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The best, worst and cringiest of Stagecoach Day 1

BBG News

Just a few days following Coachella’s end, the Stagecoach country-music festival has once again gathered around forty thousand people at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California – a venue that’s mostly devoid of grass now. The three-day event officially started on Friday and will continue until Sunday evening, with Zach Bryan, Jelly Roll, and Luke Combs as the main acts. I’ll be here throughout the weekend, providing updates on the best moments and any challenges as they occur. Here’s a rundown of Day 1:

Big stage, big show

Three years following his initial performance on Stagecoach in 2022, Zach Bryan graced the festival’s opening night once more with a grand showcase featuring over a dozen band members. Spanning approximately 30 songs, their energetic set extended well beyond the designated curfew. The music was raw yet heartfelt, and as always at Bryan concerts, it sparked audience members to shout his lyrics enthusiastically towards one another.

Last time at Stagecoach, Bryan was spotted in the same sleeveless Indian Motorcycles T-shirt – he found it charming, he mentioned. Gratefully receiving applause from the crowd, Bryan seemed to be subtly addressing recent allegations against him. His ex-girlfriend, Brianna Chickenfry, a podcaster, publicly accused him of emotional abuse last year. Although Bryan hasn’t commented directly, he posted on Instagram that he remains unaffected by the untrue things people say about him online.

Although it appeared as if my career was on the line merely a few months past, there was no hint that the fervor for me had waned within these walls. Remarkably, I managed to perform an exhilarating rendition of Warren Zevon’s “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” which I consider my all-time favorite tune – a song that, as far as I could tell, few others in this crowd were familiar with.

An unexpected revelation

From Lana Del Rey’s performance, it emerged that there were rumors about her having kissed Morgan Wallen, as suggested by the lyrics of one of her recently released country-inspired songs.

She crooned, “I shared a kiss with Morgan Wallen,” she admitted, strumming an acoustic guitar, and adding that this would be her final performance of the lines, “If you’re seeking my recipe for triumph, here’s a hint: avoid ATV rides with him when you’re out West.

OK!

Let’s make sure the surprising revelations in this song don’t overshadow its other quirks. The song is titled “57.5”, presumably because Lana Del Rey once had 57.5 million Spotify listeners – “I got 57.5 million listeners on Spotify,” she sang – and also features her confessing that she communicates with Jesus, dislikes everyone, and still travels commercially. “You need an autograph?” she sang nonchalantly. “Well, I don’t mind.

In a stage set designed to mimic a rustic backwoods cabin porch, Lana Del Rey introduced several fresh songs, one of which seems to center around her alligator-boat captain husband, and another that netizens are labeling “Quiet in the South.” She performed renditions of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” and John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and invited rising country star George Birge to perform his song “Cowboy Songs.

Additionally, she crooned soft, country-influenced renditions of “Video Games” and “Summertime Sadness,” which provoked thoughts on the resilience of Lana Del Rey’s stardom throughout the past ten years, as she has continually pushed the limits of her fame.

Maybe that’s why.

Five minutes backstage with Brothers Osborne

How often do you shampoo your hair?

T.J. Osborne: Never.

John Osborne: Never?

T.J.: Never.

John: Wow. I’m once a week.

How many unread text messages do you have?

John: Six. And two unread emails. I try to keep it below 10.

Does anyone besides you know the passcode to your phone?

John: My wife. I don’t know the passcode to hers, though.

T.J.: If someone who’s ever been to my place asks, “What’s the code? Need to switch the tunes.” I just say, “Sure, here you are.

You don’t have to say with whom, but are you currently involved in a beef with anyone in music?

T.J.: Oh, always.

Would you rather be 10% more talented or 10% better looking?

John: I’ve got plenty of talent.

Name a country song you wish you could sing but you know you can’t.

John: Pretty much any Chris Stapleton song.

T.J.: Or Vince Gill. “Go Rest High on That Mountain” — it just needs that high tenor.

What’s an adult beverage you’ve sworn off?

T.J.: No cinnamon drinks. Fireball, Goldschläger, any cinnamon schnapps — won’t do it.

What’s the last thing you used ChatGPT for?

John: If you end up at the bottom of our fantasy football league, you’ll have to perform stand-up comedy in front of an open mic. And I almost ended up there, so I used it as inspiration for my jokes, which turned out really poorly. Yet, ChatGPT continues to amaze me—it’s just not funny at all.

Did you come in last?

John: Fortunately, I didn’t have to use the jokes.

Our friend, who happened to be the loser, posted on our local Facebook group about how comedian Nate Bargatze would unexpectedly perform and invite more people to watch him.

The art(?) of the mix

Paris Hilton adorned her headphones with shimmering gems to complement her dazzling attire, and in just eight short moments, she electrified Diplo’s HonkyTonk crowd by playing a medley of “We Found Love” by Rihanna and Calvin Harris, smoothly transitioning into Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” This marked the beginning of an endearingly transparent DJ set. Later on, Paris invited Lizzo to join her, and together they enthusiastically sang along to Icona Pop’s “I Love It.

Best introduction of a song so far

Carter Faith introduces her lively new track, “Grudge”: “This song is about an annoyingly irritating person who really got under my skin.

Cringiest product placement so far

Tucker Wetmore took center stage, flanked by a virtual replica of an old western saloon boasting a taxidermied deer head, numerous American flags, and a billboard promoting the canned vodka seltzer sponsoring his summer tour – Womp-womp.

Three for three

This month, there hasn’t been a more noticeable figure on the polo grounds than T-Pain. Following his performances at both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, he closed out Day 1 of Stagecoach with a late-night show in the Palomino tent. The seasoned R&B artist admitted that he was unsure if he’d be well-received by a country audience when Jelly Roll invited him for an unexpected appearance at last year’s Stagecoach: “These people don’t want to listen to my stuff,” he said he told Jelly Roll. However, his hits resonated just as strongly as timeless classics during this event, much like they did at Coachella. T-Pain reciprocated Jelly Roll’s kindness by inviting another artist outside the country genre, Kesha, on stage to perform their new single, “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” which unfortunately is not well-received.

Still stomp-and-clapping

In the wake of Winston Marshall penning an essay in the Free Press about departing from what he considers an unethical music industry, it seemed as though everyone but me was aware that Mumford & Sons was still such a massive act. Just days later, his former bandmates unexpectedly took the stage at Stagecoach, amassing a colossal audience at the Palomino.

Five minutes backstage with Carly Pearce

Would you rather drive or be driven?

Drive. I get very car sick.

What’s the last thing you cooked?

Spaghetti squash.

How often do you shampoo your hair?

Every day. I’m that person — I know it’s wrong.

Would you rather be 10% more talented or 10% better looking?

Ten percent better looking, for sure.

Name a country song you wish you could sing but you know you can’t.

Martina McBride, “Independence Day.” She just belts on a level I don’t belt.

What’s an adult beverage you’ve sworn off?

Beer.

A go-to indulgence?

Designer handbags.

You have a tattoo you regret?

At the age of sixteen, I had a butterfly tattooed on my foot in rainbow colors to complement my wardrobe. However, over time, it has become somewhat tacky or worn-out looking.

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2025-04-26 23:01

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