The best, weirdest and most emo moments of Stagecoach Day 1

by

Just a week after Coachella ended, we were back in the desert for Stagecoach – and it was hot, dusty, and full of energy! The first day featured amazing country artists like Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, and Bailey Zimmerman, plus some fun blasts from the past with ‘90s favorites Counting Crows and an Emo Nite set with Ashlee Simpson. And of course, Stagecoach always brings out the celebrities – Sydney Sweeney made an appearance! Here’s a look back at everything that happened on Day 1.

I found a karaoke bar at Stagecoach — but it was Sydney Sweeney’s lingerie pop-up

Walking to the press area on Friday, I noticed a temporary karaoke setup that looked like an old saloon. It wasn’t until I went inside and saw lingerie displayed that I realized it was a bar associated with Sydney Sweeney’s brand, Syrn.

It was still early, so the karaoke wasn’t really going, but you could use a QR code to sign up through Karafun. I thought about singing “A Long December” by the Counting Crows – they’re playing nearby tonight – but decided it would be too depressing and didn’t quite match the fun, energetic atmosphere of the bar.

I noticed dartboards and a sign encouraging people to ask the “brand ambassador” about them, which immediately made me worry—with a lot of people drinking at Stagecoach, sharp objects seemed like a bad idea. Luckily, the darts turned out to be magnetic. Still, letting people throw anything, even magnetic darts, as the night goes on might not be the smartest plan. (Vanessa Franko)

Emo Nite with Ashlee Simpson and 3OH!3 made Stagecoach dance with their feelings

Seeing Less Than Jake at Coachella’s Heineken House recently reminded me of going to the Warped Tour, and then Day 1 of Stagecoach felt like experiencing the Stagecoach version of that same festival!

You might be wondering how this massive country festival is taking inspiration from the Southern California-based traveling punk festival. One example: the popular Emo Nite DJ set performed at Diplo’s Honky Tonk. It’s worth noting that Emo Nite has played at Goldenvoice’s desert festivals before, including a set at the Sahara Tent at Coachella a few years ago.

Morgan Reed and T.J. Petracca of Emo Nite kicked off their set with Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Goin Down,” immediately getting the crowd singing along. They then played energetic remixes of popular songs by emo and pop-punk favorites like Panic! At the Disco, Paramore, All-American Rejects, and My Chemical Romance. The set wasn’t limited to just those genres, though – they also included songs like The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” System of a Down’s “Chop Suey,” and even Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” proving that anything goes (even at country music festivals like Stagecoach!).

Sydney Sweeney takes pictures with fans at Stagecoach

Sydney Sweeney, the actress, took pictures with fans while rapper BigXThaPlug performed on the Mustang Stage at the Stagecoach festival on Friday. She’s also at the festival with a pop-up bar showcasing her lingerie brand, Syrn. (Evan Schaben)

Ella Langley takes a victory lap

During her performance on Friday night, Ella Langley playfully announced some unexpected news. Just before singing her new song, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” a soulful duet with Morgan Wallen, she explained that he wouldn’t be joining her on stage. Wallen was spending the weekend with his family, and Langley joked that she couldn’t fault him for being a good father.

And you can’t blame Langley for managing expectations. But she didn’t need Wallen (or anybody else) to show why she’s the biggest thing in country music right now: This was an effortlessly cool performance by a deeply vibey singer and songwriter who’s absorbed more than Stevie Nicks’ predilection for lightweight shawls. (“Broken” was extremely Fleetwood Mac-coded.)

During the show, Langley surprised the audience with a guest appearance by podcaster Theo Von, who unexpectedly performed Riley Green’s part in “You Look Like You Love Me.” (It was a bold choice, showcasing his popular presence.) Langley then played her hit song “Choosin’ Texas,” currently number one on the Billboard Hot 100, saving her song “Weren’t for the Wind” for the grand finale – a smart way to end the performance.

Counting Crows and the perfect Stagecoach sunset

I’m really excited about the ’90s alternative bands performing at Stagecoach 2026, especially Third Eye Blind! Counting Crows kicked off the festival perfectly with a beautiful performance as the sun went down on Friday.

During the band’s performance of their popular song, “Mr. Jones,” lead singer Adam Duritz encouraged the audience to sing along, and briefly considered speaking the lyrics instead of singing during the second verse.

Before starting their song “Accidentally in Love” (from the movie “Shrek 2”), the singer joked with the audience about the festival. They said, “How was your first day at Coachella? They call it Stagecoach only because ‘Count-chella’ doesn’t sound right!”

The hits kept coming, including “Round Here” and “Rain King.”

The most magical moment of the show happened during the band’s second-to-last song, “A Long December” from their 1996 album, “Recovering the Satellites.” As the crowd sang along with the band, and the sun set behind the mountains, the atmosphere was simply perfect. (VF)

Bailey Zimmerman with an encouraging word

Bailey Zimmerman brought a lot of youthful energy and a positive message about hard work to the Stagecoach festival on Friday night, performing before Cody Johnson’s headlining set. He shared that he came from humble beginnings and worked incredibly hard to achieve his success, dramatically removing his shirt to emphasize the point.

Cody Johnson closes Night 1 with Boyz II Men

Cody Johnson kicked off his headlining Stagecoach performance Friday night by saying he’d bring a taste of Texas to California. But the biggest surprise of his 90-minute set came when Boyz II Men appeared on stage to perform their hit song, “On Bended Knee,” with him.

To be honest, the singing wasn’t the best part of the show. However, Johnson surprised everyone with his song choices. For most of the performance, he shared stories about his career and encouraged the audience to come together despite their disagreements.

He also expressed sadness about being forced to stop touring for three months last year after injuring his eardrum, admitting it left him feeling down. However, he realized the unexpected time off allowed him to be present for the birth of his youngest child.

Read More

2026-04-25 20:31