thousands of festival-goers that attended the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Unfortunately, living on the other side of the country and being a broke college student can make getting there a little difficult. Here are some of the many reasons why we all wished we were there.
1. The lineup was kind of awesome.
This year's lineup was stellar, and there was someone there for everyone. EDM fans got the best of the deal with LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris headlining two of the three days, but rock fans got their fill as well with Guns N' Roses headlining Saturday. Hip-hop fans got A$AP Rocky, G-Eazy and Rae Sremmurd, while Alt Rock lovers got the 1975, Grimes and Halsey. Even country music fans were satisfied with a performance by Chris Stapleton.
2. The surprise guest performances blew us away.
The amount of surprise guest performances at Coachella throughout the years didn't stop us from getting way too excited about them this year. Kanye West made an appearance during A$AP Rocky's set to sing "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1." Calvin Harris shared the stage with Rihanna for a performance of "We Found Love." Zedd was joined by Ke$ha and Halsey by Brendon Urie. Perhaps the most talked about surprise was an almost-reunion of N.W.A. that occurred during Ice Cube's set when DJ Yella and MC Ren joined him for a few of their classic hits.
3. If our favorites weren't on stage, they were probably still there.![]()
Of course Taylor Swift made the trip to the desert to watch her bae Calvin Harris perform. Her squad of other talented musicians and Victoria's Secret Angels were also spotted as well. Other familiar faces included Kendall and Kylie Jenner, the Weeknd, Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nina Dobrev and Joe Jonas.
4. The fashion was both delightful and ridiculous.
Chokers and crop tops and tie-dye as far as the eye can see. These models looked like hippie goddesses, but photos can be found of others wearing everything from neon pink wigs to dinosaur suits. It seems like most people take Coachella as an opportunity to truly dress however they want, which sounds like one of the most fun parts of the experience.
5. If the music wasn't enough, there were incredible giant art pieces, too.
The moment festival-goers entered the gates, a giant fixture reading "BESAME MUCHO" (kiss me a lot) made entirely of flowers greeted them. Other pieces included stories tall yellow chairs and a tower of white box-like structures. Do I have any idea what kind of significance these pieces have? Nope, but they're cool to look at and a lot people used them for shade.
6. It got political in the best way possible.
The man himself made an appearance. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders introduced hip-hop group Run the Jewels via video message, and everybody went nuts. #FeelTheBern
7. The food was probably as good as the music.
There was a crazy amount of vendors selling food at the festival. Everything from chicken wings to doughnuts to gourmet ramen noodles could be found somewhere close by. There was also a farmer's market on the campgrounds for those who preferred fresh or vegan options.
8. The alcohol reached a new level of both hipster and awesome.
In past years, Coachella had very limited options for alcohol purchases inside the grounds. This year, the game was changed with the expansion of the craft beer barn which served over 100 different hand crafted beers available on tap.
9. The fireworks show looked pretty incredible.![]()
SPARKLES. EXPLOSIONS. AMERICA. HECK YEAH.
10. Riding the iconic Coachella ferris wheel is absolutely on our bucket lists.
The giant ferris wheel was back again for the weekend, and according to the Coachella website, the views from it are "totes increds."
