Stagecoach live updates: Set times, Jelly Roll, Willie Nelson and Beyonce rumors

The 2024 edition of Stagecoach is rolling into Indio enshrouded in a cloud of speculation over who might make a very special guest appearance at the Empire Polo Club over the weekend. Headliners Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Morgan Wallen, bolstered by an undercard of Jelly Roll, Willie Nelson and Post Malone, delivered an early sellout for the festival, but it's the speculation that Beyoncé will make an appearance hot on the heels of her "Cowboy Carter" album that has some predicting a very, very special year.

Check back here for the sights, sounds, special guests and magic moments of Stagecoach throughout the weekend.

• Photos: Best of Stagecoach on Friday

• Photos: Best of Stagecoach on Saturday

• Photos: Best of Stagecoach on Sunday

Eric Church joins Morgan Wallen during headlining set Sunday

Eric Church performed a polarizing headlining set Friday ― it was basically a nonstop, gospel-inspired jam session with a full choir backing him ― that upset a lot of fans that wanted to hear him play all the hits.Well, in what was a bit of a surprising move after all the hate he got on social media earlier this weekend, Church came out onstage during Morgan Wallen’s Sunday headlining set to sing their hit “Man Made a Bar.”Wearing the same black sunglasses he wore Friday, Church appeared totally cool and confident, and delivered the type of performance a lot of people would have liked to see from him Friday.

— Niki Kottmann

Morgan Wallen won't be on Stagecoach livestream

If you couldn’t get a pass for Stagecoach and planned to watch Morgan Wallen’s headlining set from the comforts of home on Sunday, there’s bad news. The “Last Night” singer’s set won’t be streaming on Amazon Prime tonight.

It’s not uncommon for an artist not to stream their performances such as licensing issues or perhaps an issue with the streaming platform, neither of which has been confirmed as of Sunday night. In 2023, Coachella headliner Frank Ocean’s disastrous Weekend 1 set wasn’t livestreamed on YouTube.

— Brian Blueskye

Hardy actually is the guy who came to raise hell at Stagecoach

For as long as I can remember at Stagecoach, it’s become a thing for Mane Stage performers to say: “I came to rock Stagecoach tonight” or “I came to burn Stagecoach down” after performing a couple of rockin’ country songs, but then things switch to mid-tempo songs or country ballads.

Hardy started out his set with a couple of heavy country songs and meant it when he said that he came to rock Stagecoach.

The country-rock musician has written songs for Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen and more, but has become prominent for his country-rock sound fused with metal.

There should be a rule for the Mane Stage: If a performer’s set isn’t going to be anything like Hardy’s, they didn’t come to “burn Stagecoach down,” “raise hell at Stagecoach” or “rock Stagecoach.”

— Brian Blueskye

Megan Moroney's Stagecoach set reminiscent of young Taylor Swift

Megan Moroney feels like the answer to the question: What would’ve happened if Taylor Swift continued making country music into her mid-20s?

There was her glitter-covered guitar, which felt like something you’d expect to have seen Taylor strumming “Tim McGraw” on 17 years ago. There was the platform Moroney rode out and often played on, which was decorated with guitars and seemed designed to inject some pop-star glamour onto this country stage. And most undeniable of all, there was that distinctive curly blonde hair, a dead ringer for Swift’s “Fearless” era.

But the similarities weren’t just physical, Moroney also proved to possess Swift’s same obsession with troublesome men and the many ways they’ve apparently wronged her.

“I write songs and I have horrible taste in men,” Moroney said as she introduced herself. “It’s worked out pretty well so far, the worse the man the better the song.”

Moroney then proceeded to take us a tour of her troubled love life that included popular songs like “Caller ID” and “Sleep on my Side” (which was rendered particularly memorable when the crowd sang along to the memorable lyric about how her former lover “sleeps with everyone”). She also played two unreleased tunes: “Man on the Moon” and “Indifferent” that also seemed on-theme.

But Moroney, like Swift, ultimately seems to be a hopeless romantic, and that side of her finally showed through as she sang her biggest hit “Tennessee Orange” (alas she was wearing a Carolina blue dress on this day) commencing a sing along to close the show.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Nate Smith channels Dave Grohl in inspirational Stagecoach set

Nate Smith joins Bailey Zimmerman, Elle King and McKenzie Carpenter on what seemed to be an unexpectedly long list of artists playing their second straight Stagecoach (Goldenvoice booking problems, perhaps?).

But the native Californian’s set provided a clear reminder of why the bookers were probably eager to have him back: he seems like one of the nicest guys in country music.

The singer got a longer set this year and he used some of it to fire up the crowd. After explaining that he worked for years as Certified Nurse Assistant (“where my CNAs at?” he yelled at one point) before being convinced by a friend to move back to Nashville and give music another shot, Smith provided the most inspirational monologue of Stagecoach so far.

“Forget the songs, forget the music, forget all that, it’s never too late to chase your dreams and do what you really want to do in life,” he said, further explaining that he was down to his last $14 when he signed his record deal.

And sure enough, Smith seemed to be enjoying every moment on stage, but none more than when he launched into a cover of The Foo Fighters “My Hero.” It initially seemed like an unexpected choice, but one that started to make sense as Smith sounded — and even kind of looked like — a ringer for Dave Grohl, and honestly brought the house down to similar effect.

With Smith continuing to gain popularity, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s invited back for a third Stagecoach set before too long. If they do, I think Smith has already found the perfect potential guest for his set.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Finding Mr. Right at Stagecoach: A love story

Many people come out of Stagecoach with a tan and some hazy memories. Tara Petrina and Bruce Alpern (eventually) came out of it with a spouse.

The couple had come to the 2013 edition of Stagecoach with separate groups but met in the campgrounds and took a liking to each other. Petrina jokes that her girlfriends were encouraging her to kiss him but she didn’t want to kiss someone at Stagecoach. One of the headliners that year? Miranda Lambert.

Luckily, this wasn’t the end of their story as they exchanged numbers and kept in touch. Things could’ve been derailed when Alpern, who is a fireman, had to cancel a plan to go a Fourth of July party at Alpern’s house because he was called in to work, but they eventually went on a successful golf date, and the rest is history.

They got married the next year, and have been making the yearly trek to Stagecoach together every year since with a sign in tow celebrating the festival as the start of their relationship that has now become a fixture of the campground (this year they were camping just feet from where they met).

“To be honest, there’s more women than men at Stagecoach, so I was never expecting to meet someone here,” she said. “But when you are not expecting it, and you meet someone with the same interests and hobbies, it’s like magic.”

Now, she has advice for other people who might think they’ve met their Mr. Right at Stagecoach.

“Play hard to get,” she joked. “It seems to have worked for me.”

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Ashley Cooke gives Stagecoach audience originals, fun covers

Ashley Cooke gave fans of 2000s music everything they could’ve wanted during her Stagecoach set, performing brief covers of “Come Clean” by Hilary Duff, “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne and “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane made popular by Rascal Flatts.

As an added bonus, she also performed “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder.

Cooke’s career is currently on the rise — she recently won a CMT award and was nominated for an ACM award. She said herself during her performance on Sunday that it’s been a couple weeks of super highs for her career. It was her first Stagecoach, which she said was an honor.

She's also been climbing the charts recently thanks to her song “your place,” and she certainly got the crowd singing along when she played it to close her short set. However, she also showed that she has much more to offer than a single radio hit as she capably played through a roster of her other songs off her album “shot in the dark” like “moving on with grace,” “i almost do,” and “it’s been a year.”

In a fun twist, Cooke changed the final chorus of “your place” to tell the crowd “Stagecoach sure the hell is your place.” But based on the potential she showed in this set, it seems like it could be poised to be a pretty good one for her, too.

— Ani Gasparyan and Paul Albani-Burgio

More: Stagecoach 2024: Giving the women who dominated the country music festival their due

Willie Jones 'duets' with Beyonce (just not in person)

Willie Jones, whose musical imprint started with being on the competition show "The X-Factor" back in 2012, has seen a recent explosion in popularity after being a collaborator with Beyoncé on her new album "Cowboy Carter." Jones played an early set in the hot sun Sunday at the Stagecoach country music festival. While the crowd was still filing in, his dedicated fans were there singing along while casual observers were watching to see if just by some miracle he brought out Queen Bey.

At one point he did say "Give it up for Beyoncé" as he began to sing their song "Just for Fun," which may have caused some heads to turn, but he was just giving it up for her talent, and he sang the duet while her voice was piped in.

Jones didn't need help having a quick fun set. He started out wearing leather pants and a leather coat, but after about a song and a half in the hot sun, he jettisoned the jacket. He brought out Ben Burgess, who played his own Stagecoach set on Friday, for one song, and followed that up with an appearance by Randy Savvy of the Compton Cowboys.

Jones riffled deftly through his hits like "Back Porch," "Soul Food" and "Slow Cookin'." He dropped a new song, too, called "Silverado." With his smooth soulful voice and natural stage presence it was no Beyoncé, no problem for Jones.

— Shad Powers

Brittney Spencer talks Beyonce collaboration at Stagecoach set

Even though Beyoncé hasn’t appeared at Stagecoach as of Sunday, the plane carrying a “Cowboy Carter” banner continues to fly over the Empire Polo Club, and two collaborators who appeared on the album performed at the festival during the early afternoon.

Brittney Spencer, who appeared on the track “Blackbiird” on "Cowboy Carter," played a country-soul set to a small crowd in the Palomino stage. The Baltimore native, who grew up singing in the choir of her African Methodist Episcopal Church, has spoken about her influences from Ray Charles to Beyoncé to Miranda Lambert, and there was a blend of all of that in her voice and songs.

In the middle of her performance, she brought up her 2020 EP “Compassion,” singing with The Brothers Osborne at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022, releasing her debut album “My Stupid Life” in January and appearing on “Cowboy Carter,” which she described as “one of the most iconic albums of our generation.”

“I feel like some of you have been with me on my journey for the last four years. Thank you so much, because you changed my life,” Spencer said.

— Brian Blueskye

Making lemonade at Stagecoach more than a side hustle

Jodi Wright has been making lemonade at Stagecoach for two years now. Her sister, Elsie Richards, has done it for a few years and got her interested in joining. Both women do this part time — Wright is a dietician and Richards is a CPA. She lives in between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, and works in the Bay Area, so she had to travel quite a distance to Indio.

She said there’s a mix of people working alongside her, with some just doing this part of the year and others who bounce from festival to festival.

“It’s so fun. Everybody’s really positive energy, fun vibes,” Wright said. “And you get to hear the musicians while working, so yeah I love it.”

She was most looking forward to seeing Morgan Wallen.

— Ani Gasparyan

Katie Pruitt gets political in Stagecoach set

Katie Pruitt said during her Stagecoach set that country music is protest music. She performed her touching song “Loving Her,” with poignant lyrics about loving a woman despite people’s prejudices.

“If loving her hurts I'll keep on hurtin'," she sang. "If it means staying true to who I am. You may not agree but like me you're learning. That people don't like what they don't understand.”

She also performed “Worst Case Scenario” and “White Lies, White Jesus and You,” asserting before the latter that if Jesus was around today he would be against injustices and support causes like women having their own bodily autonomy.

Pruitt ended on “Out Of The Blue” after doing a litmus test in which she asked the audience if they wanted a “slow sad-y” or “fast baddie.” She went with a sad song, saying she’d already made up her mind.

— Ani Gasparyan

Miko Marks, with The Resurrectors, leaves crowd wanting more

Miko Marks showcased her powerful vocals during her performance at the Palomino stage on Sunday. She told the audience she previously thought she was done with music, but came back after a 14-year hiatus and made an album with The Resurrectors, who joined her on stage for Stagecoach.The crowd was small due to Marks’ early set time, but they still enjoyed her music. They booed when she said she was about to perform her last song “Feel Like Going Home,” wanting more time with the singer.

— Ani Gasparyan

Stagecoach Sunday weather forecast for Indio

So far it's been a mild but windy festival. Things are going to heat up on Sunday at the Empire Polo Club in Indio for the final day of Stagecoach, and the wind is still going to be a factor. From the National Weather Service:

Sunday: Sunny with a high near 90 degrees. Winds will be 5 to 10 mph with some gust as high as 20 mph.

Sunday night: Clear with a low around 64. Winds of 5 to 15 mph could gust as high as 30 mph.

Miranda Lambert brings out Reba McEntire for her Stagecoach 2024 headlining set

Miranda Lambert played a nice long set for fans Saturday night — it was the hit-filled kind of performance I think a lot of them expected, and most definitely did not get, from Friday headliner Eric Church.

It seemed like Lambert wasn't going to bring anyone out after she'd been singing for about an hour and 15 minutes, but to everyone's surprise, at one point she told the crowd "I thought I'd bring out a redhead from Oklahoma" and introduced Reba McEntire to the stage.

The pair sang Lambert's "Mama’s Broken Heart," then McEntire's "Fancy" before closing with Lambert's "Gunpowder & Lead."

Read the full review here.

— Niki Kottmann

Brandi Cyrus gets the crowd going, plays her sister Miley Cyrus' song 'Hoedown Throwdown'

Brandi Cyrus had an exciting DJ set on Saturday, bringing out the singer Dasha to perform her popular song “Austin” and Miley Cyrus’ “Hoedown Throwdown.”

Cyrus actually played a number of her sister Miley’s songs, starting with “Party in the U.S.A.” She also played her father Billy Ray Cyrus’ feature on “Old Town Road” to the thrill of the crowd. Other songs included “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood, “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics, and “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes.

It was an eclectic and fun mix. The audience had grown small after The Chainsmokers played right before Cyrus, but it grew again as her set continued. Bringing out Dasha was a nice surprise, especially for anyone who missed it when she came out with Dillon Francis and Ship Wrek the day before.

Also the day before in the HonkyTonk, DJ trio Cheat Codes brought out rapper Yung Gravy and singer/social media star Dixie D'Amelio as special guests.

Read the full review here.

— Ani Gasparyan

Leon Bridges brings out Carin Leon for impressive Stagecoach set

Nothing could compete with the absolute VIBE that was Leon Bridges singing his hits in the Palomino tent at Stagecoach Saturday, but the singer had one other major treat in store after singing "River" and "Beyond."

That was when Leon met León as the singer invited Regional Mexican musician Carín León — the Latin Grammy-winning artist who received the key to the City of Coachella last weekend — on stage to perform their popular duet “It Was Always You (“Siempre Fueste Tu”).

Read the full review here.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Post Malone brings out Brad Paisley and Sara Evans for his Stagecoach debut

Rapper/singer Post Malone isn't known as a country artist, but ever since he joined forces with Beyoncé for the song "Levii's Jeans" on her latest album, "Cowboy Carter," he's started to lean into another genre he loves.

That love for country was evident Saturday, especially when he brought out a slew of country's finest as special guests during his debut Stagecoach set. First, Dwight Yoakam joined him for "Little Ways," then Brad Paisely came out for his own song, "I'm Gonna Miss Her," and Vince Gill's "One More Last Chance." And finally, Sara Evans joined him for "Suds in the Bucket."

Read our full review here.

— Niki Kottmann

Willie Nelson brings out Jelly Roll, Ernest and Charley Crockett

Few people can still pull in big crowds quite like Willie Nelson, the legendary country artist who's been performing for more than six decades. Just two days before his 91st birthday, he decided to celebrate by making it a family affair at the Stagecoach country music festival.

Nelson and his family band, along with Waylon Payne, played a number of easy-listening and upbeat tunes for the Saturday crowd eager to see the nonagenarian. The legendary artist kicked off a streak of highly anticipated acts at the festival, later followed by Leon Bridges, Post Malone and headliner Miranda Lambert.

Kicking things off with songs such as "Whiskey River" and "Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)," Nelson got into the groove as if no time had passed since he penned those songs back in 1973 and 1978, respectively.

Read the full review here.

— Ema Sasic

Ernest brings out Jelly Roll for redemptive set after mic issues during Jelly's Stagecoach set the night prior

Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, made his fourth major appearance so far at the festival when he popped onstage during good friend Ernest's set on the Mane Stage to perform their duet “I Went to College, I Went to Jail.”

As the name suggests, the darkly humorous tune traces the differing paths Ernest and Jelly Roll took to their current status as Nashville stars (Jelly Roll, if you didn’t know, was the one who went to jail).

And there was definitely something joyful and triumphant about the two singing it from one of the most high-profile stages in country music. The vibes were equally as good when Ernest came out during Jelly Roll's Mane Stage set the day prior to sing "Son of a Sinner" — but better, because Ernest didn't have any microphone issues this time.

Read the full story here.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Stagecoach dreams come true for Annie Bosko and Kylie Morgan

Annie Bosko 

Annie Bosko made the most of her dream of performing at the Stagecoach country music festival on Saturday, giving the audience a delightful and energetic show.

She performed her own songs, like “Boots On,” “Neon Baby” and one she has coming out this year with Dwight Yoakam called “Heart Burn.” She also did covers like Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” during which she informed the crowd that she recently got second degree burns but had to perform at the festival anyway. Her love for Stagecoach and country music was apparent throughout the set, such as when she said “I’m from California, so this is a big deal.”

While she was on a small stage in the Toyota Music Den, she enamored the audience with her singing, dancing and jokes. She even jumped onto the dance floor for her last song, “Honky Tonk Highway.” It was the most fun performance at the festival I’ve seen so far.

Kylie Morgan

Kylie Morgan posted to her Instagram story on Saturday morning that she hadn’t been able to sleep after a packed show in Las Vegas, writing “I’ve (laid) here all night feeling like I did as a kid before the first day of school. Excited, nervous, & just so ready to go see what this new adventure brings.”

Dressed in sequins for her Mane Stage performance, she gave the audience an exciting show with fan favorites like “Bridesmaids,” “If He Wanted To He Would” and her newest release “Two Night Stands.” She’s clearly on the rise in the country music scene — “If He Wanted To He Would” has over 92 million streams on Spotify and Kelly Clarkson even performed it for her “Kellyoke.”

— Ani Gasparyan

Tanner Adell shines sans Beyonce during her Stagecoach debut

Tanner Adell was the first to take the Mane Stage on Saturday, her set slightly delayed as once again the gates opened late. Some fans may have held onto the slight hope she’d bring out Beyoncé for the "Cowboy Carter" hit she's featured on, “Blackbiird,” but the iconic singer did not show (it’s still too early in the day to lose hope though).

Adell still set the tone for a fun day at the festival on her own, though. She performed songs off her debut album, “Buckle Bunny,” such as “FU-150,” “I Hate Texas,” and “See You in Church.” She also performed her single “Love You a Little Bit” and newest release “Whiskey Blues.” For her last song, “Buckle Bunny,” she brought out The Harbin Sisters to dance. The group had created a dance to the song that you can learn the steps to on TikTok.

— Ani Gasparyan

Nickelback plays one of the most-attended Palomino sets in Stagecoach history

If I had a nickel for every late-night country music fan that was crammed in and around the Palomino tent to see Nickelback play at Stagecoach Friday night, I'd have ... let's see probably seemed like about 25,000 people so there's 20 nickels in a dollar, so that means ... anyway, it was a big crowd.

Perhaps buoyed by the mass exodus from Eric Church's unusual headlining set, Nickelback's late-night performance (a new tradition at Stagecoach where a non-country artist finishes the night, which will include Diplo on Saturday and Wiz Khalifa on Sunday this year) was the most crowded version since the idea's conception.

And Chad Kroeger and company didn't disappoint. They promised some sing-a-longs to their hits and some special guests and delivered on both.

Country music ball of energy Hardy joined them to sing his song "Sold Out" and the Jelly Roll, who had performed a well-received set on the Mane Stage earlier, joined the band to sing their hit "Rockstar."

Nickelback hit their biggies as well, including "Someday" and "Photograph," but the moment the crowd got into the most was with their hit "How You Remind Me." From silence, Kroeger belted out the opening refrain "Never made it as a wise man" and the crowd jumped right in with the rest singing the entire song including the chorus that ends "These five words in my head, scream 'Are We Havin' Fun Yet?'"

The answer was yes. Yes we were having fun.

— Shad Powers

Eric Church pulls the biggest surprise of the day by quite literally taking the Stagecoach crowd to church

Eric Church has a reputation for being one of country music's true rebels, with songs such as his quaking blue collar anthem "How 'Bout You" that asks "I like my country rocking, how 'bout you?" But that's not the same guy who showed up to Stagecoach as a headliner on Friday.

After a lengthy church organ song played as the intro, Church appeared seated on a stool in front of a stunning set of red stained glass windows on the production screen and began playing Leonard Cohen's "Halleluiah" before he was joined by backing vocalists for "Mistress Named Music," then a choir for "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "This Little Light Of Mine," "When The Saints Go Marching In," "I'll Fly Away," "I Saw The Light" and more.

The unplugged jam session sent festivalgoers for the exit of the Empire Polo Club starting about 15 minutes in, a sight that could be best described as Moses parting the red sea. It was a surprising move by Church considering his recent setlists appear to be in line with the type of show many were probably expecting him to perform during his third appearance at Stagecoach.

Read the full review here.

— Brian Blueskye

Jelly Roll brings out Maddie & Tae, ERNEST, T-Pain and, in a heartwarming move, his wife and daughter for his Stagecoach debut

Jelly Roll told fans at the beginning of his Friday night Stagecoach set that he'd be bringing out "lots of special guests," and boy, did the man deliver.

First, Jelly brought out good friend and fellow Stagecoach performer Ernest to sing "Son of a Sinner," but sadly, we could barely hear him as Ernest's mic didn't work for the majority of the song. Then, he brought out country duo Maddie & Tae to sing the unreleased song "Liar," adding that if everyone liked it "it might end up on the next album."

Finally, he brought out T-Pain, which we already knew was going to happen but didn't make it any less epic. Jelly let T-Pain play a medley of hits such as "Buy U a Drank" before delving into their cover of the late Toby Keith's "Should've Been A Cowboy."

Before the end of the set, Jelly brought out his wife, Bunnie XO, and daughter, Bailee Ann, and asked the crowd to sing "Happy Birthday" to soon-to-be 16-year-old daughter.

— Niki Kottmann

Carin Leon brings out Mexican singer Ana Barbara

Carín León, the Latin Grammy-winning artist who received the key to the City of Coachella last weekend, brought out a beloved special guest during his debut Stagecoach set Friday.

Mexican singer Ana Bárbara came out with the Regional Mexican singer to great applause.

— Niki Kottmann

Last-minute addition to the Stagecoach lineup Dasha caues huge line to get into the HonkyTonk

Horrifying sights to see at a music festival include, but are not limited to, mysterious substances on the floor, exorbitant prices for basic food, a wet toilet seat in a porta potty, and long and cramped lines for something you really want to see.

I was treated to the latter when I tried to enter Diplo’s Honkytonk to see Dillon Francis and Ship Wrek’s special guest Dasha. But after nearly an hour of waiting, people in line around me could only sing along to her popular song “Austin'' from outside.

It was an extremely dysfunctional process. People were in a line stretching past the Golden Road Brewing stand at one point. But as we neared the tent, it became a cramped crowd and I only heard staff briefly shout that the entrance was to the side of where people had headed. It didn’t get better from there — everyone remained cramped together, at times pushing to either get out or reach friends, until there was finally room to breathe once we reached the metal dividers meant to actually keep things organized.

It would definitely have been smarter to head over there super early, and I'd recommend people keep that in mind for "The Chainsmokers" and other popular sets in the HonkyTonk on Saturday. By the time I got inside, the only victory to be had was getting to feel the air conditioning.

— Ani Gasparyan

Lana Del Rey surprises crowd during Paul Cauthen's Stagecoach set

Lana Del Rey, aka the woman who graced these very Empire Polo Club fields the past two Fridays as a Coachella headliner, was back this Friday at Stagecoach as a surprise guest.

According to several social media posts, Tyler, Texas native Paul Cauthen kicked off his weekend last night by singing with Del Rey at a Nikki Lane BBQ event, and then he invited her onstage during his late afternoon Friday set in the Palomino tent.

Cauthen was first known as a member of Americana/indie folk rock duo Sons of Fathers before going solo.

— Niki Kottmann

Lauren Watkins makes Stagecoach debut, sings unreleased song

Lauren Watkins performed twice during her debut at Stagecoach Friday, once at the Mane Stage and then again at the Bud Light Backyard. Her second set drew a large crowd, causing Watkins to jokingly ask if it's because there’s air conditioning. The enclosed stage was certainly a welcome respite from the heat and blowing dust outdoors, but the audience was also clearly enjoying Watkins’ music.

She sang songs like “Fine County Line,” “Stuck In My Ways,” “Anybody But You” and a new song being released in May called “Mama, I Made It.” Watkins spoke with the audience periodically, doing a cheers with a Bud Light and ending her set with a sentiment many Stagecoach fans would agree with, “God bless country music.”

— Ani Gasparyan

Where's all the barbecue at Stagecoach? 

A huge part of attending the Stagecoach country music festival over the years has been the comically vast array of barbecue options. Finding the best barbecue was almost as important as hearing your favorite band. A barbecue-stain on your shirt was almost a certainty by the end of the night.

In the early days of the event there were actual barbecue competitions during the weekend, and in recent years that has given way to big tents left over from Coachella with 12 to 15 different barbecue booths selling their wares.

This year? Nothing. It's weird and noticeable.

Guy Fieri has his cooking demonstrations, and you can find a stray barbecue item at the random food areas like some brisket in your mac and cheese, but there is no dedicated area overflowing with barbecue options this year. Bummer.

At least Indio-based sandwich spot TKB Bakery is back with a different menu from their Coachella offerings, leaning more into the barbecue world with their sandwich choices. Good job, TKB!

— Shad Powers

More: Stagecoach 2024 first look: Festival opens with new area for the Compton Cowboys, Guy Fieri

Meg McRee opens Stagecoach's Toyota Music Den with energetic set

Meg McRee gave a fun performance Friday afternoon at the Toyota Music Den, which doesn’t have the set-up of a usual festival stage. The stage is small, with a dance floor in front and cocktail tables surrounding it. People are lined up for a turn at activities set up by various Toyota vehicles.

McRee sang songs like “Is It Just Me?,” “Gone as It Gets,” “Mary Jane & Chardonnay” and a song she wrote with Lainey Wilson called “Tried & True.” She also performed a new song releasing on May 31st called “Usually You.”

— Ani Gasparyan

Stagecoach artist Zach Top proves that old-school country is timeless

He's only 26, but the music of Zach Top feels like it was plucked right from the early 1990s, before he was even born. Top was one of the first acts to play at the Stagecoach country music festival on Friday and had a large early arriving crowd swaying at the Palomino tent.

His sound is definitely more Garth Brooks and Randy Travis than Luke Bryan and Luke Combs, particularly his opening song "Sounds Like the Radio," which immediately transported fans to the time of collared shirts and cowboy hats as opposed to T-shirts and backwards caps. His songs are right out of the country playbook, as he said, playing "a love song" and "a cheatin' song" back to back for fans in any phase of a relationship.

It was a fun set. He is now officially No. 2 two on my "Performers named Top" ratings behind ZZ and ahead of Carrot.

— Shad Powers

Lola Kirke debuts new song during early afternoon Stagecoach set

After a 20-minute delay likely due to the gates being opened late, singer-songwriter Lola Kirke was the first to take the stage at Stagecoach on Friday. She played songs like “He Says Y’all,” “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and a new one she said would be released soon called “Thank God For Cigarettes, It's the Least He Could Do.”

It was a small crowd that slowly filled out as people walked in to the festival grounds. Kirke gave a charming performance, and was dressed in a fun all-red outfit that, of course, included a cowboy hat. Fans not familiar with her country music may recognize her for her acting, which has included roles in “Mozart in the Jungle” and “Gone Girl."

— Ani Gasparyan

Stagecoach staff open gates 25 minutes late, push start time of Lola Kirke's set

Lola Kirke, the British singer-songwriter and actress best known for her role in the TV show "Mozart in the Jungle," was originally scheduled to kick off the whole festival at 12:20 p.m. Friday, but by 12:19 p.m. when the crowd was still standing in a large line waiting to be let into the fest, it became clear she'd either be playing to an empty venue or the festival would start later.

Organizers opted for the latter, and moved Kirke's set to 12:40 p.m. Zach Top performed right after her in the Palomino tent, and only started 10 minutes later than his original set time.

— Niki Kottmann

The surprises keep coming: T-Pain will join Jelly Roll at Stagecoach tonight

T-Pain, whose set at Coachella two weeks ago was so popular, they reached capacity at the Heineken House, will jump onstage with country crossover artist Jelly Roll tonight, according to a press release from Amazon Music.

Jelly Roll and T-Pain recently joined forces for an Amazon Music-released cover of Toby Keith's 1993 classic "Should've Been A Cowboy," which they'll perform during Jelly Roll's 8:10 p.m. set on the Mane Stage today.

Jelly Roll is donating all proceeds from the Amazon Music Original to the Toby Keith Foundation, which supports the health and happiness of pediatric cancer patients.

— Niki Kottmann

Air quality alert in effect for Indio area

Heads up to festivalgoers: There's an air quality alert in effect for the Indio area through Friday night. What does that mean? Be sure to bring a kerchief, bandana or face mask.

Chainsmokers, Marshmello, Dasha added to Diplo's Honkytonk lineup at Stagecoach

Surprise: Stagecoach announced on Thursday a few sets for country music fans hoping to hear some DJs — and an emerging country artist who recently blew up on TikTok. Diplo's HonkyTonk, a tent dedicated to electronic dance and pop music, will now see special appearances by singer Dasha, electronic duo The Chainsmokers and DJ Marshmello.

?Ema Sasic

Palm Springs area road closures: East Vista Chino

High winds and blowing dust have prompted Palm Springs Police to close East Vista Chino through the wash from Clubhouse View to the city limits due to poor visibility from blowing sand on Thursday night.

Will Stagecoach be livestreamed?

If you want to experience Stagecoach from the comfort of your own home, you can stream this year's festival on Amazon Prime Video or on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. Each livestream is set to begin at 4 p.m. Pacific on April 26, 27, and 28.

What is the address for Stagecoach country music festival?

Stagecoach country music festival is held at the Empire Polo Club, 81-800 Avenue 51, Indio, CA 92201. Here are a few things Goldenvoice wants you to keep in mind regarding parking:

• Day parking is free for all attendees.

• Free day parking is first come/first serve. Once lots are full, you will be directed to a nearby, off-site, free park and ride location.

• Parking lots are open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.

• All vehicle occupants must be wearing a festival wristband when entering parking lots.

• No overnight or RV parking allowed in Day Parking, Preferred Parking or ADA parking.

• No tailgating.

• Cars left after 2 a.m. will be towed.

Getting to the festival Indio announced an additional road closure for Stagecoach. Here's which routes to avoid

What can I bring into the Stagecoach festival grounds?

Here's a list of items that are approved by Goldenvoice on the festival grounds:

• Bags or backpacks 20 inches by 20 inches or smaller

• Binoculars

• Beach towels 60 inches by 30 inches or smaller

• Cellphones

• Chapstick or lip balm

• Digital cameras (non-professional)

• Disposable cameras

• Ear plugs

• Eye drops and contact lens solution

• Fanny packs

• Film cameras and Polaroids

• GoPros (no poles or extenders)

• Gum and mints

• Hand sanitizer

• Hats

• Hydration packs (plastic only, empty 2 liters of less)

• Low-back lawn chairs

• Make up

• Parasols

• Plastic water misters (personal size only and empty)

• Portable phone chargers

• Reusable water bottles (empty, 64 ounces or less, no metal, glass, aluminum, steel)

• Strollers (for infants and toddlers only)

• Sunscreen (non-aerosol only)

Stagecoach 2024 essentials: Everything you need to pack as well as what to leave at home

What is prohibited at the Stagecoach festival grounds in Indio

Here's a list of what's prohibited by Goldenvoice at the Stagecoach festival grounds:

• Aerosol products (including sunscreen)

• Air horns

• Animals or pets (service animals only)

• Audio recording devices

• Balloons / balls / inflatable balls / frisbees

• Bicycles

• Caution tape / rope / lassos

• Chains / chain wallets

• Coolers

• No divisive symbols, including, without limitation, Confederate flags and racially disparaging or other inappropriate imagery/public displays.

• Drones, remote control vehicles or toys

• Illegal drugs & drug paraphernalia

• Fighting / taunting / threatening remarks or gestures

• Flammables (fireworks, explosives, road flares, etc.)

• Flags / kites / sky lanterns

• Flashlights

• Glass containers (including reusable water bottles)

• Hula Hoops

• Laser pointers

• LED products / glow sticks

• Massagers

• Metal containers (including reusable water bottles)

• Musical instruments

• Outside food / beverage

• Over intoxication

• Personal vehicles - bicycles, scooters, electric scooters, skateboards, hoverboards, segways, golf carts, self-balanced wheels, horses, etc. Personal mobility devices for ADA guests only

• Professional cameras (defined as having a detachable lens)

• Promotional items / unauthorized solicitations / vendors (including flyers, samples, giveaways)

• Selfie sticks / tripods / narcissists

• Sharpies / markers / spray paint

• Sitting / standing / loitering in designated fire lanes and pedestrian pathways

• Sleeping bags

• Sling shots

• Stuffed animals

• Tents / tarps

• Totems

• Toy guns / water guns

• Umbrellas

• Vape AVPs / nods / liquid refills

• Video cameras

• Wagons / wheeled carts

• Walkie Talkies

• Weapons (guns, ammo, pocket knives, tasers, pepper spray, etc., including off-duty law enforcement or concealed carry permits)

• Any items deemed inappropriate by festival security

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stagecoach updates: Set times, Jelly Roll, Willie Nelson, Beyonce rumors