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Pictured above: "Dancing In The Sky" 2024 art installation by Morag Myerscough. Photo courtesy of Coachella / Photo credit: Lance Gerber

By Robert Kinsler and George A. Paul

The Desert Star Weekly’s contributing music writers spotlight some can’t miss music acts headed to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 11-13 and April 18-20. This year’s headliners are Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone, and Travis Scott. More than 150 established and emerging artists are scheduled to perform over the two consecutive weekends. 

Fridays, April 11 and 18

Photo credit: Frank Lebon

Lady Gaga — On the heels of the release of her seventh No. 1 album in a row, Mayhem (released last month), singer-songwriter/keyboardist Lady Gaga appears at Coachellafest for the first time since 2017. The influential New York City native and 14-time Grammy Award winner should thrill festivalgoers with her signature mix of dance, synth-pop, funk, disco, and rock. Among the new cuts she will surely feature in the Indio sets: "Disease" and "Abracadabra," the first two Mayhem singles and “Shallow” off the film soundtrack to “A Star is Born.” Read George A. Paul's review of the new book titled "Lady Gaga is Life: A Superfan's Guide to All Things We Love about Lady Gaga" HERE. (RK)

The Marias / photo credit: Jaxon Whittington

The Marias — The Los Angeles-based quartet make an eagerly-awaited return to Coachella, having last performed here in 2022. The Marias just dropped new tracks “Back to Me” and “Nobody New.” The latter was co-written by Benny Blanco and follows The Marias’ appearance on Blanco & Selena Gomez’s current charter “Ojos Tristes.” The troupe's ’24 album Submarine included gold-certified hit “No One Noticed” and such enticing tracks as the hypnotic "Hamptons," immersive "Echo," dance-minded "Blur" and Spanish language delight "Lejos de Ti," which recalls the sonic magic of '80s favorite Cocteau Twins. (RK)

Go-Go’s — Initially part of the LA punk music scene during the late 1970s, the Go-Go’s broke new ground when they became the first all-female band to write and perform everything on a No. 1 album (1981’s pop-leaning, double platinum debut Beauty and the Beat). The quintet notched indelible hit singles like “Our Lips are Sealed,” “We Got the Beat,” “Vacation,” and “Head Over Heels,” later serving as inspiration for Bikini Kill. HAIM, The Linda Lindas, and others. Various reunions have happened over the years. The Go-Go’s were the subject of an acclaimed documentary in 2020 and they unveiled a spirited “Club Zero,” the first new song in decades. Since Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong co-wrote/played on 2001’s God Bless the Go-Go’s, could a guest appearance be in store at Empire Polo? (GAP)

Saturdays, April 12 and 19

Green Day / Photo credit: Alice Baxley

Green Day — This California trio helped spearhead the Nineties punk revival via massively successful album Dookie and hit singles “Basket Case,” “Longview,” “Welcome to Paradise” and “When I Come Around. The musicians subsequently appeared at most major music festivals around the world but somehow hadn’t played Coachella (although frontman Billie Joe Armstrong did do a memorable guest spot with the Replacements in 2014) until now. Last year saw the incisive, compelling new studio album Saviors, sporting timely rocker “The American Dream is Killing Me.” Then the excellent American Idiot 20^th Anniversary reissues arrived. The highly recommended super deluxe box set features a wealth of unreleased demos, live tracks (from Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe, VHI Storytellers, a full American Idiot live run through at NYC’s Irving Plaza), rare B-sides, 2 Blu-rays with compelling documentaries, memorabilia, detailed liner notes and more. (GAP)

Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast at Coachella  in April 2022. Photo credit: Julian Bajsel / Getty Images for Coachella

Japanese Breakfast — The moniker for singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast was clearly a wonderful discovery for many music fans at Coachella ‘22. With the release of Zauner's bewitching fourth album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) last month, Japanese Breakfast will likely attract even more attention this time around. There is a dreamy quality across the new material and the singular setting afforded by the Empire Polo Field should bring even more magic to gems such as "Here is Someone," "Orlando in Love" and "Magic Mountain." (RK) 

Jimmy Eat World / Photo credit: Jimi Giannatti

Jimmy Eat World — Hailing from Arizona, Jimmy Eat World formed in 1993 and came to national prominence eight years later with the stellar, platinum-selling fourth album Bleed American. The Mesa band’s emotionally driven brand of alt-rock led to modern rock radio staples like “The Middle” (a Top 5 pop crossover among Spotify’s Billions Club), “Sweetness,” “Pain” and “Work.” Jimmy Eat World’s last studio album, 2019’s Surviving, featured guests Davey Havok (AFI) and James King (Fitz and the Tantrums). The quartet – which previously played Coachella ‘11 – recently put out the Phoenix Sessions, derived from three engaging 2021 entire album livestream performances, on limited edition vinyl. Each “reimagined” title reveals subtle new sonic nuances from playing the songs on the road for years. Multiple photos are included. The Futures 2LP gatefold features a detailed recollection by the band about the original album creation alongside producer Gil Norton. Chances are good fans will hear recent single “Something Loud” live in Indio. (GAP)  

Weezer performing at Coachella in Indio on April 20, 2019. Photo credit: Courtesy of Coachella

Weezer (Weekend 1 Only) — Rivers Cuomo and company were just added to the 2025 Coachella lineup late last weekend; the Los Angeles-spawned band is slated to appear at 3:10 p.m. on the Mojave Stage on Saturday for Weekend One. Weezer last appeared at the festival in 2019 and delivered memorable sets featuring original material and artful remakes at each of the band's weekend sets. (RK)

Ed Sheeran (Weekend 2 Only) — For the first time since surprise performers started being added to the Weekend 1 lineup (Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire), Weekend 2 attendees finally get to enjoy one too. The British pop superstar — who headlined Dodger Stadium in 2024 and is best known for such Billboard top 5 singles as "Shape of You," "Perfect," "Thinking Out Loud," "Bad Habits" and "I Don't Care" — will appear in the Mojave tent. Expect to hear the festive, Middle Eastern-tinged new single "Azizam" in the singer/guitarist's set.  (GAP)

Sundays, April 13 and 20

Kraftwerk / Photo credit: Falcon Publicity

Kraftwerk — The term “pioneer” often gets bandied around, but Kraftwerk truly fits the bill. If Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider hadn’t started the German electronic music band in 1970, the Eighties new wave, alternative, rap and EDM landscapes might’ve sounded far different. Kraftwerk has been sampled by Dr. Dre, Afrika Bambaata & Soulsonic Force and Busta Rhymes. Additionally, everyone from David Bowie, Depeche Mode and Duran Duran to Bjork, The Prodigy and Daft Punk have cited the Dusseldorf musicians as an influence. Previously performing at the 2004 and ’08 Coachellas (where it rivaled Prince for the event standout), the Indio sets arrive on the back of a nine night Walt Disney Hall in 2024 stand. (GAP) 

Information: Coachella.com.