The second weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival returned to Indio, California with a lineup that felt both expansive and deliberately unpredictable, offering a carefully balanced mix of legacy acts, global headliners, and emerging talent. Across three days, the festival leaned into contrast, presenting everything from intimate acoustic moments to full-scale arena-level productions under the desert sky.
Friday’s programming built steadily before giving way to spectacle. MARINA delivered a theatrical and emotionally grounded set, pairing polished vocals with a commanding stage presence that translated effortlessly across the crowd. That energy carried into The Go-Go's, whose set felt celebratory in nature, serving as a reminder of their enduring cultural footprint and drawing enthusiastic, multi-generational sing-alongs.
Rising artist Benson Boone took to the Coachella stage and continued to build momentum with a vocally driven performance that showcased both control and authenticity. By nightfall, Missy Elliott transformed the festival grounds with a visually dynamic set that merged futuristic production with a catalog of era-defining hits.
Benson Boone performs during Coachella 2025 Weekend 2. Photo by Curtis Vadnais.
Closing out the evening, Lady Gaga delivered a headlining performance rooted in precision and scale. From intricate choreography to striking visual design, Gaga’s set blurred the line between concert and full-scale production, reinforcing her reputation as one of live music’s most meticulous performers.
Missy Elliott performs during Coachella 2025 Weekend 2. Photo by Curtis Vadnais.
Saturday emerged as the weekend’s most unpredictable day, driven largely by a surprise appearance from Ed Sheeran at the Mojave tent. What began as an intimate acoustic set quickly escalated into one of the festival’s defining moments, with crowds extending well beyond the tent’s capacity, a rare instance where demand visibly exceeded space.
Elsewhere, Jimmy Eat World delivered a nostalgia-driven set anchored in early-2000s anthems, while Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic offered one of the most unique performances of the weekend. A full orchestra set against the desert backdrop created a striking visual and sonic contrast, further elevated by guest appearances from Laufey, Natasha Bedingfield, Cynthia Erivo, and Dave Grohl. The result was a genre-defying set that felt both ambitious and cohesive.
Momentum carried into the evening with T-Pain, whose charisma-driven performance leaned heavily on crowd interaction, before Charli XCX delivered a high-energy, hyperpop set built for movement and engagement. Closing the night, Green Day brought arena-level intensity to the festival grounds, pairing decades-spanning hits with a delivery that retained its urgency.
Sunday’s closing stretch emphasized consistency and star power. Shaboozey set the tone with a genre-blending performance that resonated strongly with the crowd, followed by Megan Thee Stallion, who delivered a commanding, high-energy set defined by precision and presence.
Shaboozey performs during Coachella 2025 Weekend 2. Photo by Curtis Vadnais.
Ty Dolla $ign maintained a smooth, collaborative atmosphere before Zedd transformed the desert into a full-scale dancefloor, driven by pulsing production and synchronized crowd movement. Jennie added an international dimension to the lineup, underscoring Coachella’s continued global reach with a visually polished performance.
Closing out the weekend, Post Malone delivered a set that balanced introspection with scale. Blending genres and shifting seamlessly between stripped-back moments and larger, crowd-driven peaks, his performance served as a fitting conclusion to a weekend defined by contrast.
Post Malone closes out Coachella 2025 Weekend 2. Photo by Curtis Vadnais.
In many ways, Weekend 2 was defined by its unpredictability. From a packed surprise acoustic set to a full orchestral performance in the desert, the festival once again demonstrated its ability to create moments that feel both singular and communal. The breadth of genres, coupled with the scale of production, reinforced Coachella’s standing as a space where musical boundaries continue to expand, and where no two performances feel the same.
A special thank you to Goldenvoice and the Coachella Press Team for their continued support and for having us out to cover this year's festivities. We look forward to seeing what 2026 has in store.
