Legendary Coachella Sets That Defined the Festival: From ‘BeyChella’ to BLACKPINK
Coachella, the land of desert heat, flower crowns and crop tops, and Vanessa Hudgens aka the Queen of Coachella. But beyond fashion and celebrity sightings, it’s the memorable performances by various artists from different genres that have become part of music history. From reunions to show-stopping productions, some acts have truly cemented the festival’s legacy.
Let’s go down memory lane and reminisce about some of the most unforgettable acts at Coachella and hope the 2025 Coachella line-up will be at par with these artists.
5. Daft Punk – 2006
Daft Punk’s 2006 Coachella performance was a defining moment for the EDM genre. With a stage setup that looked like a giant pyramid, the French duo took the crowd on a wild ride of stunning visuals, house beats and techno that made the attendees feel they were all part of a futuristic dance party.
According to Jason Bentley, a music director in this post from Business Insider, Daft Punk’s performance “Was kind of the birth of EDM. From that point on, dance music needed to have a giant spectacle onstage. You can love it, or you can hate it, but the fact is that nothing was the same after that performance.” Even those who weren’t into electronic music couldn’t help but feel the electrifying buzz of the duo’s performance.
4. Guns N’ Roses Reunion – 2016
It is one of the most anticipated reunions for rock and roll fans. In 2016, Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan, key members of the band Guns N’ Roses reunited to perform at Coachella. It was a reunion that almost didn’t happen because of several problems. Some fans were upset that founding members Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin weren’t part of the reunion and Rose suffered an injury (he did perform using Dave Grohl’s 2015 tour throne, it’s like watching a musical episode of Game of Thrones).
The band performed classic hits like “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Welcome to the Jungle” with all the fire and flair you’d expect from rock gods. Angus Young, AC/DC’s co-founder and the only continuous member of the hard rock band joined halfway through the show and performed AC/DC standards “Riff Raff” and “Whole Lotta Rosie.”
3. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur’s Hologram – 2012
Coachella 2012 was already a year to remember, but it got even more special when Tupac Shakur made an unexpected return to the stage, sort of. During Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s performance, the legendary rapper joined the duo via a hologram, creating one of the most memorable moments in the music festival’s history.
As Tupac rapped “Hail Mary,” the crowd went wild, albeit with uneasiness. Hours after the performance, Twitter was buzzing with different reactions, but the majority seemed to be that “The Tupac hologram made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure why,” per Billboard.
Whether you love it or you were freaked out by it, it remains one of the most unforgettable Coachella moments to date.
The video is NSFW. Just click here to watch the “Holopac.”
2. BLACKPINK – 2023
BLACKPINK, a K-pop girl group of Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé first performed at Coachella at the Sahara Tent in 2019. But in 2023, they made history by becoming the first Korean group to headline the festival, per Billboard. BLACKPINK’s set was a perfect blend of captivating visuals, epic choreography, and pure pop-girl power.
The group’s setlist was a mix of English and Korean hits, proving that Coachella was ready to welcome acts from all over the world. The members also performed individually, showing that they are a force to be reckoned with not only as a group but also as solo artists. Jennie kicked things off with a remixed version of her track “You & Me,” followed by Jisoo performing her debut single “Flower.” Rosé took the stage next with “Gone / On the Ground,” Lisa wrapped up the solo performances with an explicit version of her hit “Money.”
The girls performed as a group again, ending the set with their earlier hits “DDU-DU DDU-DU” and “Forever Young.”
1. Beyoncé’s Coachella aka “BeyChella” – 2018
2018 Coachella also got another name, “BeyChella.” Beyoncé made history as the first Black woman to headline the music festival, and she did not disappoint. In 2010 when husband Jay-Z headlined the festival, she made a surprise appearance and joined him in a duet of “Young Forever.” In 2014, she again surprised the crowd by popping in during her sister’s Solange Knowles performance of “Losing You.”
In 2017 she was supposed to headline the festival but had to cancel because of her pregnancy. Fans were crushed. However, Beyoncé made up for it in 2018.
Queen Bey set a new bar for what it means to headline the festival. Her performance included almost 100 dancers, singers, a marching band, and musicians backing her up. She also shone a spotlight on the HBCU (Historically black colleges and universities) experience. It was also a family affair with the participation of Jay-Z and Solange. But perhaps what shocked the fans the most was the reunion of Destiny’s Child. Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, who Beyoncé called “my sisters” performed a medley of their songs.
Netflix released Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé about her performance and the preparation it took to stage a performance that became a cultural moment and why The New York Times said, “Beyoncé is bigger than Coachella.”
Honorable mentions:
- The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne crowd surfing inside an inflatable bubble in 2004. It was also the first time Coachella sold out.
- Jane’s Addiction reunited in 2001.
- Kanye West rigged up via an enormous crane in 2011 30ft above thousands of fans.
