Coachella. What started as a protest against expensive concerts has turned into one of the most overpriced and exclusive music festivals out there. Things like tickets costing four figures, insanely expensive food, and outrageous hotel rates, Coachella is no longer about coming together and enjoying music; it’s about money and status.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was originally inspired by artists like Pearl Jam, who protested high ticket prices back in the 1990s. According to NPR, Coachella was meant to be a more affordable and accessible alternative where the focus was on the music and people, not the cost. But over time, that idea has completely changed.
Now, just getting a general admission ticket costs hundreds of dollars, sometimes even thousands, and that’s before adding the price of food and beverages. Once you’re inside, food and drinks are overpriced, and you end up spending way more than you initially expected. For most students or people from lower-income families, going to Coachella isn’t realistic anymore.
Another major shift in the ecosphere of Coachella is the prioritization of celebrities and influencers. Over the past couple of years, influencers have been invited and paid for by huge brands like NYX Cosmetics or Adidas.
According to the news outlet Sosquared, influencer marketing has taken over the festival. Countless influencers receive free tickets, stay in luxury villas, and go to exclusive parties, while regular paying customers are stuck sleeping out of the trunk of their car. It makes the whole experience feel artificial rather than a venue made for actually enjoying the performances.
On top of that, the cost of staying anywhere near the festival is extremely outrageous. SFGate states that motel prices can go up to $700 a night during Coachella, while hotels can reach tens of thousands. Some places even cancel reservations so they can relist them at higher prices. At that point, even if you somehow afford a ticket, it’ll be hard to afford to stay there.
What makes this even worse is that a lot of the Coachella Valley residents can’t even go to the festival themselves. Even though the festival brings in money from tourists, it also raises prices and makes things harder for locals. The festival might be good for business, but it’s not really benefiting the people who live there.
An Indian Wells resident, Joanne Camacho, emphasized the huge change in her life while the festival is in town. Camacho stated, “I can’t even go to Bristol Farms because all of the 20-year-olds are hogging the food.” Camacho has been a desert resident for the past 20 years and has noticed the profound changes since the initial small festival, compared to the capitalist giant it has become today.
Another local has shared her experiences with the festival. Dr. Jaime Anderson discussed the issues that the traffic creates. Anderson told me, “I only live 10 miles from my office, yet it took me 90 minutes to get home.” The festival affects over half a million people during the month of April, and the traffic only continues to grow.
Some people might say the hefty price tag is worth it because it brings money to the local economy, but that doesn’t undermine the growing exclusivity. A festival created to fight capitalistic greed has become exactly what it disdained most. I believe that Coachella has lost its original purpose entirely. It’s no longer about the music or community anymore; it’s about money, celebrities, and online social status.
