Goldenvoice teases possible metal festival in Indio; Metallica, Iron Maiden could headline
Could a metal version of the 2016 Goldenvoice-produced festival Desert Trip be coming to the Empire Polo Grounds in October? Signs point to yes.
A website appeared on Tuesday advertising a festival called Power Trip, complete with a teaser video hinting at a desert setting and inviting visitors to sign up for updates and information from Goldenvoice.
How do we know the website isn't fake? Metal bands such as Metallica and Iron Maiden shared the video on their official Facebook and Instagram accounts Tuesday, and the official Instagram account for the event, @powertrip_live, is followed by the official Goldenvoice account. Said Goldenvoice Instagram account also posted the same teaser video — not 100% confirmation, but a hopeful sign for metal fans everywhere.
Ozzy Osbourne also shared the video, but the former Black Sabbath frontman and metal icon announced in February that he's suffering from damage to his spine from an accident four years ago and canceled scheduled tour dates for later this year in Europe, so it's unclear how big of a role he'll play.
Metallica is set to release its 11th album, "72 Seasons," in April, and will perform two dates in August at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Iron Maiden released its 17th album, "Senjutsu," last year to critical acclaim and are scheduled to tour Europe this summer.
The social media teasers for Power Trip say "revealed 3/30," so fans are hoping for an official announcement — and lineup — on Thursday. Several music blogs and independent music news outlet The Scenestar reported the festival is rumored to take place Oct. 6-8 of this year.
Representatives from Goldenvoice didn't immediately respond for comment.
Even though Metallica has not performed at Coachella, the band did perform at the Empire Polo Fields in 2011 in between Coachella and Stagecoach, before the former became a two-weekend festival, as the headliners of an intercontinental tour called "The Big 4," which also featured Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax.
But this possible festival, and especially its name, appears to be a nod to a much bigger music event in the desert.
For two October 2016 weekends at the Empire Polo Fields, Desert Trip festival featured a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, The Who and Roger Waters — literal legends responsible for the songs that have made up the soundtracks of so many lives — who took to the Indio stage and made Coachella Valley the temporary center of the rock 'n' roll universe.
Goldenvoice's concept was simple: take six of the greatest acts of classic rock from the 1960s — artists who were now all in their 70s — and bring them together for two three-day weekends.
Each day would feature two of the artists — an opener and a closer. Demand for tickets was so high, a second weekend was quickly added.
In addition to the music, there was food, a giant Ferris wheel, a massive merchandise tent and an indoor photo exhibit for the 80,000 fans who attended each day.
Fans and the music media speculated for years after Desert Trip that Goldenvoice would present another classic rock extravaganza in October, to no avail.
In 2021, the City of Indio approved a decades-long extension of the development agreement between the city and Goldenvoice LLC, the company that has put on the festival since 1999. The agreement confirms that the Empire Polo Club will continue to host the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival until at least 2050.
Goldenvoice LLC and Coachella Music Festival LLC requested an amendment to the development agreement with the city in order to extend their term a total of 37 years. It includes the original 17-year agreement and an additional 20-year term.
In their request, Goldenvoice and Coachella Music Festival stated that the extension was necessary "to ensure the continuation of the long-term public benefits the Coachella Music and Arts and Stagecoach Country Music Festivals provide."
The amendment to the development agreement continues to authorize five annual major music festival events, with no more than three events held over consecutive weekends, and with the same attendance of 125,000 people as is currently permitted.
That same year, Goldenvoice signed a long-term agreement with the Empire Polo Club through 2050 for full operational control of the venue, opening the door for music events year round. The agreement also provides Goldenvoice and parent company AEG Presents with oversight of Empire Grand Oasis, a special event property in Thermal.
In recent years, Goldenvoice has promoted an offering of niche festivals featuring alternative and classic country, new wave and indie rock at Brookside outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The company also hosts the dance music and pool party festival Splash House at the Renaissance, Margaritaville Resort and Saguaro Palm Springs hotels with After Hours programming at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Previous reporting by Desert Sun reporters Larry Bohannan and Eliana Perez was used for this report.
This is a developing story.
Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Goldenvoice teases new metal festival on same grounds as Coachella
