Winds disrupt Coachella

Strong winds upended Coachella’s first weekend in Indio, knocking out at least one major set and battering the campgrounds. (latimes.com) The biggest schedule change came just after midnight on Saturday, April 11, when Anyma’s Friday-night main-stage performance was canceled. Coachella said “strong wind conditions” were affecting the stage build, and Billboard reported the call came about 15 minutes after his scheduled start time. (coachella.com) (billboard.com) Anyma, whose real name is Matteo Milleri, said on Instagram that he and the festival had “done everything in our control” and that his team was “working on a solution.” BBC News reported Sunday that his Weekend 1 show was off because of the gusty conditions. (bbc.com) (usmagazine.com) The weather problem was not limited to one artist. The Los Angeles Times reported tents were blown around in the campgrounds Friday night and said production and scheduling were affected across multiple days of Weekend 1. (latimes.com) The conditions fit the broader forecast for the Coachella Valley. The National Weather Service forecast for the area called for northwest winds with gusts reaching 40 miles per hour Sunday, and local coverage before the festival warned gusts could reach 35 miles per hour during the weekend. (weather.gov) (dailynews.com) Air quality officials were also tracking the dust that comes with desert wind. The South Coast Air Quality Management District said a windblown dust advisory for the Coachella Valley had been extended, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour possible in parts of the area. (aqmd.gov) (sbsun.com) That matters at Coachella because the festival is built around large outdoor stages, temporary structures and a campground that opens before the music starts. Coachella’s own site lists on-site camping across multiple lots at the Empire Polo Club, where Weekend 1 ran April 10 to 12 and Weekend 2 is scheduled for April 17 to 19. (coachella.com 1) (coachella.com 2) Wind is not unusual in Indio, but outright performance cancellations are rarer than dust masks and cold desert nights. This time, the gusts were strong enough to turn a headline electronic show into a safety decision before the first weekend was over. (usatoday.com) (latimes.com)