Following countless rumours over the last 24 hours, it’s now been confirmed that the 2020 edition of Coachella will no longer take place next month due to coronavirus fears.
First announcing their 2020 lineup in early January, Coachella’s plans for this year’s event sadly coincided with the worsening coronavirus outbreak. Though the first couple of months appeared to take little toll on the music industry as a whole, the last few weeks have seen numerous actions being taken by artists, festivals, and global events.
While artists like Kiss have cancelled meet and greets, Madonna and Pearl Jam have cancelled tours, while Australia has seen Dark Mofo and Miley Cyrus‘ upcoming visit axed, and the US has seen the South by Southwest music conference also cancelled over fears of spreading the virus.
Now, following the spread of rumours yesterday that Coachella would be moved to October following both public outcry, and a rise in cases of the virus in the area, promoter Goldenvoice has officially confirmed the news.
— Coachella (@coachella) March 10, 2020
“At the direction of the County of Riverside and local health authorities, we must sadly confirm the rescheduling of Coachella and Stagecoach due to COVID-19 concerns,” Goldenvoice wrote in a statement.
“While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials.”
“Coachella will now take place on October 9, 10 and 11 and October 16, 17 and 18, 2020,” Goldenvoice added. “Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you in the desert this fall.”
A number of Australian artists were also set to appear on this year’s Coachella lineup, including the likes of Amyl & The Sniffers, The Chats, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Sampa the Great, and more. Of course, it’s currently unclear if the rescheduled dates will affect these artists’ ability to appear later in the year.
One act who confirm they will be appearing at the October event is Skegss, who expressed their disappointment at today’s news. “Devo! But what can ya do, everyone is going through it on some level,” the band said in a statement to Rolling Stone Australia. “We will go back when it’s on later in the year.”
Coachella 2020
October 9th-11th, and 16th-18th, 2020
Empire Polo Club, Indio, California, USA
