With its sunsoaked Californian desert setting, A-list celeb guests and top music acts, hip US festival Coachella might look like the dream destination when scrolling through the Instagram feed of one of the myriad of Love Island stars in attendance.
But while, thanks to the brands who pay big bucks to take them there for free, the reality for normal punters can be a whole different story.
Love Island stars were out in force getting the VIP treatment during Coachella’s opening weekend last week Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
But TikTok was awash with videos showing the less glamorous side of the festival Credit: TikTok
Some have described camping at the music fest as an ‘endurance test’ Credit: TikTok
As the kicks off its second consecutive weekend in Palm Springs, social media has been awash with complaints from regular folk exposing the ‘truth’ about what it’s like to go there as a non VIP – and it makes for some pretty grim reading.
From nightmarish queues for cold showers, to hefty £3,000 price tags for three days at the event, various testimonials may make you think twice before booking for next year’s gig.
As someone who went as a normal person and not as an influencer, it was one of the worst concert experiences I’ve ever had,” TikTok user @lottiestars ranted in a recent social media video.
“Firstly, there’s no place for you to be dropped off. The festival is, like, really disorganised. So I remember we asked 20 different people: ‘Where do we go?’ and they they were like: ‘Oh, we don’t know’. And they actually worked for the event! So you’ll end up sitting in traffic for most of the time before you can find a spot and get dropped off.”
She added that when she then finally arrived, the event proved a nightmare for her pal who was disabled.
“You have another what feels like an hour long walk to actually get into the festival, you have to do is on this super dusty, bumpy, unpaved road, which was really hard for my friend because they were in a wheelchair… they kept getting knocked over and falling out of their wheelchair, so it was not like wheelchair accessible.”
Once inside the venue, Lottie alleged that the atmosphere was not enjoyable thanks to a myriad of creating a stressful environment.
“Everyone’s vibe is really, really bad. A lot of people were pretty mean. They’re like, ‘No, you’re not coming this way and stuff, you can’t go through’ so it’s harder to work your way through the crowd or to reconnect through your friends.
“It’s not as easy to take cute pictures as you think. Literally, everyone’s taking pictures. It’s like a field of cow, but instead of cows, it’s people.”
To top it all, Lottie wrapped up her video by claiming she got sick from the notorious desert winds.
Tiktokker Lottie Stars described her experience as “terrible”
Punters cover their noses to escape the dusty winds Credit: TikTok
She said: “I was so sick because during the daytime, it’s burning hot, and then at nighttime, it’s freezing cold, and the dust is really, really intense. Like, you’ll blow your nose, and they’ll be black dirt coming out of your nose.
“The third night, I couldn’t even enjoy the festival, and I probably was only there for like 30 minutes and I had to leave.”
And it seems this is far from a one-off negative review.
fan @emilyjadebispo says her experience watching her favourite band was ruined by influencers who were only there to watch Justin Bieber and had no idea about ‘festival etiquette’.
She claimed: “The people around me who were there forwere f***ing insufferable. Oh, my God. It’s like they have never been to a festival before. They have no idea what it’s like that other genres exist.
“They are just completely unaware of any sort of concert etiquette at all. The people to my left, during one of my favourite bands sets, were talking the entire time saying: ‘I don’t even know who this is. What even is this? This is really honestly killing my vibe for Bieber.’”
For those who camp and aren’t holed up in pricey villas like the influencer crowd, some describe the experience as “endurance training.”
The likes of Kendall and Kylie Jenner pose in front of brands as they plug the festival on social media Credit: Instagram
The festival has become criticised in recent years as moving away from its roots Credit: Getty
@huioyg3 said in one TikTok video: “Basic shower access has turned into a survival challenge, people are waiting in line for hours just to get a quick rinse, often with freezing cold water.
“To avoid this nightmare, some festival goers are spending hundreds of dollars on portable shower setups, building their own tents just to maintain a sense of hygiene.
“Another issue is making things worse, extreme heat. Phones are overheating, energy levels are dropping, and what’s supposed to be a fun four day experience is starting to feel more like endurance training.”
Of course, the biggest issue for many is how the festival impacted their wallet.
General admission tickets cost around $799 [£590] for three days, while VIP – which allows you to get closer to the stage and gives you a shuttle pass into the venue – will mean you shell out even more, clocking in around $1299 [£959].
“Coachella started as a low price event to protest against high cost events,” one music fan vented online.
“How are people affording this?” fumed another.
Some, however, claimed it was worth the price of VIP.
“It was 100% worth it We do get closer viewing to some of the stages. And honestly, when the big performers do come out, it gets super packed,” said tiktok user @noesilva
If you shun camping though, hotels can be extortionate due to high demand, as Noa explains.
“Next thing I spent money on was a hotel, which was the most expensive part. It was $2,300 [£1698] for three nights, and I know it sounds like a lot of money, but for me personally, I was not going to go camping.
And finally, you got to think of all the extra expenses that are probably gonna be happening during the trip, which is food, drinks, merch, like all the extra stuff that you’re going to be paying for, and realistically, that’s going to cost me around $500 [£370]. So in total, this trip is costing me around $4,000 [£2950].”
Another furious former fan, Nick Holiday, summed it up in a top-rated TikTok video.
“They’re charging $100 [£74]for one bite of caviar, four chicken nuggets and seven french fries. That’s honestly a crime against humanity.”
Samie Elishi and Sophie Piper were both on the VIP list this year Credit: Instagram
The crowds were packed in to watch acts like Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter Credit: EPA
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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