2 weeks Ago
The dusty trails of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio sprang to life around noon on Friday, April 25. There was an abundance of cowboy boots paired with crop tops and bejeweled denim for the first day of the three-day country event.Under clear skies and comfortable temperatures in the low 80s, a welcome change from the recent desert heat, festivalgoers poured into the grounds ready for a weekend that’s proving to stretch well beyond the confines of traditional country.
While Stagecoach has always delivered for country followers, this year’s lineup reflects a deeper cultural shift. Genre-blurring artists like Shaboozey, T-Pain, Backstreet Boys, Goo Goo Dolls, and Lana Del Rey are helping reshape what it means to be “country enough” for Stagecoach. It’s a musical expansion that mirrors the spirit of its sister festival, Coachella—only with a southern twang and a lot more fringe.
Mumford & Sons, a surprise addition announced just hours before the gates opened to Friday’s Palomino Tent lineup at 6:55 p.m., will bring a jolt of indie folk energy to the day, drawing an eager crowd that might not typically show up for cowboy tunes.
T-Pain—who played the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival just a week ago—takes the stage Saturday, and pop-rock veterans Goo Goo Dolls will close out Sunday on the Palomino stage. Then there’s Lana Del Rey, headlining Saturday night with her Americana-laced “Lasso” era, bringing with her a wave of flower crowns, glittered eyelids, and diehard fans who may be stepping onto Stagecoach soil for the very first time.Even Diplo is back with his now-annual Honky Tonk takeover, delivering his signature dance-meets-country DJ sets and late-night boot-scootin’ vibes at the Palomino after dark.
His curated party has grown into one of the most anticipated activations of the festival weekend, proving just how wide the net of country-adjacent music can be cast.This blend of classic and contemporary, country and crossover, is intentional. Organizers have made it clear they’re eager to honor country’s roots while inviting new voices and sounds into the fold—creating a festival that’s just as welcoming to a Luke Combs fan as it is to someone who came just to romanticize along to “Ride” with Lana under the desert sky.
With two more days of music ahead—and a crowd that includes both tried-and-true Stagecoach regulars and first-timers brought in by the genre-fluid lineup—this year’s festival feels like a tipping point. Stagecoach is still country, but now, it’s country on a much bigger, more inclusive scale.Related ArticlesStagecoach 2025: Mumford & Sons a last-minute addition to the Friday festival lineupStagecoach 2025: How to livestream Jelly Roll, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs and moreStagecoach 2025: Get ready to be bowled over by barbecueWhat to expect at Stagecoach 2025: country roots, pop surprises & big desert nightsStagecoach 2025: When to see Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Zach Bryan and more.
