Every April, our timelines get blasted with sun-drenched influencers in boho fringe, pastel hair and glitter that will haunt us for the next six months. The caption? It’s some variation of “Living my best life in the desert.”
But let’s be honest—Coachella has been looking more awful year after year. On paper, Coachella looks like the perfect two weekends. In reality, it is my worst nightmare: an overcrowded, over-glamorized weekend in the middle of nowhere.
If you feel like you’re missing out, watch the dust-covered reels and overpriced fits, and take a deep breath. You’re not missing out on anything but a glorified mirage.
Let’s break it down. The setting itself sounds like a punishment. People are paying thousands of dollars to camp in the California desert, where temperatures can hit triple digits during the day. On top of this issue, attendees reported waiting over 12 hours to get into the festival.
Attendees share communal showers (if you’re lucky) and brave Porta Potties that resemble something out of a rodeo weekend. You’d think this was a survival of the fittest, not a luxury music festival.
Then there’s the food. Forget the music for a second, let’s talk about the $30 chicken sandwich or the $17 lemonade. Between the once-worn expensive outfits, $700 plus tickets and the cost of transportation and sustenance, it’s hard to believe people are willing to drop the equivalent of a down payment on a car to be in a hot, overcrowded environment.
At its core, Coachella has transformed from a music festival to a festival about class status. Most of the people you see documenting their outfits and bragging over sponsored lounges aren’t there for the music; they’re there for the content.
Social media has made festivals like Coachella less about the experience and more about the appearance of the experience. The goal isn’t necessarily to enjoy the music, but to be seen enjoying the music. Or rather, to be seen pretending to.
The rest of us at home feeling FOMO need to stop falling for it. The FOMO you are feeling is manufactured and heavily filtered by sponsored brands hoping you’ll buy into the illusion that sweating through heat exhaustion will be a vibe.
As much as it would be great to see your favorite artists perform live, Coachella is not worth the hype. Everything is streamed on YouTube or TikTok, making it more enjoyable to watch without the risk of heatstroke. Most of the artists are going on tour this summer anyway, like Post Malone and Lady Gaga.
If you actually love live music, there are dozens of smaller, more intimate festivals across the country that don’t require you to mortgage your future or inhale three pounds of dust. Support local festivals to feel the intimate vibe they portray. Your sanity, savings and social battery will thank you.
