The event that indicated Indio, California would be a quality concert location was a 1993 Pearl Jam concert for 25,000 fans that was part of a regional boycott of Ticketmaster. In October of 1999 the first Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was held. The next year no festival took place, but, in 2001, Coachella was held in April to avoid problems with summer heat. The event has taken place each year since and is one of the largest music festivals in North America. Look for top alternative artists, mega headliners, and reunions of classic bands from the past. A selection of 10 artists from each year is listed.
2011 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The 2011 Coachella Festival takes place April 15-17, 2011. The event sold out in just five days. A live webcast is made available via YouTube.
- Arcade Fire
- Duran Duran
- Kings Of Leon
- Mumford and Sons
- Neon Trees
- Plan B
- Robyn
- Scissor Sisters
- The Strokes
- Kanye West
Related links:
2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The 2010 Coachella Festival was held April 16-18, 2010. For the first time no single day tickets will be sold. Those who attended were required to purchase tickets for the entire festival.
- Faith No More
- Gorillaz
- Jay-Z
- LCD Soundsystem
- Muse
- Pavement
- David Guetta
- Florence and the Machine
- Imogen Heap
- Matt and Kim
Related links:
- Coachella 2010 in Photos
- Coachella 2010 Day 1
- Coachella 2010 Day 2
- Coachella 2010 Day 3
- Must-see rock bands at Coachella 2010
- Faith No More to play Coachella
- Coachella announces 2010 lineup
2009 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images
The 2009 Coachella Festival was moved a week earlier than normal. The dates were April 17-19, 2009. The country music Stagecoach Festival was held the following week.
- The Cure
- The Killers
- Paul McCartney
- James Morrison
- Leonard Cohen
- M.I.A.
- Paolo Nutini
- Public Enemy
- The Ting Tings
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Watch Leonard Cohen sing "Hallelujah"
2008 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images
In 2008 the Coachella Festival failed to sell out for the first time since 2003. It took place April 25-27, 2008.
- Jack Johnson
- Love and Rockets
- Metric
- M.I.A.
- Portishead
- Prince
- The Raconteurs
- Roger Waters
- Vampire Weekend
- The Verve
Watch Jack Johnson sing "If I Had Eyes"
2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images
The Coachella Festival was expanded to three days for the first time in 2007 and took place April 27-29, 2007. DJ sets in the dance dome gained in popularity.
- Bjork
- Rage Against the Machine
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Amy Winehouse
- Arctic Monkeys
- David Guetta
- Fountains of Wayne
- Kings of Leon
- Mika
- Regina Spektor
Watch Amy Winehouse sing "Back to Black"
2006 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Karl Walter / Getty Images
The 2006 Coachella Festival took place April 29-30, 2006. Electropop legends Depeche Mode were headliners.
- Depeche Mode
- Tool
- Daft Punk
- Gnarls Barkley
- James Blunt
- Kanye West
- Madonna
- My Morning Jacket
- OneRepublic
- Scissor Sisters
Watch Daft Punk perform "Around the World"
2005 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Karl Walter / Getty Images
In 2005 Arcade Fire made a memorable stage appearance at Coachella. The festival took place April 30 - May 1, 2005.
- Coldplay
- Nine Inch Nails
- Arcade Fire
- Dresden Dolls
- Gang of Four
- New Order
- Snow Patrol
- Spoon
- Weezer
- Wilco
Watch Bright Eyes perform "Lua"
2004 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
A reunion of alt-rock legends the Pixies helped Coachella sell out both days of the event for the first time in 2004. Held May 1-2, 2004, the festival drew 50,000 music fans each day.
- The Cure
- Radiohead
- Beck
- Bright Eyes
- Death Cab for Cutie
- Flaming Lips
- The Killers
- Kraftwerk
- The Pixies
- Thursday
Watch Radiohead perform "Planet Telex"
2003 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images
The Coachella Festival continued to grow in 2003 and gain worldwide recognition for its strong lineup and headlining acts. This was also the year camping was first allowed. The festival took place April 26-27, 2003.
- Beastie Boys
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Badly Drawn Boy
- Ben Folds
- Black Eyed Peas
- Blur
- Iggy Pop
- Jack Johnson
- Sonic Youth
- White Stripes
Watch the White Stripes perform "Hardest Button to Button"
2002 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
In 2002 Coachella expanded back to a two day event April 27-28, 2002. This was the year the event began generating widespread interest and convinced the local community it was a strong positive for the economy of Indio, California.
- Bjork
- Oasis
- Belle and Sebastian
- Chemical Brothers
- Foo Fighters
- Jack Johnson
- The Prodigy
- Queens of the Stone Age
- Siouxsie and the Banshees
- The Strokes
Watch Oasis perform "She's Electric"
2001 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
After a one year hiatus, the Coachella Festival returned in 2001 for a one day event April 28, 2001. The promoters had difficulty securing a headlining act and Perry Farrell and his group Jane's Addiction came to the rescue.
- Jane's Addiction
- Bad Company
- Chemical Brothers
- Fatboy Slim
- Iggy Pop
- Mos Def
- Paul Oakenfold
- The Orb
- Roots
- Weezer
1999 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Photo by Sebastian Artz / Getty Images
The inaugural Coachella Festival was held October 9-10, 1999. Approximately 25,000 fans attended the event, but reports indicated the festival did not make a profit.
- Beck
- Rage Against the Machine
- Tool
- Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
- Chemical Brothers
- Moby
- Modest Mouse
- Morrissey
- Pavement
- Thievery Corporation
Watch Morrissey sing "November Spawned a Monster"
