Justin Bieber
Probably the biggest head scratcher was from the artist who allegedly is now the highest paid artist of Coachella. $10 million was apparently paid to Justin Bieber, great work if you can get it! The most controversial element of his set was a low-key production of him exploring in real time many of his early videos. The performance was perfectly Meta. Hard-core fans were ecstatic as they were justified in their long-term support of Bieber, whereas other folks were understandably perplexed. My take? I was never a fan, but let’s give him props for not automatically stepping up for the usual full-blown headline production. If you believe, as I do, that art should provide more questions than answers, than Beiber deliberately or otherwise did just that.
Give credit to Bieber for frequently gliding along the pit and engaging directly with ecstatic fans (by definition his most hard-core fans). More than a few front row denizens were overwhelmed in deciding whether to sing along, capture a selfie or revel in the moment old school style. Bieber was discovered on social media and undoubtedly no one in the world captured more social media activity that night.
Everything performed by Bieber was live to track (although a few musicians were peppered throughout), meaning that the cost of production was quite lower than artists who brought along a full band.
Many fans seemed to love his crotch grabs and singing while lying on his back. Bieber showed no real urgency in moving from one song to the next, in keeping with the decidedly low energy performance and comfortable Ugg boots in which he prowled the stage.
All in it was a pleasant enough performance, with few overly memorable moments and really not so far from a Jack Johnson gig.
On the other end of the exuberance spectrum was Karol G; her explosive headlining set closed out the weekend. The reggaeton singer from Colombia delivered her set with little or no English, and brought to mind the culture-melding performance of Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl.
David Byrne
The last time I saw David Byrne at Coachella was in 2018, and he was astounding. This time, he somehow managed to do even better. As with his prior appearance, the only thing touching the stage were the feet of the performers; all instruments were carried and performed with amazing choreography. It is quite evident that Byrne outshined many musicians that weekend 1/2 or 1/3 of his age. Granted, at 73, Byrne enjoys a deep, eclectic and satisfying songbook. He reached in to find many fan favorites. His astounding band was crisp, energetic and a joy to watch. The entire band was grinning throughout the performance. I believe the emotion was honest.
I noted that unlike several other performers, Byrne did it all without a Teleprompter, whereas many legacy artists look for that support to ensure a smooth delivery.
Random Notes
There was a tipping point for Coachella when the promoters ambitiously put tickets on sale before announcing the lineup. That was the point at which knowingly or otherwise the brand became more important than the musicians. By delivering so many enjoyable annual lineups and providing consistently such an incredible vibe, promoter Goldenvoice provided its fan base the confidence to buy tickets without knowing who they would see perform. In fact, the demand was so great that the promoters were able to double down and repeat the whole shebang the following weekend.
Other acts in 2026 that caught my eyes and ears included Interpol at Mojave. Brad Truax’s low slung bass provided the throbbing engine room for the Manhattan band, now in its 29th year. Emerging from the same NYC scene was The Strokes, who preceded Bieber on Friday.
Worship delivered the obligatory sensory overload as headliner at Sahara, but for me performers fist pumping, lighting cigs and twiddling knobs is not quite sufficient to get me impressed.
Tijuana Panthers from nearby Long Beach was an energetic trio, reminding punters of early frenetic Police, and not just because lead singer Daniel Michicoff likewise played bass à la Sting.
For those seeking true old school hardcore real deal punk, toggling strategically between Mojave and Sahara at the golden hour on Sunday afforded you mosh pit behavior with Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies and Iggy Pop.
That’s a wrap, the nation’s premier music festival again delivers.
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