Nostalgia in the Desert: A Millennial's Survival Guide to Coachella 2025

The desert dust has barely settled from Coachella's first weekend, and my feet are still blistering from three days of traversing the Empire Polo Club grounds. The idea of spending three days in the desert sun normally sounds like my personal nightmare, but this year's lineup was simply too good to pass up. And truly, for anyone who remembers a time before TikTok existed, Coachella 2025 delivered in ways I didn't expect. Weekend 1 (April 11-13) brought unforgettable moments that Weekend 2 attendees (April 18-20) should prepare themselves for.

The Performances You Cannot Miss

Let's cut to the chase: millennials are going to be VERY happy with the performances this year. Each day offered something for those of us who came of age in the '90s and early 2000s, with legacy acts that didn't just phone it in but delivered genuinely memorable sets.

For starters, Missy Elliott was INCREDIBLE. Up on the Coachella Stage Friday night before Lady Gaga, her energy was contagious as she brought decades of hip-hop innovation to life with backup dancers and visual effects that reminded the audience why she's a pioneer in the industry. It was a headline-worthy performance proving she hasn't lost a single one of her 1,2 steps.

As for Friday's headliner, Lady Gaga delivered what will undoubtedly go down as one of Coachella's most memorable performances. Period, end of discussion. Having first headlined in 2017 (when she famously stepped in for Beyoncé), Gaga returned with what felt like a meticulously crafted commentary on fame itself, rather than just a concert. Her two-hour spectacle, titled "The Art Of Personal Chaos" and split into four acts, transformed the main stage into her own playground of mayhem. As someone with tickets to her Mayhem tour, I was nervous that Coachella and a concert might be too much Gaga, but now I think it might not be enough.

Saturday was a much more hectic day, with performances from Jimmy Eat World, T-Pain, Weezer, Yo Gabba Gabba! (more on that later), LA Philharmonic (again, more on that later), and Green Day having us running around the festival grounds trying not to miss anything.

For those of us who grew up with "Dookie" and "American Idiot" as life soundtracks, I can happily tell you that Green Day absolutely killed it. Billie Joe Armstrong brought the same raw energy he had in the '90s, and at one point during their Saturday night performance, pyrotechnics got a bit too enthusiastic. A nearby palm tree caught fire momentarily, adding extra heat to an already scorching performance. Seeing the band command the main stage was a validation of my teenage music taste.

Sunday was less nostalgic, but anyone who remembers life in B.C (Before "Clarity") will appreciate Zedd's Sunday night set as a good close out to an incredible weekend.

Special Guests Dominated Performances

The weekend's lineup was already stacked with artists who practically raised me, but part of the fun is walking up to a set and wondering, "Who are they gonna bring out?" The answer this weekend was basically everyone.

Giving Yo Gabba Gabba! a slot at Coachella was a risky choice for the festival organizers, but from the first "Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle, Stop!" that had an entire crowd of adults freezing in place, you knew the bet was going to pay off. So when they brought out Flava Flav to sing the chorus of Biz Markie's "Just A Friend," we were just loading the cake up with icing. An epic set deserves an epic finisher, and no one was better equipped to send off the children's TV show cast than "Weird Al" Yankovic, who was also joined on stage with Domo, the Duolingo bird, and Care Bears. It created one of those bizarre Coachella crossover moments that only happen in Indio.

Not to be outdone in the artists-who-shouldn't-be-here-but-still-killed-it category, the LA Philharmonic was a straight-up delight. They brought out several guests, but having LL Cool J perform "Mama Said Knock You Out" and some other songs over the sound of the "Imperial March" from Star Wars was a real classic nerd moment.

Megan Thee Stallion only jumped into the mainstream five years ago with "Savage" (and its remix featuring Beyoncé), but she packed her set with nostalgia and energy. Guest appearances from Queen Latifah and Ciara to perform “U.N.I.T.Y” and "Goodies," respectively, helped catapult the set to a core highlight. Even during a costume change, Megan paid homage to the women before her with a visual of her swapping looks that was a clear callback to Janet Jackson on her "All For You" tour. Her mic was cut off after going a few minutes past her end time, and I'm jealous of the Weekend 2 crowd that (hopefully) gets to see her complete set.

I also have to take a second to highlight that Bernie Sanders introduced Clairo. That's all.

Other Music Recaps

MARINA looked absolutely stunning, channeling Marie Antoinette with towering blonde curls, but her performance didn't quite match her visual aesthetic—a beautiful letdown, if you will. On the massive Coachella stage she was simply lost and spent most of the time strutting around.

Meanwhile, Weezer deserved a bigger stage. A classic set with a performance that was never in doubt, but the Mojave stage was not ready for that many people. For some reason, I don't think Ed Sheeran will have a similar issue as he takes their slot for Weekend 2.

Listen, see who you want, but this is my site so I'll be the one to say it: Charli XCX was... not great. Bringing out her Brat army generals did help (who would've guessed we'd get Troye AND Lorde AND Billie?!), but that also means it's unlikely Weekend 2 goers will get to see any of them. And if you're worried about getting a good spot for Green Day, the audience overlap was minimal, and it was easy to get a good spot for the night's best show.

I've been a fan of MEUTE for a long time, and mixing live band instruments with techno sounds is just a fun time. Their set was solid and the crowd was thin, but it was my only opportunity to actually barricade a set and I happily took it.

I also just have to call out Post Malone. I know he's talked about wanting to transition to Rock and Country for a long time, but country-ifying your biggest hits makes for more of a Stagecoach warmup than a Coachella headline.

The Fashion Balancing Act

If you're prepping for Weekend 2, let me share my fashion philosophy. You're going to be walking on a tightrope, so don't lean too far into either comfort or style. It's all about balance. Weekend 1 is typically the influencer weekend anyway, so don't worry about winding up in the background of some random celeb's Insta story. That said, did I wear a black chain necklace that basically became a branding iron under direct sunlight? Yes. Did I take it off? No. But you definitely won't catch me in leather pants or anything that restricts movement when it's 95+ degrees outside.

As for what people were wearing beyond the curated Instagram feeds? I spotted a revival of boho styles (hello, 2010 Coachella), one too many feathered accessories, and—most memorably—a guy in a full Kermit the Frog jacket who somehow wasn't melting in the desert heat. Fashion is cyclical, and apparently, what's old is new again at Coachella 2025.

And don't forget to wear plenty of sunscreen (which miraculously kept me from turning into a human lobster)! Aerosol cans are not allowed, but there are Neutrogena stations throughout.

Bathroom Intel: A Friendly Reminder

For anyone attending Weekend 2, I'm happy to report that there ARE physical bathrooms throughout the festival grounds, and you don't need to resign yourself to sun-baked porta-potties (that often lacked hand sanitizer). Better yet, the bathrooms were surprisingly clean throughout the weekend.

Connectivity: Manage Your Expectations

Despite the festival's attempts to modernize, cell service at Coachella remains as unreliable as ever. One minute you're FaceTiming a friend to coordinate meetups, the next you're staring at a "No Service"/ S.O.S. message wondering if your group chat will ever receive that crucial "I'm by the art installation with the giant flowers and bean bags" text. The areas near the stages were basically dead zones, so forget about posting that Instagram story of Lady Gaga in real-time.

Coachella does provide free WiFi, which works brilliantly... sometimes... in some areas... when the universe aligns. My advice? Set meeting points with friends the old-fashioned way and agree on physical landmarks and times.

Know Where to Eat

While Coachella has increasingly marketed itself as a food destination, I'm a simple guy, and a basket of chicken tenders and french fries was my daily sustenance. And maybe this is just the inflation talking, but at $20 a basket, it was a relatively good deal that especially hit after hours of dancing. If you do want to venture out and try some unexpected food, I'd recommend the Dubai chocolate ice cream bar from Afters (worth every calorie) and the crab fries from... someone. I don't know, it was late and I was tired. Just go find them.

Pro tip: The "indoor" market area offers blessed shade from the unrelenting sun and actual tables, but be prepared for significantly longer lines than the "outdoor" food vendors. Choose your priorities accordingly—faster food or temporary relief from heat stroke?

How to Get There

The Coachella campsite sees tens of thousands of people each weekend pull up their car and tough it out for four nights of desert-dwelling partying. I am not one of those people. I stayed at a hotel on the shuttle route. Travel times varied wildly—some days the shuttle took over an hour (with one return ride hitting close to two hours), other days just 30 minutes. But once we arrived at the drop-off point, entry was smooth sailing with no bottlenecks. My friends who camped had a different experience. The lines from the camping entrance were significantly longer than the shuttle drops.

And fair warning for when you're leaving: brace yourself for the Great Wall of Hot Dog Carts that materializes outside the exits each night. The sheer number of vendors creates an unavoidable gauntlet of sizzling meat temptation that you must navigate through to reach transportation.

Merch Madness

When it comes to festival merchandise, strategy is everything. Lady Gaga's tent was absolute mayhem (pun intended). If you want any Gaga memorabilia, my advice is to sprint, don't run, and do it early Friday. Unlike other artists' merchandise, her items sold out almost immediately, leaving latecomers with nothing but regret.

Green Day's merch was also pretty popular, with vintage-inspired designs that perfectly captured both nostalgia and current trends. And once again, a shocker, Yo Gabba Gabba's entire merchandise collection was great. Their hats and fanny packs were standouts that were disappearing quickly.

Installations Worth Your Time (And Those to Skip)

The new Red Bull Mirage installation was forgettable at best. It sounds impressive on paper, but in execution, it was just another branded activation that failed to deliver on its promise. Similarly, the Hi-Chew installation was underwhelming and not worth the time it takes to walk through it (and saying "to walk through it" is actually overselling it).

The Amex Lounge provided a genuinely useful reprieve from the festival chaos and is worth seeking out if you've got the right card, which is literally any Amex card, and cardholders can bring in three guests.

Also, in a way that only Coachella could make me say, go visit the Tampax installation. The Tampax DJ was throwing down tracks so good that she deserved her own slot in the lineup.

Sound Quality and Technical Highlights

Anyone standing on the far left side of the Outdoor Theatre is going to have some issues. Not only was the audio quality during Zedd's set not great, but it also faced significant bleed-through from the main stage.

Final Thoughts Before Weekend 2

As Weekend 2 approaches, my body is still recovering, but my festival FOMO is already kicking in. For those heading to Indio this coming weekend, remember these key takeaways:

1. Prepare for extreme heat, though Weekend 2 is expected to be cooler than our scorching Weekend 1 experience.
2. Wear comfortable shoes and breathable clothing—your feet and sweat glands will thank you.
3. Use the permanent bathrooms (which were surprisingly clean!) and visit the Amex installation.
4. Don't count on reliable cell service, especially near the stages—make analog plans with your friends.
5. Hydration is key—bring a water backpack and/or collapsible water bottle.
6. Buy your Gaga merch early Friday (I cannot stress this enough).
7. Take advantage of the crowds leaving popular sets to position yourself for less mainstream acts.
8. If you're in for some nostalgic moshing, get ready for Green Day's set, you can make it happen.
9. Pace yourself—three days go by quickly, but it feels like a marathon.
10. Don't be a BULLY, no one likes a BULLY. Or PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect), as the ravers at Do Lab would say

Coachella 2025 has already cemented itself as a festival for the history books. Whether you're reliving your youth with Green Day or discovering new obsessions like Tyla (whose sunset performance was breathtaking, complete with a surprise Becky G appearance for their "On My Body" duet), this year's festival offers something for every millennial music lover. The overall crowd vibe this year felt nostalgic, in no small part because of the lineup's appeal to those of us who remember the early 2000s fondly. Just remember to hydrate, find shade when possible, and embrace the beautiful chaos that is Coachella.