Weekend 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is back in full swing in Indio, and for those of us who were here last week, it feels like déjà vu.
Performers Sabrina Carpenter, The XX, KATSEYE, Teddy Swims and more took the stage once again, delivering for their fans and giving us a few more surprises along the way.
Without further ado, here are our highs and lows for Day 1 of Weekend 2.
BEST MOMENTS
We got a ‘Thelma & Louise’ reunion, Madonna surprise thanks to Sabrina Carpenter
I love when a headliner changes things up for us, and boy did Sabrina Carpenter out-do herself. Continuing to show her cinephile side, last week she brought out Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon for an intense monologue that, I’ll admit, didn’t go over well with the crowd, but I still appreciated the Oscar-worthy delivery she gave us. This time around, the wonderful Geena Davis, Sarandon’s costar in the iconic film “Thelma & Louise,” came out in similar fashion (although this week’s monologue was much shorter, which I think the crowd appreciated). I love a good reunion, and even though they physically weren’t in the same space, it was still a very cute moment. But then the fun kept going and it led to a jaw-dropping appearance by the one and only Madonna. The superstar appeared during Carpenter’s “Juno” position, and the moment turned into a “Vogue” singalong along with “Get Together,” “Like a Prayer” and a new song. That’s one of those Coachella moments I’ll never forget.
It’s true, the Weekend 2 crowd is more chill
Everyone likes to dunk on the Weekend 1 crowd and say they’re all influencers who are only interested in the content. I won’t confirm or deny that those are my same sentiments, but what I will say is that the Weekend 2 crowd definitely seemed more chill today compared to last week. Even though the grounds are still super busy, people will actually look up and try to not bump into you as you’re walking by, and even if they do, they apologize. Wow, a concept! Let’s keep this energy up the rest of the weekend, please.
Holly Humberstone gives off infectious Carly Rae Jepsen energy
I’ve loved Carly Rae Jepsen for a long time, and I feel like I haven’t seen someone give off quite the same energy as her in a while. But then I watched English singer/songwriter Holly Humberstone and got what I was looking for. Her poppy hits, smooth vocals and cute energy absolutely made my night, and I can’t wait to follow all her music from this point forward.
WORST MOMENTS
Unbelievably long lines at Skylrk, Starbucks
Yes, I know there are going to be long lines at this festival, but enough is enough. The second I walked onto the festival grounds a few minutes after 1 p.m., it seemed like lines were everywhere. Thousands of people were snaking all around the Indio Central Market to shop at Skylrk, Justin Bieber’s clothing brand, while several other thousands were waiting for Starbucks drinks. Now I can’t claim to be any better, as I waited in the Starbucks line for nearly an hour to get the unicorn frappe, but we really shouldn’t be waiting in this long of lines so early in the day.
Not enough non-fried food options
Listen, I’m a simple woman with tummy issues. I’m begging for this festival to provide more options that are not fried, greasy or overall not great for you. Everywhere I look, I see fried chicken, burgers and things loaded with sauces. Does anyone know what a vegetable is, and, while yes, potatoes are veggies, I’m going to need more than just French fries here.
Good luck not getting sick this weekend
It’s a sniffle-palooza out there! Everyone I passed seemed to have a stuffy nose or was coughing, and many had a mask on (which is much appreciated). The dust particles in the air certainly didn’t help things, so if you were out on the grounds today, get your tissues, saline nasal sprays and cough syrups ready at your bedside tonight.
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Madonna’s appearance one of best moments of Coachella Weekend 2 Day 1
Reporting by Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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