Latest news with #CoachellaMusicandArtsFestival
Buzz Feed
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
ENHYPEN's Performance Was Otherworldly And D4vd Finally Landed His Backflip — Here's What I Learned From Coachella 2025
I'm Myke, a resident music festival fanatic, here to provide insight into one of the dopest events of the year — the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. Since 2015, I've attended festivals like Coachella, FYF, Life is Beautiful, Outside Lands, and Austin City Limits. This year, I attended my 9th Coachella and witnessed some of the most career-defining sets for music artists from all over the world. In recent years, Coachella has embraced international artists and genres that rarely existed in the same space. With an Aperol Spritz and Red Bull cocktail in hand, I roamed the Empire Polo Fields, rediscovering everything I loved about the polarizing festival. Sure, the internet can't stop talking about Coachella, but what do the artists on stage think about it all? Curious, I put on my best cross-trainers, ran from stage to stage to catch some of my favorite performers, and went to work. For the uninitiated, Coachella is comprised of various stages strategically placed across the field. The largest stages are the Coachella Stage and the Outdoor Theatre. Five tented stages are named after real-life deserts: Sahara, Mojave, Gobi, Sonora, and Yuma. And finally, there's the innovative art installation music oasis stage, Do LaB, and the newest stage, Quasar. But these are no ordinary stages. The production behind every stage is unique and sets the bar incredibly high for similar festivals. I spoke with Dan Norman, a light designer from Silent House Studios who programmed shows at festivals like Glastonbury, Hyde Park, Lollapalooza, BottleRock, and Rolling Loud, about creating those unbelievable visuals. For Travis Scott's headlining performance on the Coachella Stage, Dan said there were over 80 crew members involved, plus about 10 various departmental creative leads, 60 marching band members, 20 stunt performers, plus choreographers, creative directors, set designers, production managers, technical directors, pyro and flame designers, operators, laser teams, carpenters, welders, truck drivers, stage managers, audio crews, camera directors, video content creators, video server programmers. While a decent amount of programming is applied, Dan and the lighting team also operate the systems and atmospheric effects live, adapting to constant updates in the live performance. And to think that's just for one of the almost 150 artists performing at the festival. With almost 150 artists performing at Coachella this year, I had to find out what it's like to be on the other side of the festival experience. Luckily, I had the opportunity to ask music artists about their favorite moments at the festival, their biggest takeaways, and even their dream headliners. Here's what 16 incredible artists who performed at Coachella had to say about the festival! 1. The K-pop group ENHYPEN — JUNGWON, HEESUNG, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOOD, SUNOO, and NI-KI — performed at the Sahara Stage and reignited my admiration for boy bands. As an aspiring ENGENE (their fans), securing a front-row ticket to their Walk The Line World Tour might be my future. Not to be a hater, but it was clear that once people saw how incredible the Weekend 1 performance was, the crowd size doubled for Weekend 2, and we went bananas in the audience. Here's what ENHYPEN had to say about Coachella. ENHYPEN's favorite moment from the fesitval: JUNGWON: "We didn't expect so many ENGENEs in the U.S. to come out to the desert for two weekends, so it really surprised and touched us. 'Paranormal' was the song where we interacted with the audience for the first time during our set, and seeing all the banners as we walked around the stage really stuck with me. It was definitely one of the most memorable moments." What ENHYPEN hopes audiences take away: SUNGHOON: "Rather than just one moment, I hope people remember that ENHYPEN performed at Coachella and absolutely owned that stage." ENHYPEN's favorite performance at Coachella? JAY: "Green Day, for sure. They were one of the first bands that got me into rock music. Their raw sound and attitude definitely inspired me." 2. The iconic French electronic duo Polo & Pan performed at the Outdoor Theatre and took everybody on a colorful sonic journey that brought me to tears at one point, whether it was pure emotion or just the perfect timing of the wind. When I heard their third studio album, 22:22, I knew we were in for a treat to witness this performance on one of Coachella's most dynamic stages. Here's what Polo & Pan had to say about Coachella: Polo & Pan's favorite moment from the festival: Paul: "I really enjoyed playing our new song 'Summer Is Almost Over' from our last album, it's been very special to play it here at Coachella." Alex: "We noticed and got feedback from our team that our audience on both weekends was mostly phone-free! We're so glad about it." What Polo & Pan hope audiences take away: "We hope they enjoyed the show and had a lot of fun. We tirelessly worked on this show with Coachella in mind; there's always a balance to find, a special chemistry between the music, the lights and the different performances." Polo & Pan's favorite performance at Coachella: "The Marias were amazing, we really enjoy their music and the scenography here was super elegant." 3. Sara Landry, who performed at the Sahara stage during Coachella, had my undivided attention from start to finish. I was jealous of Weekend 1, who had the chance to see her perform three times, including her surprise DoLab set and the Goldenvoice Surf Club, but her main set was fierce. Sure, I needed extra ashwagandha in my coffee that morning to deal with the claustrophobia of Sahara's overcrowded audience, but it was worth it. Here's what Sara Landry had to say about Coachella: Sara's favorite moment from the festival: " My favorite moments? I'm so sorry, I can't choose just one! From Weekend 1, stepping out on stage, seeing the production and the full Sahara tent for the first time was such an incredible feeling and I was shaking like a leaf! Then on Saturday, our Blood Oath B2B moment under the full moon with all the girls was so special, that set filled my heart with so much joy. Weekend 2, I just really loved that set and I felt like it went off without a hitch. My family was there too which was amazing. Reflecting on it now, it was also the first time in a really, really long time I've gotten to go to a music festival and actually enjoy the whole music festival. I was able to see a bunch of different acts, spend time with friends and dance in front of the speakers for once instead of being behind them, it was just such a special time overall. It's so hard to choose one highlight when the whole thing felt like a highlight, it was incredible." What Sara hopes audiences take away from her performance: "You know, I don't think of myself as just a DJ. I really am moving into this new era of being an artist and it's so important for me to create these special, memorable experiences for the people who attend my shows. I had so much fun developing ETERNALISM, working on building something where we thought about every possible point of the experience. I just loved it, I loved that immersion. I want people to expect more of that creativity from me and I hope I continue to surprise and delight. It is my greatest joy and honor to be lucky enough to share these moments with my audiences, I am so grateful." Sara's favorite performance at Coachella: "Oh that's hard. It's so hard to choose just one, but I'm going to have to say Charli, her sets were amazing. It was so cool to watch her do her thing on that stage, just her, and she threw down. The crowd loved it and it felt like such a cultural moment. It was amazing to see her win, I had a blast during those sets." If Sara could see anyone perform at Coachella, she said, "For me that's Lady Gaga and we got to see an incredible show from her, so my heart is totally happy. It was such a beautiful set to witness I'm so glad I got to be there. It was super cool to run into Amelie Lens in the crowd and vibe with her there too, that was a really fun moment." 4. Guyanese-American singer SAINt JHN performed at the Mojave stage beside the VIP Rose Garden, and it was the perfect setting for his music. His Coachella debut reminded me that he's not new to this, he's true to this. I'm not going to lie. I was watching his set so hard that I started leaning to the side, just like that giant cross on the stage. Here's what SAINt JHN had to say about Coachella: SAINt's favorite moment from the festival: "I think my favorite moment was standing on top of the cross, seeing thousands of people hold their phone up as I was doing Roses and hearing them sing it back. That's probably my favorite moment. Watching other people other perform is really cool, but nothing tops that, 'cause that's why I started. That was one of my first songs that I thought was gonna be huge, and it took a long time, but it worked, and it was proof that what I believed in was real. So, to see it at the biggest stage in my life, still being real, like the song came out yesterday morning. Unbelievable, unforgettable." What SAINt hopes audiences take away: "If there's anything I wanted someone to take away from my performance at Coachella, it's my self-belief. My undying commitment to give it my all. No one sees the tribulations or the difficulties building up to getting to the stage, and that's not their job or their responsibility to see. They're just supposed to see the result of the hard work. But my bleeding heart or my honesty, the truth that I leave on the stage, I think it's hard to miss." SAINt's favorite performance at Coachella: "I really like Benson Boone and I really loved Missy.. And Gaga was insane. Wow." If SAINt could see anyone perform at Coachella, he said, "It'd be crazy to see Michael Jackson." 5. Spanish singer Judeline performed at the Sonora stage during Coachella, and it was the perfect blend of eerie R&B and traditional Latin music. I couldn't take my eyes away from her poetic interactions with dancer Héctor Fuertes. I couldn't fully explain what was happening on stage, but I know it was my type. Here's what Judeline had to say about Coachella: Judeline's favorite moment from the festival: "Lady Gaga was so special for me as I have admired her for so long. I was crying the whole show." "Also, my second weekend show was one of the most special shows I have ever done. My Miley Cyrus cover had a really special reaction from the crowd." What Judeline hopes audiences take away: "I would love them to feel that they are seeing something special that is going to be big. There's a lot of love and dreams in the work we did to prepare the show. I hope people can see it." Judeline's favorite performance at Coachella: "Lady Gaga of course... mother." If Judeline could see anyone perform at Coachella, she said, "I imagine Britney Spears… or Héctor Lavoe, it would be crazy!" 6. Singer-songwriter d4vd performed at the Gobi Stage, and although he killed it both weekends, his second performance landed a little better than his first. I can't wait to put his debut album, WITHERED, on repeat. Here's what d4vd had to say about Coachella: d4vd's favorite moment from the festival: "Favorite memory would have to be not landing the backflip from week 1 but then landing it in week 2. It led to so many laughs and funny memes which I always love." What d4vd hopes audiences take away from his performance: "The energy, the diversity of the set & the emotion behind not just the sad songs but also like "Leave Her" where I just get lost in the beat every time." d4vd's favorite performance at Coachella: "CLAIRO!" If d4vd could see anyone perform at Coachella, he said, "Maybe SZA?" 7. UK DJ and producer Eli Brown performed at Yuma during Coachella Weekend 2, and he brought down the house. There's a reason they call him a sonic architect: the way he constructed his set completely reconfigured my brain. Eli's a valid link between the underground and mainstream of electronic music, and Coachella was the perfect stage to execute his master plan. Here's what Eli Brown had to say about Coachella: Eli's favorite moment from the festival: "What a weekend, this was my first time visiting Coachella - let alone performing - and it totally lived up to the hype." "Both weekends were great but my Weekend 2 performance in the Yuma was definitely my highlight. It's hard to describe why Weekend 2 topped Weekend 1, but I guess doing it second time around everyone is a bit more settled in and I definitely felt a bit more loose. I had my whole family out with me for the first time ever in my career, so having them there to share that experience with me made it all the more special." What Eli's hopes audiences take away from his performance: "I wanted to turn the Yuma into a rave, and by that I mean capturing the essence and energy of a warehouse rave. Heads down, high energy club music that keeps you captivated and lost in the moment. I hope that the people who set foot in the Yuma for my Saturday closing set walked away feeling that energy whether they knew me or my music, or if it was their first time hearing my sound." Eli's favorite performance at Coachella: "Hands down Post Malone's closing set on Sunday night. I don't often get the time or chance to explore festivals, but for Coachella I managed to spend both weekends here taking in a lot of DJ sets and live performances. Weekend 1, I loved seeing Missy Elliot, she had banger after banger and really took me back to my childhood. Weekend 2, I finished the festival watching Post Malone and wow, the stage set up, his performance and energy really left a mark on me and I found it super inspiring. Other performances to note were Sam Fender, a UK singer songwriter who I love and was lucky enough to see on Saturday afternoon." If Eli could see anyone perform at Coachella, he said, "For me, Michael Jackson. His music left the biggest impact on me, it was the soundtrack to my upbringing and I can only imagine what a show he would bring to that Coachella Mainstage." 8. Berlin-based DJ and producer Yulia Niko made her Coachella debut in the Yuma tent. Her genre-defying sound was the perfect soundtrack to the dark, strobe-lit, air-conditioned atmosphere and polished floors of Yuma. It's one of my greatest pleasures to discover new favorites at Coachella, and Yulia is definitely in that category. Here's what Yulia Niko had to say about Coachella: Yulia favorite moment from the festival: "On the second weekend, I finally got the chance to see Lady Gaga's performance. From the moment the lineup came out and I knew I'd be in the desert, she was at the top of my list for who I wanted – and needed – to see." "I've always felt so connected to her, and her Coachella performance was truly the best performance I've ever seen in my life. The whole performance reminded me of theater, there was so much happening – it gave me goosebumps from the second she stepped on stage. After we saw that, I went home, there was nothing else I needed to see." What Yulia hopes audiences take away from her performance: "I always want my audience to have a lifetime experience. I really try to express the energy the music gives and the incredible vibes performing gives me. I have received, and cherish, some really amazing feedback from people who've discovered me for the first time in the Yuma – it was such a magical moment, playing Coachella is such a huge achievement for me and I wanted my happiness for this moment to be expressed in my set. The energy is so special, when people come to see you play – it's magical, almost indescribable." Yulia's favorite performance at Coachella: "Outside of Lady Gaga, in my own genre, I saw Mau P for the first time at Sahara both weekends, and I was really impressed. I had the chance to meet him yesterday as well before his DoLab secret set, and he's genuinely one of the kindest people I've ever met." If Yulia could see anyone perform at Coachella, she said, "Since the beginning, I've always been the biggest fan of Sade – but I've never had the chance to see her live. I think for Coachella, for this kind of set up, it would be so amazing to see her perform– I would really love it!" 9. House DJ and producer Kaskade performed an epic back-to-back set at the Quasar stage with Idris Elba, and it felt like I was in the middle of a blockbuster action movie. Watching Kaskade from the balcony of the Red Bull Mirage was a life-altering experience. Kaskade was the first electronic DJ to headline Coachella in 2015, and it was a special moment because that was my first time attending the festival. Here's what Kaskade had to say about Coachella: Kaskade's favorite moment from the festival: "Playing with Idris was absolutely my favorite moment. There were times in the set where I was brought back to my earliest days not knowing what was about to come next, as he and I haven't spent a lot of time together. But it's that shape shifting that makes a b2b fun. There's no phoning it in, he kept me on my toes." What Kaskade hopes audiences take away: "The reality that we were up there feeding off what they were giving. We didn't have anything pre-planned, it was very in the moment. I love having the crowd be part of the performance, and they were calling the shots. That audience really showed up for us, it was a blast." Kaskade's favorite performance at Coachella: "I'm going to be straight here and say what all of us are thinking: ENHYPEN is probably not from planet Earth. These guys are to boy-bands up to now what a tin can and string are to iPhones. The amount of talent and stamina and tenacity it must take to participate in their production is extraordinary. What can I say? I'm getting with K-Pop still." If Kaskade could see anyone perform at Coachella, he said "Sade. Always Sade." Until next time, Coachella! Mychal Thompson If you could see anyone perform at Coachella, who would it be? Share your responses, and doesn't matter if they're living or dead, popular or underground.
Sky News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Counter terror police assessing Kneecap concert video
Counter terror police are assessing a video reported to be from a concert by Irish rappers Kneecap. A social media clip of the hip hop trio on stage appeared to show one member of the group shout "up Hamas, up Hezbollah". The footage was posted online by Danny Morris from the Jewish security charity, the Community Security Trust. He said it was from a gig last November at London's Kentish Town Forum. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required." Hamas and Hezbollah are both proscribed as terrorist groups in the UK. Under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, it is an offence to express "an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation". It comes after TV personality Sharon Osbourne called for Kneecap's US work visas to be revoked over their pro-Palestinian statements at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 18 April.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Counter terror police assessing Kneecap concert video
Counter terror police are assessing a video reported to be from a concert by Irish rappers Kneecap. A social media clip of the hip hop trio on stage appeared to show one member of the group shout "up Hamas, up Hezbollah". The footage was posted online by Danny Morris from the Jewish security charity, the Community Security Trust. He said it was from a gig last November at London's Kentish Town Forum. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "We have been made aware of the video and it has been referred to the counter terrorism internet referral unit for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required." Hamas and Hezbollah are both proscribed as terrorist groups in the UK. Under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, it is an offence to express "an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation". Sky News has contacted Kneecap's management for comment. Read more from Sky News: It comes after TV personality Sharon Osbourne called for Kneecap's US work visas to be revoked over their pro-Palestinian statements at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 18 April. In November last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK government after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch refused them funding.
Los Angeles Times
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Junior H's Coachella set proved he can be a ‘sad boy' and a trap corrido pioneer
An hour before his first performance at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival's main stage, a horde of managers, bandmembers and label execs crowded the entrance of Junior H's artist trailer. Among the many faces was Jimmy Humilde, the chief executive of Rancho Humilde Records, who signed the singer after his track 'No Eh Cambiado,' a requinto-backed hustle anthem, went viral on YouTube. Junior H, whose real name is Antonio Herrera Pérez, was a high schooler in Utah at the time. Now, almost seven years later, the 23-year-old artist, who was raised in Guanajuato, Mexico, is one of the biggest names in the increasingly popular world of música Mexicana. 'It feels really good for us to be here right now, representing Mexico and representing all this music we're doing,' said Junior H, switching between Spanish and English. 'Being the kind of artist that I am, I'm trying to get the most ears I can. That's why I'm here to get people's attention.' Junior H and labelmate Natanel Cano are credited for pioneering corridos tumbados, a hybrid sound that blends traditional corrido instrumentation with elements of hip-hop and trap beats — Cano's 2019 album, 'Corridos Tumbados,' heavily featured Junior H. In the realm of música Mexicana, there are the trap corrido makerswho sing about partying and drugs, and then there are 'the sad boys,' hopeless romantics who croon about being in love or about being brokenhearted. Junior H conveniently straddles the line between both. 'I don't really have a problem looking at who I am. I think the people gave me [the 'sad boy' title] a few years ago. They started categorizing me with sad and sentimental music. So I accepted and we kept it going,' said Junior H. 'Especially with men, I think it's important to show people that feelings are not bad and we can express them as we want.' After his U.S. tour, Sad Boyz Mania, which took place last summer and included two sold-out nights at L.A.'s BMO Stadium, Junior H received a second-line billing on this year's Coachella's Day 3 lineup. His name appeared between electronic DJ Zedd and K-pop idol Jennie, and was one of three música Mexicana performers playing the entire fest — he's joined by fellow sad boy Ivan Cornejo and reggaetón Mexa up-and-comer El Malilla. Festival organizers first began booking música Mexicana actst in 2018 — legacy cumbia group Los Angeles Azules was the first to play the three-day event. As global interest in the genre has grown, Goldenvoice, the company behind Coachella, has booked acts like Los Tucanes de Tijuana, Grupo Firme, Banda MS and Cano. Last year, Peso Pluma, Carin León and Santa Fe Klan were on the lineup. It was during Peso Pluma's set that Junior H made his desert debut, making a guest appearance to sing 'El Azul,' a narcocorrido believed to be about a Sinaloan drug lord. Now with his own 50-minute set, Junior H says he was excited to be in a position where he could return the gesture to Pluma and bring his own 'sad boy' flair to center stage. 'You know, it's not an opportunity for him, because he was the first one who opened all this way for us,' said Junior H. 'It's a really beautiful thing between artists, and especially between friends like us when we work really hard for this genre, and then get the privilege to perform on stages like this one.' As the Sunday evening set's start time lingered over his head, Junior H traded his casual, pink jersey for an all-white outfit that would contrast his band's all-black attire. In the dimmed trailer, journalists, friends and VIP fans all shared a few moments of his sought-after attention. The softspoken singer remained quiet and seems to be in a relaxed state of mind. Outside, the tololoche player tuned his instruments as the guitarists gathered in a corner to run through a few chords and the horn players blew a few trial notes — all while intermittently taking shots of Clase Azul Tequila. When it was time for them to all head over to the stage, they moved in a dense pack where Junior H was barely visible. On stage, Junior H took the role of a conductor overseing the 25 musicians backing him. The sheer amount of people created a showstopping spectacle, with each group of instrumentalists on different raised levels. The ensemble even included someone whose sole purpose was to deliver tequila shots to the musicians and hold Junior H's red solo cup, generating a party atmosphere both onstage and in the audience. As the música Mexicana sensation crooned the heartbroken lyrics of 'Y Lloro' and a symphony of 'Rockstar's' horns rang out, he commanded the stage's catwalk and hit every note from the pits of his diaphragm. Throughout the show, he continually shouted out Mexico and encouraged the crowd to yell out the lyrics. Toward the end of his set, he brought out Peso Pluma to sing 'Luna,' and followed it up by inviting Tito Double P on stage to join him for '5-7.' Many expected a different setlist from the corridos tumbados originator, as he neglected many of his most popular corridos such as the newly released 'El Chore' and one of his early hits, 'El Hijo Mayor.' There was online speculation surrounding the exclusion of these tracks, especially after Los Alegres del Barranco's U.S. visas were revoked for showing an image of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during a recent concert. But Junior H shared that he wanted to put more of a spotlight on his 'Sad Boy' sound. '[Sad Boyz 4 Life II] is one of the most, most important albums in my career. We've been forcing ourselves to prove and show the people what we can do and that we can change our music. It doesn't have to be typical. We can also do nice and beautiful music, not just music for the streets or the narcos and all that s—,' he says, apologizing for cursing. 'We want people to see that we don't only do that type of music. We also do beautiful music and poetry. That's our goal: to show them that we do more than that.' Before heading off the stage, a massive image of the Mexican flag appeared on the main stage's biggest screen. The explosive guitar riffs of 'Disfruto Lo Malo,' a collaboration with Cano, prompted a ground-shaking roar from the crowd. Junior H made one final lap around the mega stage, making eye contact with every screaming individual and paying homage to his musical roots.
Los Angeles Times
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Goldenvoice founder Gary Tovar is Coachella's eternal fan: ‘When the music moves, you move with it'
Inside the club-like Sonora tent on the grounds of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Gary Tovar is inching closer to the stage. As ever, he's snapping pictures on his phone, and shooting bits of video, to be shared online later. Onstage on this opening weekend of the festival is the Los Angeles indie rock act Together Pangea, but for some astute music-lovers in the crowd, Tovar is as recognizable as anyone who will be on this stage. He's the founder of Goldenvoice Productions, which launched Coachella in 1999, and was a crucial supporter of L.A.'s original punk rock concert scene in the 1980s. Dressed in his usual plain white T-shirt, dark khaki shorts, with a blue bandana tied close to his throat, Tovar can barely get a few steps across the air-conditioned room before he's greeted by another admirer. While Tovar no longer owns the company he founded in 1981, he remains its No. 1 fan, attending multiple concerts and club shows every week, sometimes two or three a night. At Coachella, he is an especially active consumer of music, starting his day with breakfast in catering, and spending a full day going from stage to stage. He often travels in his own golf cart, but says he still gets 25,000 steps in a day. The heat, reaching above 100 degrees on opening weekend, does not slow him down. 'A lot of people stay in their era,' Tovar says of his ongoing music consumption. 'There's a lot of people complaining — they came here in 2009 — they still want MGMT, they want Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and they want time to stop. You have to be eternal. I don't mean you're gonna live forever. I mean, when the music moves, you move with it. You can't pine for yesterday.' That said, he maintains a lot of affection for the punk era that launched Goldenvoice in the early 1980s. While other local punk rock promoters came and went, Goldenvoice became an essential champion of punk, metal, goth, industrial and other revolutionary sounds of the time. Tovar also flew in acts from overseas for their first L.A. area shows. Tovar saw himself as a patron of the arts, putting the likes of Black Flag, the Dead Kennedys, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Jane's Addiction onstage at the Olympic Auditorium, Santa Monica Civic, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre and Fender's Ballroom. He survived where many others failed because he had the resources to follow his musical passions, even if the shows weren't always profitable. The reason: Tovar was a marijuana smuggler, bringing contraband in from Colombia and then Thailand. He made millions, until a prison sentence took him away for seven years, and he handed the company over to his successors: Paul Tollett and the late Rick Van Santen. While Coachella emerged during his time in prison for marijuana trafficking, the world-renowned festival is a lasting legacy of his nascent shows of the 1980s. 'This wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Gary,' says Circle Jerks singer Keith Morris, sitting in the band's Coachella dressing room right after the band's set. 'It was more about him being a fan than it was about the business. He's a total music freak.' He was also a rock fan going back to the 1960s, as a teenager once seeing Jimi Hendrix perform in Maui. Tovar got his first taste of punk rock at the final Sex Pistols performance at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom in January 1978. While intrigued, Tovar didn't imagine a place for himself in that world until his sister, an early fan of punk, mentioned that bands from the then-controversial genre were having trouble finding gigs to play. Beginning with a TSOL show in Santa Barbara on Dec. 4, 1981, Tovar dove in, eventually focusing on Los Angeles. He named the company after a favorite strain of Thai marijuana. 'They said when you smoked it, it was like the angels sang to you in a golden voice,' Tovar recalls with a smile. For a logo, he turned to Black Flag bassist and SST Records co-founder Chuck Dukowski, who spelled out the Goldenvoice name in 'Chinese'-style lettering left over from the cover art for the Minutemen's 'Paranoid Time' EP. (That same font is now used in the Coachella logo.) By 1983, things took off quickly for Goldenvoice, but soon went off the rails with a riot at a TSOL and Social Distortion concert at the original SIR Studios on Sunset Boulevard. There was another riot at an Exploited show in Huntington Park. Tovar had another concert lined up for Wilmington headlined by the aggressively radical Dead Kennedys that he was calling 'Storming the Docks,' if he could get police to sign off. Tovar met with the San Pedro Police, and he was asked, 'What type of band is the Dead Kennedys?' Tovar says he looked up and saw an official portrait of President Reagan on the wall. 'My mind clicked in. I said, 'The Dead Kennedys are a tribute band to John and Robert Kennedy. Where do we sign?'' That show also ended as a riot. 'Oh, they got so mad,' Tovar says now. 'I had to go in there with a little trickery, man.' After his third consecutive riot, Tovar turned to the Olympic Auditorium, the impenetrable concrete bunker in downtown Los Angeles where he'd hosted Black Flag a year before. The venue, with a 5,000-person capacity just on the ground floor, was large enough to absorb any number of punks and others who wanted to attend, without leaving anyone outside to loiter or get in trouble. Tovar fully expected that initial wave of punk rock euphoria to fade within a couple of years, and it did. 'Punk rock is like a shooting star. I knew it wasn't going to last,' he says. 'At the end of '85, it was showing cracks. Too much violence. Girls didn't want to come.' After two years at the Olympic, and as punk crowds began to diminish, he moved many of his shows to the smaller Fender's in Long Beach, expanding to other venues in Southern California as needed. As a leading proselytizer of punk and other alternative sounds, Tovar often partnered with promoters in other cities. It rarely meant a windfall for him. At one concert in Sacramento with the Ramones, he barely broke even. 'I found a $20 bill in the parking lot,' he remembers. 'That was my profit.' His money was largely made elsewhere. 'One of my hands was in punk rock, championing underground music that was on the fringe,' he says. 'And my other hand was smuggling quality marijuana. We went for the quality.' If anything, the pot business was accelerating. His role was to sail the marijuana from Colombia and Thailand to the U.S. When the drug trade in Colombia shifted away from marijuana to cocaine, Tovar turned toward Thailand. 'I did not believe in cocaine because marijuana is done with a handshake, and cocaine is done with a gun. I'm not a violent person,' Tovar recalls. 'All the smuggling I did was done with diversionary tactics. I've still never shot a gun. I'm trying to go all the way.' When one of his associates was arrested, Tovar knew it was only a matter of time before federal drug agents came to him. It turned out to be years, giving Tovar time to train his proteges Tollett and Van Santen. On March 8, 1991, the feds arrived at his home and arrested him, and he remained in custody until after his trial and the end of his sentence. Ironically, by the end of 1991, music had shifted in his direction. 'Eight months after I went in, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Chili Peppers broke,' he says. 'I remember being in prison and saying, 'Wow, I almost made it.' It took a long time for enough people to come around.' He shows no bitterness about spending years in prison for selling something that is now widely and openly available across the state. While in prison in Nevada, he heard about the new festival Goldenvoice was going to host in the desert. Once he returned, he hasn't missed a single edition of Coachella. Tovar is now a consultant to Goldenvoice. (The company was eventually sold to AEG in 2001.) He was especially active in last year's No Values festival, which celebrated generations of punk rock, with the Misfits, Social Distortion, Iggy Pop and dozens more. As an extremely active concertgoer, he has a more informed opinion than most. Backstage before the Circle Jerks set on Coachella's opening weekend, a lot of old friends and admirers greet Tovar warmly. Among them is booking agent Andy Somers, who frequently had bands playing Goldenvoice shows in the '80s, with a roster that included the Circle Jerks, GBH, Megadeth, the Exploited and Testament. Somers still has fond memories of Goldenvoice during that early chaotic period. 'It was so DIY and so disorganized, with heart in the right place,' Somers says. 'That's what made it work.' As he gets into a conversation with Tovar, the Goldenvoice founder reminds him that just securing a venue could be difficult at a time when punk was seen by many as the latest threat to society. 'We had to try to look for places to put these bands on,' Tovar says to Somers. 'The Circle Jerks had a rowdy crowd. I mean, not anything abnormal. But punk rock back then, it had its exuberance.' Somers smiles in agreement, and adds, 'It was shocking. It scared the mainstream a little bit. You see a mosh pit and you watch it and go, 'Is that supposed to be fun?'' Also backstage is Rene Contreras, who books the Sonora stage (which was named by Tovar) and came into the Goldenvoice fold as a next-generation promoter who grew up a SoCal music fanatic. He was in his early 20s when he first met Tovar about 15 years ago, and knew him mainly as another fan he saw at shows everywhere. 'When I didn't have a car, he used to give me rides to shows,' Contreras says. 'It took me a while to unravel his history and legacy that he had in music. He's out every night. He'll call me at least three times a week and we talk about shows that are happening, or sometimes he even fills me in: 'Have you heard of this band?''
