Desert Trip Won't Return in 2017, Goldenvoice CEO Says

INDIO, CA — Desert Trip, which brought together a Mount Rushmore of classic rock acts to the desert last fall, will not be returning to Indio in 2017, according to a report from Billboard Thursday, quoting Goldenvoice president and CEO Paul Tollett.

"We're not doing Desert Trip this year," Tollett told Billboard. "We loved 2016 Desert Trip -- that was a special moment in time. Maybe someday in the future we'll do something similar."

Whatever the reason for not renewing the festival, it isn't for a lack of ticket sales or desire from fans.

The inaugural Desert Trip was a tremendous success even by Coachella festival standards, drawing in more than $160 million across two October weekends.

The lineup alone was enough to lead Goldenvoice to extend what was originally a single-weekend affair to two weekends, a la Coachella and Stagecoach.

Playfully dubbed "Oldchella," Desert Trip featured the likes of Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and the Who and expectations were high for a potential 2017 lineup.

Goldenvoice had not confirmed nor denied a Desert Tip 2.0 until Thursday. A speculative Led Zeppelin reunion or other long-awaited returns to the big stage will have to wait until at least 2018.

— By City News Service / Image via YouTube