Frank Ocean’s Coachella headlining set has received a less-than-warm reception from fans. After starting over an hour late, fans were disappointed by what turned out to be a meandering, disjointed set in which he only performed a handful of songs before a DJ played a string of mashups and remixes. While he did tease a new album, after burning fans so badly with his first-weekend set, they might not be looking forward to it as much as they were on Saturday.
Fans left wondering just why Frank’s set turned out the way it did may have gotten an explanation on Twitter, though. The Festive Owl, an independent journalistic outlet that covers festivals around the country, spoke with multiple sources about the disastrous set, reporting their findings in a long tweet that revealed much of the behind-the-scenes finagling that sparked the hour-long delay.
I’ve been speaking with sources about exactly what transpired and how things went so far downhill Sunday for #FrankOcean + #Coachella…so here you go
The stage production was suppose to (and did) contain an ice rink that was constructed and ready to go.
Frank decided at the…
— Festive Owl (@TheFestiveOwl) April 17, 2023
The stage production was supposed to (and did) contain an ice rink that was constructed and ready to go.
Frank decided at the last minute that he no longer wanted it at all. All of the people walking around him at the start of the performance were actually ice skaters, had been practicing for weeks, and were supposed to be skating as part of the production. Coachella had to deconstruct the approved stage (that had been planned and signed off on for months in advance) + melt the entire ice rink and then set it up how Frank decided today with no warning. Which is what you ended up seeing, and caused the hour-long delay. This all happened when doors had already opened for Sunday, and people were securing their spots to see him. If the last-minute changes weren’t made he wouldn’t have performed at all — leaving the festival without a closing headliner.
Frank also personally pulled the plug at the last second on the live stream which left a very sour taste in many inside Coachella’s mouths.
Ultimately, and I quote — “It just didn’t seem like he wanted to be there but was obligated to be. Everything (including him) fell apart last minute.
Don’t expect to see any coverage from the festival about the set. Something that is unprecedented in the history of Coachella. The relationship is not in a good place right now.”
What this means for Weekend Two of Coachella remains to be seen… but don’t be surprised if big changes are announced sometime this week.