Coachella 2023 first look: Long lines, historic firsts and other early takeaways

It's finally here, the day music fans — and social media influencers — have been anxiously awaiting: opening day of Coachella 2023.

The Desert Sun staff was among the first through the security gates when they opened (30 minutes later than scheduled) Friday, and we heaved a collective sigh of relief that the site felt familiar, with the same layout as last year. And, for what it's worth, with even cooler art.

Here's a few of our initial observations.

Merch is still a hot commodity

When the gates opened around 12:30 p.m. Friday (depending on which gate you were at), several festivalgoers bolted toward the main merch tent, aka the Coachella Store, to get in line first. Within 10 minutes, the line grew to 100-some people deep, with people starting to spill out from under the tent and into the Terrace area near the Ferris wheel as the queue continued to grow.

If you want to brave a shorter line, guests at the Bad Bunny-specific merch tent to the left of the Coachella Store seemed to face shorter lines, though of course options are limited to the headliner's merch.

— Niki Kottmann, features editor

Plenty of food — and nonalcoholic beverage — offerings

By 1:30 p.m. Friday, festivalgoers were already craving the variety of food options available at the Indio Central Market.

Attendees were waiting in line for Kogi and Chimmelier, two spots offering Korean food options like fried chicken and barbecue fries, and seeking out juicy smashburgers Bun B's Trill Burgers.

Restaurants available at the Indio Central Market include:

• Bun B's Trill Burgers: Juicy smashburgers (vegan options available)c

• Cena Vegan: Plant-based Mexican Street Food (vegan only)

• Chimmelier: Korean fried chicken (dietary options not listed)

• Farmhouse Thai: Bold flavors of traditional and non-traditional Thai dishes (dietary options not listed)

• Forever Pie: Plant-based pizza and wingz (vegan only)

• Kogi: Korean BBQ Fries (vegan and vegetarian options available)

• Maneatingplant: Plant-based Asian comfort food (vegan and gluten-free options available)

• McConnell's: Ice cream made from scratch (vegetarian and gluten-free options available)

• New School Quality Grilled Cheese: Gooey grilled cheese sandwiches (dietary options not listed)

• Ramen Hood: Hot and chilled vegan ramen and spicy togarashi tater tots (vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available)

• Sumo Dog: Japanese-inspired hot dogs

• Sunny Blue: Japanese omusubi, aka rice balls (vegan and gluten-free options available)

• Sweetfin: Poke and plant-based bowls (vegan and gluten-free option)

Also inside the market area is The New Bar, the first-ever official nonalcoholic partner of the festival. The Los Angeles-based (and Latina-owned) business serves drinks such as the Mojave Agave and Polo Buck, as well as organic French sparkling wines.

Over at the Coachella Stage Bar area, fewer people were crowded around, which meant they could get their hands on popular Spicy Pie pizzas, tacos, burritos and more. The space also includes beer, margaritas, wine, mocktails and Heineken offerings.

While you're fueling up with protein, tech charging stations are available at both locations as well.

— Ema Sasic, entertainment/health reporter

Friday headliner Bad Bunny draws diehards

With cars still trickling in Friday to take the final camping spots at the Empire Polo Club, festivalgoers can't go more than a few yards without hearing a Bad Bunny song booming from a nearby speaker.

Flags featuring the art from Bad Bunny's latest hit album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” were hung from many camp setups, and the excitement for the Puerto Rican megastar’s headlining performance was palpable, including for Wendy Carpio and her pair of friends.

The trio, who now live in San Diego but hail from Peru, was attending the festival for the first time, with Bad Bunny among the primary selling points.

“I had to make it,” Carpio said as she and her friends got ready Friday afternoon. "I’ve seen Bad Bunny before in concert, but today he has to play all his hits.”

Carpio added that with Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK and Frank Ocean headlining, the festival's vibe is “just different this year.” Bad Bunny is the first Latino to perform as a headliner at the festival.

Nearby on the campgrounds, Alex Mendez and Manuel Dzib came from Los Angeles to enjoy their first Coachella festival, proudly flying their Bad Bunny flag in the wind. Mendez said she’s been a fan since his first album, adding she most loves “his culture and the representation” he brings for Latino festivalgoers.

“To be a Spanish speaker that’s leading the first day of Coachella, it’s really cool,” Dzib added.

— Tom Coulter, mid-valley reporter

Coachella Courtyard is resource central

Think of Coachella Courtyard as the resource hub for the festival this year. Neutrogena has a free sunscreen station, there’s a water refill station, and multiple phone charging stations. Electrolit is also offering free samples of its hydration electrolyte drink.

The area is also home to HeadQ+uarters, which serves as a “social gathering space within the festival grounds for BIPOC LGBTQ+ individuals to come and be celebrated,” with interactive art projects as well as lounge space with fans to cool off.

Nearby to HeadQ+uarters is every one, which provides space to rest and recharge in another cooled-down lounge environment, and is staffed with trained counselors for anyone who needs additional support.

— Erin Rode, environment reporter

A festival first: End Overdose is offering free Naloxone doses

For the first time this year, the festival is partnering with End Overdose in the every one tent to provide education and resources to help festivalgoers protect each other from drug overdoses.

End Overdose will be in the every one tent from noon to 5 p.m. each day of the festival, offering training on how to respond to an opioid overdose and free doses of Naloxone.

“Festivals are obviously a place of risk and an abnormal level of experiential drug use, so we’ve been hard at work to provide harm reduction and teach people how to reverse overdoses,” said Darcy Michero, director of events and fundraising for End Overdose.

The organization is teaching people how to recognize the signs of an overdose and how to use Naloxone.

“What I hear the most is when I ask people if they want to learn, they’re like, ‘I don’t really even do drugs, so I don’t want it.’ But you can’t really administer Naloxone on yourself, every single person should be carrying it, it’s the easiest thing, it takes five minutes, it can save someone’s life and it will save someone's life because at this festival, whether we like it or not, people are going to overdose,” said Michero.

— Erin Rode, environment reporter

Grub is available in the camping hub — but be prepared to pay up

Camping but not looking to cook all your own meals? No problem… as long as you’re down to pay $12 for a fruit bowl and $13 for orange juice.

From pupusas to pizzas: there were a variety of food vendors posted up Friday at the Camping Hub toward the center of the sprawling campgrounds outside the Empire Polo Club.

There’s also a?ai bowls, grilled cheese, chicken and waffles and more. Prices for an “entrée” tend to start around $14 and up. As far as thirst quenchers, an agua fresca will set you back $12 and a smoothie $15.

— Jonathan Horwitz, education reporter 

Same structures, new looks

One of the most noticeable differences for those who have attended the festival in recent years is the new look of the ceiling of the Sahara tent. The big arcing structure that festivalgoers can see before they even get inside has an elaborate new series of video boards and technological wonder up in its rafters. The possibilities appear to be endless for enhancing a performance with video, light and other stagecraft. It's the place where artists like Blink-182 and Metro Boomin performed Friday.

Whether in person or watching it on the streaming options, you'll notice the difference.

The Heineken House in its early iterations was really just a nice air-conditioned dome where people would go to beat the heat, purchase a Heineken and listen to a non-descript DJ spin some tunes. In recent years, though, the Heineken House has almost become an eighth legitimate location to see acts along with the seven venerable tents. In 2019, the Roots famously blew the doors of the place, and this year, on Saturday during Weekend 1, Method Man and Redman of the Wu Tang Clan will jam out from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Another structural change, though, eliminated some of the Heineken House's allure, the air conditioning part. This year the Heineken House does have a shade covering, but two of its four walls are open air.

— Shad Powers, columnist

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella 2023 first look: Bad Bunny diehards steal the show