Photo of TURNSTILE by Danielle Parsons
With weekend two booting up in the California desert, the 2026 installment of Coachella has already afforded plenty for discussion. In terms of public interest and cultural reach, it's hard to deny the relevance of the music and arts festival as anything less than definitive - an annual barometer that seems to set the mark with regards to lifestyle, fashion and it's obvious intersection with artistry.
Going into weekend one, the plotline seemed to skew with a heavy pop focus. Given the festival's top line consisted of Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G, the pop-centric lean was further emphasized as artists like Katseye, Addison Rae, PinkPantherss, BIGBANG and Bini each brought major buzz going into the start of the festivities.
And while each of the previously mentioned artists delivered on their own hype, with Katseye bringing out K-Pop Demon Hunters, BINI making history as the fest's first Filipino superstars and Justin Bieber turning his headlining set into a bedroom Youtube session - an unexpected narrative managed to steal some of the desert's shimmer.
While Coachella 2026 was evidently all about the pop, it's delegation of rock artists submitted the kind of performances that injected some real adrenaline across the festival footprint. From Drain's Sunday night bedlam in the Sonora Tent, to scrappy sets from the likes of Ecca Vandal, Die Spitz, to the beer-soaked mayhem of Aussie punks The Chats all in addition to highlight sets from SOMBR and Turnstile - pop's biggest stage resulted in a serious plot twist.
In preparation of Coachella's weekend two, we examine some of the shifting storylines that reiterated just how vital rock music remains as the world sets their focus on Indio.
THE TRIUMPH OF TURNSTILE
For those still on the fence about the generational significance of Turnstile, the band's Friday night set in the desert offered undeniable proof of their universal reach. From the band's personal touches like the heartfelt video from Brendan Yates' father to intro the set, to the collective, communal jubilance of songs like "SOLE," "NEVER ENOUGH" and "BIRDS," it's become impossible to deny that the band's energy is infectious. Turnstile's ability to craft aggressive songs without contrived animosity is what merits such praise. The Maryland crew have become one of this generation's most important bands without compromising their artistic integrity and Coachella offered another opportunity to prove that to the world.
A NEW SUPERSTAR IN SOMBR
Though SOMBR's brand of rock tends to indulge more pop sensibilities, it's clear his prowess as a frontman is innate. And while toe-tapping, hip-swinging singles like "back to friends" and "Homewrecker" might have been light on the rock, his posture at the helm is that of a new school rock star. In fact, SOMBR's coronation happened in real time during his weekend one set, when Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins turned up in what felt like a passing of the torch moment. Performing the classic "1979," the moment bridged generations of fans with a collision of classic and contemporary.
THE CINEMA OF NINE INCH NOIZE
While the expectation going into weekend one for the live collaboration of Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, dj/producer Alexandar Ridha, AKA Boys Noize and the addition of Mariqueen Maandig Reznor was lofty, what actually transpired will go down as one of the most revolutionary sets in Coachella history. The remixed and reimagined Nine Inch Nails entries, repurposed entirely as an electronic music experience retained all the edge and aggression of NIN's rock pedigree, while amping the cinematic quality of the music beyond imagination. The atmosphere was otherworldly with songs like "Heresy," 'Closer" and the Soft Cell cover of "Memorabilia" soundtracking what could only be called a transformative live experience.
There are concerts. There are festivals. Then there was Nine Inch Noize at Coachella.
SURF'S UP IN THE SONORA TENT
Sunny Santa Cruz hardcore collective DRAIN rallied Sunday night despite being tasked with the tall order of igniting a spark after three full days of festival antics. Appealing to a crowd that was probably some combination of broke, hungover, sleep-deprived and likely less than hydrated, DRAIN managed to set it off with a performance that saw two-stepping, circle pits and stage dives inside the Sonora tent. Complete with the band's onstage mascot with the plushie shark and an actual surfboard launching from the barricade across the crowd, the set proved the best kind of chaos with fans and newcomers both walking away satisfied.
THEN THERE WAS DIE SPITZ
The scrappy AF Austin unit compiled the kind of convincing set that saw curious skeptics, arms folded in the back, move to riding the barricade rail by the end of their stage time. The band's potent, gut-punch amalgam of garage rock, sweaty alt and pissed off punk made for a compelling, rowdy soundtrack. The band's sludgy "i hate when GIRLS die" and the killer finale of "Throw Yourself to the Sword" offered some of the heaviest instances of the weekend - connecting with the fans in the tent that needed something primal in a weekend full of polish.
DOWN UNDER IN THE DESERT
The Australian contingent was more than well represented on weekend one of Coachella. The pub punk trio of The Chats kicked out chord-driven angst that felt reckless and simultaneously authentic. It's always marvelous to see a spontaneous circle pit in a festival environment and for The Chats, the band's brand of piss and vinegar compelled spectators to become beer-baptized participants.
As for Ecca Vandal, the Melbourne-based firebrand earned one of the biggest pops of the weekend when she tore into her viral-smash, "Cruising to Self Soothe." Tapping into the hefty side of 90's era alt, the bouncy, boisterous anthem resonated with an interesting cross-section of fans that connected with the nostalgia of the sound or understood the sonic angst as something fresh and new. It was the kind of introduction that clearly suggested the arrival of a star in the making.
AN ENDURING LEGACY
A core component to any Coachella line-up always includes a healthy presence of legendary names. Rather than indulging the nostalgia however, Coachella serves well in highlighting the icons that continue to assert a relevance with the broad spectrum of fans, rather than reviving those resting on their laurels.
2026 followed suit.
From crossover thrash pillars Suicidal Tendencies welcoming former bassist Thundercat onstage for an impromptu guest assist, to the Godfather of Punk in Iggy Pop still poking the bear, performing "The Passenger" from the inside of a coffin for some added subtext, to Jack MF White submitting a Happy Hour set that no one saw coming - the highlight reel suggested that even the savviest of stage veterans understood the weekend's significance and pulled out all the stops to ensure they more than met their moment.
From David Byrne soundtracking our lives, to Interpol still setting indie rock's Gold standard, to Model/Actriz, Fleshwater, Joyce Manor and Ceremony all contributing their own shades to punk's radiant color palate, Coachella might be pop culture's most coveted prize, but rock remains core to it's DNA.
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Watch the broadcast from Coachella weekend two - HERE
