Coachella, originally scheduled to go down over the course of two weekends in April last month, was rescheduled to October as a result of COVID-19. Now, as we see no light at the end of the tunnel, at least for large-scale festivals (though many states are entering various stages of lifting restrictions on social distancing), festival organizers Goldenvoice/AEG are reportedly reaching out to artists to ask them to play 2021 rather than 2020.
The report comes via Bloomberg, whose sources say that not all 2020 artists have been asked to play next year (as Coachella is a highly curated festival and next year’s hot acts could differ wildly from the ones we would’ve seen a month ago). It also mentions that not everyone reached out to has agreed to play next year, though some have, due to “health and financial reasons.”
“We believe 2021 can return to show volume and fan attendance at levels consistent with what we’ve seen in recent years,” Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said on a call with analysts on May 7.
Coachella has never been the most vocal festival outside of when the event itself is going on, and it has remained quiet since the announcement of the postponement earlier this year. As we learn more and more about COVID-19, or learn how little we actually know, the situation is constantly changing.
We might see Coachella in October, and we might not. Right now, we just have to wait and see.
via Bloomberg | Photo courtesy of Coachella