Coachella branded ‘worse than Fyre Festival’ after 12 hour wait to get in

Coachella attendees are complaining about long queues and a lack of facilities at the Californian festival, branding the experience “worse than Fyre Festival”.

Coachella kicks off Fridat (11 April) in Indio with a headline performance from Lady Gaga. Acts including Green Day, Travis Scott and Post Malone are also set to appear.

Fans began arriving to the festival’s campsites yesterday in the hope they would beat the crowds, but instead found themselves stuck in 12 hour lines to get in.

On X/Twitter, one user posted a photograph of a field full of cars lined up trying to access the festival along with the caption: “Coachella descends into chaos, and it hasn’t even started yet. These are cars lined up to get through security to enter the car camping area. Attendees are reporting a 12 hour wait, and no porta potties, with some saying it’s ‘worse than Fyre Festival’.”

Other attendees also drew comparisons to the famously disastrous 2017 festival in the Bahamas.

Festivalgoer Adam Roberts told Business Insider: “I made a joke earlier that I didn't know Fyre Festival tickets were included in admission this year, but that's honestly how I feel. I feel duped.”

Delays getting into the festival’s campsite were exacerbated by extreme heat and a lack of toilet facilities.

"It's the middle of the desert; there isn't a bush to hide behind," Kayla Standring told Business Insider. “I had to open both of the car doors to block myself, then the girls in the car behind us saw, and they started doing that. I started a revolution for the women.”

Festivalgoers have typically paid at least $649 per ticket to attend.

Those not attending the festival in person can livestream performances on Coachella’s YouTube channel or via the new Coachella Livestream app, beginning at 4pm PT/7pm ET each day.

In addition to tonight’s headline set by Lady Gaga, who returns at the top of the bill after having headlined the festival in 2017, today will also see performances from Missy Elliott, rising pop star Benson Boone, The Marías, White Lotus star and BLACKPINK member LISA, The Prodigy, Parcels, Mustard, and Mau P.

FKA Twigs had previously appeared on Friday’s lineup, but she has since had to drop out for “unexpected personal reasons.”

GloRilla, Yeat, The Go-Go’s, MARINA, Dio, Tyla, Sara Landry, Thee Sacred Souls, d4vd, Artemas, Miike Snow, Three 6 Mafia, Chris Lorenzo, SAINt JHN, 4batz, Vintage Culture, Tink, Maribou State, Eyedress, and A G Cook, are also among the artists performing Saturday (12 April).