The 5 Best Moments (And 5 of the Worst) From Coachella 2026 Weekend 1 |
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The 5 Best Moments (And 5 of the Worst) From Coachella 2026 Weekend 1
In which we relive some of the finest moments, and most heinous flops, from Coachella (er, Couchella) weekend 1.
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I informed my readers last week that I would be attending Couchella this year via the official YouTube stream, and there’s truthfully no better way to take in all of what the festival has to offer. (I mean, you can literally watch four performances simultaneously while surfing social media—beat that!).
But just because I wasn’t there doesn’t mean I don’t get to have takes! In fact, I would argue that Couchella takes are generally more relevant to the general public than the takes of a festival attendee. How many artists do you really watch when you’re there? Most of the time you’re just waiting in line for a disgusting porta-potty. Or way too high on really good dr*gs!
Plus, you can relive all of the moments here, on this beautiful internet we call home. So here they are: five of the best moments I saw/streamed/read about, and five of the worst, from this year’s Coachella weekend one.
1. Jack White’s Surprise Set
Jack White‘s last-minute add was a blessing for a fest that has become less and less rock-centric as the years go by. His 3PM Mojave tent set was the festival equivalent of an underplay—leveraged to maximize fan engagement and energy.
Not even a headliner (although worthy), and one of the festival’s most energetic, raw, and authentic performances. That’s a win in my book.
White just announced a U.S. tour—don’t miss it (if a Coachella weekend two is not in the cards for you).
Jack White 2026 Tour (opens in a new window)
2. Turnstile Dad’s Intro
In light of the recent news of Turnstile’s ex-guitarist reportedly running over vocalist Brendan Yates’ dad with his car, Turnstile’s set started out on a poignant note with a video message from the man himself:
“I’m Bill Yates, I’m the proud father of Brendan. They’re all sons of mine. They’ve been practicing at the house for about 13 years now. Just recently, they grew too big for the basement. And finally, after a dozen years practically, they’re at a point where, the........