Arts & Entertainment
7 Memorable Moments From Coachella 2019
From unforgettable performances to embarrassing audio fumbles, Coachella 2019 was one for the books.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – The first weekend of Coachella has come and gone, and this year was as jam-packed as ever. There were some huge successes (like Childish Gambino's theatrical, yet intimate Friday night performance) and minor flubs (like Billie Eilish showing up 30 minutes late), which make the entire festival feel much more human than the influx of Instagram posts and influencers.
At a massive, world-renowned festival like Coachella – where it's unbelievably hot, there is constant noise and huge throngs of people bumping elbows – there are still unexpected moments of magic throughout the weekend that keep people coming back.
Here are some memorable moments from the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2019:
1. JPEGMAFIA trashing his own beats
Baltimore rapper Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks, known as JPEGMAFIA, put on an electric performance, but the best part of his set was probably his stage presence. He was humble, he was funny, and he was out of breath. He joked about being old before diving into the crowd. He was the type of performer you couldn't take your eyes off of.
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But then, the DJ on stage started a beat, and he said "You hear this beat? It’s the worst beat I've ever made. Straight garbage.”
My friends and I couldn't help but laugh – and decided it wasn't "straight garbage" like he said it was.
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2. Billie Eilish tries (and fails) to start a mosh pit
Billie Eilish has the stage presence of a seasoned veteran, but she's only 17. The singer's debut album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" was just released March 29, but everyone in the audience sang along to every word. Although she started her set 30 minutes late, she drew headliner-sized crowds, jumping around stage with the energy of, well, a teenager.
Early into her set, she wanted the front of the crowd to open a mosh pit, but the audience stayed still.
"Open that pit up," she demanded. "No one's moving...I don’t care if you think you’re cool, open it!"
3. Childish Gambino smokes weed with the audience
Childish Gambino's performance was movie-like: there was a choir, there was epic dancing, and he sang a wide array of his discography. He joked with the crowd that he was nervous – he usually smokes weed before he performs, but now he wants to smoke during his performance, he said. He grabbed a joint, hopped into the crowd and asked a man in the crowd to get high with him.
It was epic – until I saw the remnants of the joint on eBay. Bidding started at $1,000.
4. Tame Impala blasts confetti at the crowd
You may be thinking, "who the heck is Tame Impala?" Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of musician Kevin Parker, who rose to fame with their 2010 debut album "Innerspeaker" and sophomore album "Lonerism."
Parker, a seemingly aloof musician, might have lacked in stage presence, but he more than made up for it with psychedelic visuals on the big screens and the big confetti blast during Tame Impala's hit "Let it Happen."
View this post on Instagrammemories like these are meant to be shared :,)
A post shared by ryan freels (@ryanfreels) on Apr 15, 2019 at 7:44pm PDT
5. DoLaB brings out surprise guest after surprise guest
The DoLaB is an alternative to Coachella, while still on festival grounds. DJs spin songs under their infamous angular tent, while the funkiest, most eclectic Coachella-goers dance well into the night. This year, the DoLaB had some incredible surprise guests including: Agoria, CamelPhat, Pete Tong, Guy Gerber, Major Lazer, Bob Moses and RÜFÜS DU SOL. DoLaB surprise sets can't be beat.

6. I got my selfie printed on a slushie (and they called it a “frozie”)
What's more "Coachella" than your selfie printed on a drink? Cupcake, the official wine sponsor of the festival, had a "frozie" (frozen selfie) station at the festival for a unique, fun twist on a traditional slushie. The process starts with taking a selfie (duh). Then, you select your drink, they place a whipped cream layer on top, and your selfie is printed on top.
The result? A surprisingly detailed photo of your face printed on a slushie. Watch a "frozie" in action below:
7. Ariana Grande sings “we can’t hear anything!” amid audio fumble with Nicki Menaj
Ariana Grande headlined the last night of Coachella and brought out surprise guests *NSYNC (sans Justin Timberlake) and Nicki Minaj. While Grande and Minaj performed "Bang Bang," a train wreck unfolded: their microphones and headsets didn't work, so Minaj was rapping off-beat and Grande sang "we can't hear anything!"
Watch it below:
Y’ALL KNOW WE STAN ARIANA & NICKI BUT WHAT WAS THIS MESS #ARICHELLA pic.twitter.com/uCy3B3lnDB
— joseph (@stussyjoseph) April 15, 2019
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