Reggie Watts slams Coachella: “Confusing and impersonal”
Comedian and musician Reggie Watts was left disgruntled after attending the first weekend of the Californian music festival Coachella.
Watts offered a scathing review on social media of his experience at the festival, entitled ‘Coachella Thoughts’. On Instagram, he wrote, “I’ve been to Coachella a handful of times now, and while the scale is impressive, the soul feels increasingly absent.”
He even commented on the types of attendees: “Most people on the grounds move like walking credit cards, pinging from one branded experience to the next.”
Watts continued: “There’s no real sense of love coming from the festival toward the people. No care. No reverence. Just vibes curated for influencer culture.”
Over the weekend, attendees took to filming celebrity festival-goers in the audience. Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet made headline news for being among the crowd. Meanwhile, Billie Eilish was snapped drinking at the Green Day headline performance.
Watts also commented on the garbage left at the festival as an “especially grim” experience. “And then there’s the waste — plastic, garbage, trash in the desert wind,” he wrote. “You’re navigating dust storms, people hustling to buy your wristband, and a general sense that it was all a transaction, not a shared experience.”
Watts, who is known for improvised comedy sets, urged readers to consider attending independent festivals instead. ““There are better ways to do this. There are independent festivals run by people who give a shit. […] That’s where the magic is.”
His comments come after Canadian DJ Bambii criticised Coachella for not providing an adequate sound system after her set was plagued by technical difficulties. The electronic artist also revealed she was not paid to perform.
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