After being postponed from its usual April dates to October due to concerns over coronavirus, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2020 has been officially cancelled following orders by public health officials. This marks the first time the festival has been cancelled in 20 years.
Riverside County’s public health officer, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, signed the order on Wednesday (June 10). “Events like Coachella and Stagecoach would fall under [California] Governor [Gavin] Newsom’s Stage 4, which he has previously stated would require treatments or a vaccine to enter. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward,” he said. “These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the health of the community.”
This year’s line-up was set to include performances by Frank Ocean, Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott, Lana Del Rey, Lil Uzi Vert, Thom Yorke, Run the Jewels, FKA twigs, and more.
Goldenvoice, the festival’s organizers, have not yet provided any comments. According to NME, they are reportedly looking into the possibility of a smaller Coachella event in 2021 and a full festival in October next year, given that restrictions have eased. AEG Presents, the live events company that owns Goldenvoice, is also instigating a number of layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts across all areas of the organization starting July 1, Variety reported on Monday.
This marks the second major summer festival cancellation this week, following Lollapalooza’s cancellation two days ago. Countless festivals, including Primavera Sound, as well as tours have either been postponed or cancelled. Read about how the COVID-19 crisis is affecting independent musicians.
