Stagecoach liveblog: Kane Brown, Nelly make it a family affair

The Stagecoach is about to roll onto the fields of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, and fans are streaming into the Coachella Valley for the massive country music festival that runs Friday through Sunday. The anticipation is high for headliners Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton, and many others on other stages throughout the day and night. It's going to be a hot time in the old town.

Check back here throughout the weekend for the sights, sounds, special guests and magic moments from Stagecoach country music festival.

• Weather: It's going to be a scorcher

• Traffic: What you need to know to plan for the inevitable

• What's for dinner? A full grub guide

Stagecoach 2023: Parmalee set leaves us feeling good

Let's face it, by the third day of Stagecoach we are all feeling pretty darn gross. And that's doubly true when its as ridiculously hot as this year's festival has been.

Which is why the opener of Parmalee's Sunday afternoon set on the Mane Stage, which could hardly have been more affirming, couldn't have come at a better time.

Before the band appeared. the video screens played a series of positive affirmations. "You are important," read one. "You are doing your best," read another. And by the time the band had finished their acutely positive hit "Just the Way," everyone around seemed to have perked up. And so started one of the true feel-good sets of Stagecoach, in which the band played a run of their biggest hits interrupted only by a cover of Train's "Drops of Jupiter" that gave Pat Monahan a run for his money.

Of course, the highlight for many was surely the schmaltzy "Take My Name," which has lit up country radio over the past year. But my favorite was saved for last, when Parmalee took us back to 2008 with their first hit "Carolina."

"Ya'll are making us really happy right now," lead singer Matt Thomas said before launching into the tune. "Thank you so much."

Thanks Parmalee, but the pleasure was all mine.

― Paul Albani-Burgio

Not many guest artists, but lots of covers

Through two days, there haven’t been any major guest artists to drop by Stagecoach a la Axl Rose with Carrie Underwood in 2022.

But there’s been lots of covers performed...  Sure, some covers don't quite have the same pop without their original recording artists, but our favorites this year have brought a welcome changeup to the country music festival. Some — but certainly not all — of the surprise songs we’ve heard so far include:

• Luke Bryan performing Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”

• Trixie Mattel performing Violente Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun”

• Gabby Barrett performing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’”

• Old Dominion performing Harry Styles’ “As It Was”

• Kane Brown performing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man”

• Nelly performing Thomas Rhett’s “Die A Happy Man”

— Jonathan Horwitz

Old Dominion to open bar in Nashville

Ema Sasic reports that the boys from Old Dominion visited Mayor of Flavortown Guy Fieri at his smokehouse set up at Stagecoach, and talked about a bar they are opening in their hometown of Nashville. Read more here:

More: Stagecoach 2023: Guy Fieri, Old Dominion serve up nachos; band teases new bar in Nashville

Nelly nails it

Rapper Nelly, an early visionary when it comes to tapping into the hip-hop/country crossover potential, completely lit up the Palomino Stage late Saturday night with a 40-minute bangers-only barrage that had his country fans and his hip-hop fans completely satisfied, at what the event calls Late Night In The Palomino.

It was an electric way to end the night, as Nelly and his crew, which included his brother City Spud, put on a tight, in-rhythm show from start to finish.

Wearing a black vest with the St. Louis Arch and an eagle on the back and rhinestones on the front, Nelly went off.

Hits? Of course. It only made sense that this 100-plus degree day would close with his epic hit “Hot in Herre,” but before that, he sifted through his playlist of club and country hits, playing to the crowd by giving some extra love to his country crossover tunes like “Country Boy Do” and “Cruise” his collab with Florida Georgia Line.

He also brought out country artist Breland, who performed his own set at Stagecoach on Friday, for their song “High Horse.”

Mixed in he had the crowd hyped with his all-timers like “E.I.” “Country Grammar” and “Ride Wit Me” turning the overflowing tent into basically an oversized frenzied club.

It was basically everything any music fan could want. A tight 40-minute set featuring all the hits, performed with precision and joy.

— Shad Powers

It was a family affair Saturday night

From Kane Brown bringing out his wife, Katelyn, for “Thank God” to Nelly performing Late Night in the Palomino with his hype man and half-brother City Spud, Saturday night at Stagecoach was a full-on family affair. Nelly also brought out Breland for their song "High Horse." (Even though he seemed to almost hint at it during the end of his headlining set, Kane Brown sadly didn't come to the Palomino to sing "Cool Again" with Nelly.)

The two acts were our first taste of guest artists (welcomingly) crashing the headliner and “after hours” sets at the festival after Luke Bryan somewhat disappointingly didn’t bring out any guests during Friday night on the Mane Stage and neither did Trixie Mattel on the Palomino Stage.

— Jonathan Horwitz

So much Costner

If you own stock in Kevin Costner, it was a good night for you on Saturday at Stagecoach. Bryan Adams, obviously, played "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" his megahit from Costner's 1991 movie "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." And he did it about 100 yards from a tent fully dedicated to Costner's current hit show "Yellowstone."

What Coachella fans may know as the Gobi tent, has been converted this weekend into "Yellowstone Dutton Ranch," a nod to Costner's current hit show "Yellowstone." It features all things "Yellowstone," including merch and photo opportunities with backdrops that are featured in the show.

I looked around the grounds for some sort of homage to Costner's best "Water World," but didn't find any.

— Shad Powers

Saturday is Keith Urban cover day

Keith Urban may not be at Stagecoach (as far as we know anyway) but his specter hung large over the second day of the festival. First Lily Rose and later Gabby Barrett covered his immortal hit “Somebody Like You” during their respective main stage setts. While the vibes were different, both rocked their takes on the classic tune. So whose was better? I don’t think I could choose. But as far as I am concerned we’re all winners whenever that banger is involved. Attention Paul Tollett: Bring back Keith!

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Gabby Barrett is the queen of singalongs

Artist Gabby Barrett proved she was the queen of singalongs when she featured a number of her songs, plus iconic hits from several different artists, during her Mane Stage set.

After getting the crowd excited with her three-time platinum song "The Good Ones," she went back to the early 2000s with throwback Keith Urban hit "Somebody Like You." People got excited to join her vocally, even if a portion of the crowd wasn't even born when the song hit radio airwaves.

When the first few chords of Lady A's "Need You Now" rang out, it seemed like everyone was ready to start belting out the lyrics, and sure enough they did. What could have beaten that singalong? The one that followed with Journey's mega-hit "Don't Stop Believin'." The screams that that song continues to bring among audience members will never get old.

Barrett also teased her upcoming second album by playing a new song, "Bring The Cowboys Back," and also treated fans to "Footprints On the Moon," "Pick Me Up" and "Build a Boat," a Colton Dixon track she's featured on.

— Ema Sasic

A true pro

The crowd for Mary Chapin Carpenter, playing at 5:20 p.m. on the Palomino Stage on Saturday, consisted of two equal parts: Carpenter-heads who knew every word to every song, and curious bystanders just trying to find some shade.

Being the true pro that she is, she quickly turned everyone in attendance into fans, as the powerful and confident voice that won her four straight Grammys from 1992-95 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance did not wilt in the 100-plus degree heat.

The now 65-year-old country/folk icon didn’t hesitate to play the hits, either. She started right out with two of her biggest — “Passionate Kisses” and “Shut Up and Kiss Me” — a kiss-focused double dip.

“Here’s another one from the last century,” she said with a laugh as she launched into “I Feel Lucky,” which was released in 1992, but still resonated completely with Saturday’s crowd.

Known for her empowering female anthems before it was popular, Carpenter had the crowd roaring with her penultimate I-don’t-need-him-anymore song “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her.” She then finished with the inspirational song “The Hard Way” before sending the crowd off with a bit of a bobble before making a quick save “Thank You Coachella! … And Thank You Stagecoach!”

Told you she’s a true pro.

— Shad Powers

From Down Under to the desert

Just as Guy Fieri was starting to introduce Niko Moon by calling him, of course, his brother from another mother, I sat down at a picnic table at the main food area called Guy’s Stagecoach Smokehouse with my Texas Twinkies -- jalapeno peppers stuffed with smoked meat, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and wrapped in bacon topped with smoked poblano sauce.

The table was already occupied by a couple of people and we struck up a conversation. Turns out I was seated next to Kalvin Moore who came to the United States all the way from Australia for Stagecoach. Moore said there is a relatively large Aussie contingent at the festival and they communicate via a Facebook group page. They were not taken aback too much by the 100-plus degree temperatures.

“It reaches 40 (104 degrees Fahrenheit) back home, but it’s not dry like this, so we’re doing OK,” he said.He said country music is growing in popularity in Australia, but to see the big names like Luke Bryan, which he saw and loved Friday night, you’ve got to come to the states.

He and his traveling companion who are staying in Palm Springs are making the most of their Southern California  adventure. They have already visited a friend in Los Angeles, took a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tram and are going to spend a few days in Vegas after the music festival.

— Shad Powers

Keb' Mo' brings blues to Palomino

When you come to a country music festival, there’s a very high chance you’ll hear a fair share of twang and songs about people's trucks. Blues musician Keb' Mo', however, brought a much-needed bit of soul to the Palomino Stage on Saturday.

Even as many festivalgoers were slowly trickling in for the day (likely due to the triple-digit heat and a late night spent with Luke Bryan), once Keb’ Mo’s soulful voice and guitar playing started, those nearby couldn’t help but listen to the five-time Grammy Award winner.

Rocking a simple gray T-shirt, blue jeans and light fedora, the 71-year-old singer kept the crowd on its feet with songs like “62 Chevy,” “Rita” and “Good to Be (Home Again).” As he switched from electric to acoustic guitars depending on the song, Keb’ Mo’s easy-listening tunes were a welcome change from some other louder sets during the weekend. His band members even got to shine too, such as one passionate solo from his keyboardist.

One song that definitely got listeners excited was 2004’s “Shave Yo’ Legs,” in which he croons how he loves a woman’s natural look and she doesn’t need to do much to impress him. A few couples were spotted dancing in the crowd, and many shouted in support when he declared his partner doesn’t “have to shave yo' legs for me.” That’s something many of us ladies can get behind too!

— Ema Sasic

Cool down at the UCLA Health tent

As temperatures continue to soar during Stagecoach weekend, the UCLA Health tent, located across from the Palomino Stage, might just become your new favorite place to cool down.

The air conditioned tent named "Vibes on Ice" is not only giving guests a shaded spot to hang out, but a chance to hydrate and pick up some sweet swag. The "chill zone," open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the festival, is offering free snow cones (available in berry blues, lemon love or mango twango flavors), water and your choice of a water bottle or fanny pack.

Also available are a space for photo ops and a chance to win four VIP passes to Stagecoach 2024.

— Ema Sasic

Here's where to get a free light-up wristband for Kane Brown’s set

Stagecoach has gone K-pop? Not exactly, but the festival is adopting one of that genre’s trademarks that was also excitingly deployed during BLACKPINK and Bad Bunny’s recent Coachella sets: free LED wristbands.

The light-up wristbands are currently being distributed ahead of Kane Brown’s Saturday headlining set. The Coachella wristbands lit up automatically during those sets, but these ones appear to work manually with a button that can be pressed to turn on several different colors of lights. Sounds cool, right?

So where do you get one? The bands are being distributed at several spots throughout the festival, including an information booth near the big Stagecoach sign that you probably took a picture of when you entered the festival and another behind Spectra (the big colorful tower for the noobs out there). If you don’t want to make a special trip, several people have already been handing them out at various locations around the Mane Stage (if you go anywhere around it you’ll likely run into them).

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Jon Pardi receives one of country's biggest honors

Stagecoach is typically when California gets a dose of country music. But on Friday, it was where the heart of country instead got a big, and overdue, dose of California.

Just after Pardi capped off a rollicking set with his hit “Heart Over Boots,” Mr. Mayor himself, Guy Fieri, came on stage.

While it first seemed that Fieri had come to reward his fellow native Californian a shot to celebrate a set well played, he suddenly explained that he was actually there to help induct Pardi into that temple of country musicdom, the Grand Ole Opry.

Then, suddenly another living legend, Alan Jackson, appeared on screen (but not on the stage, as cool as that would’ve been) to do the actual honor. It was a particular fitting place to do it given that it was explained that Pardi is the first Californian to be inducted into the institution.

Back onstage, Fieri called Pardi his “northern California brother” and gushed that “we are so proud of you and your legend.

“I guess when you want to come visit Tennessee I will see you at the Grand Ole Opry,” said a jovial Pardi.

It was a fitting end to a set in which Pardi commanded the massive stage, finishing with a barrage of hits that also included “Last Night Lonely,” “Ain’t Always The Cowboy” and “Dirt on my Boots.”

Read more: Jon Pardi invited to be 225th Grand Ole Opry member while onstage at Stagecoach Festival

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Riley Green gets the crowd in their feels

Country star Riley Green’s set had a little bit of everything

There was a goosebumps-inducing rendition of “Georgia Time.” A perfectly serviceable version of his megabit “There Was This Girl” to close things. A fun “play-off” in which his musicians took turns playing snippets of iconic songs like “Sweet Child O’’Mine.” A fun Thomas Rhett cover. And even some playful ribbing of the Tennessee Volunteers (Green is a proud crimson tide fan).

But if there was one thing I’ll remember, it was when he played his other big hit, the emotional and nostalgic “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.” While I was standing what felt like miles away (it’s gonna take me awhile to get over this year’s Mane Stage setup) I got a thrill when Green pulled up his stool close to the crowd and got full-on chills when much of the crowd pulled out their phones and started to sway. What can I say? It was a moment.

And when Green altered the songs lyrics slightly to say “I wish Stagecoach had no closing time,” well, I really felt that.

Oh, and for those wondering: Green again seemed to drop the reference to Bud Light from the song to cheers from the crowd as he has in other recent shows in an apparent nod to his view on the recent Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney controversy (it sounded to me like he replaced it with Busch Light, another Anheuser-Busch product although I am not certain as it was hard to hear over the cheers ).

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Honkytonk provides amusing festival escape

While I (somewhat regrettably) went to my fair share of high school dances, I always wondered what it would be like to go full "Footloose" at one of those dances with the country kids. Well, thanks to my visit to Diplo’s Honkeytonk Stage early Friday evening, I no longer have to wonder.

OK, so I assume no one openly smokes weed at most small-town high school dances and the people in charge probably won’t approvingly ask how much you’ve had to drink. But otherwise, this felt just like the real thing, right down to the wood floors and people awkwardly standing around half-heartedly trying to dance. And get this, they even gave the DJ, Pennywild, a 10-minute break between sets and filled the gap with a line dancing lesson. It doesn’t get much more country than this, people!

— Paul Albani-Burgio

ZZ Top starts set with a bang

ZZ Top Bassist Elwood Francis wowed the crowd at the Palomino Stage from the getgo Friday when he used a 17-string bass guitar to perform “Got Me Under Pressure.”That’s right — 17 strings!Francis, the band’s former guitar tech, had big shoes to fill when he took over for bassist Billy Hill, who passed away in 2021.But at the Palomino Friday night, the crowd was all his.

— Jonathan Horwitz

Elle King opens her set with a very special guest

Elle King, the voice behind 2015 hit "Ex's & Oh's," opened her Friday set by jumping on stage with someone very, very special to her: her son, Lucky Levi. King brought the 1-year-old (who turns 2 in September) out on her hip, and made sure he was wearing ear muffs to protect his young ears from the harsh speakers behind him. After a few notes from her band, some loud cheers from the crowd and a welcome message to said fans, the little man was taken backstage to watch the rest of the set away from the spotlight.

King also made a strong first impression by coming out wearing a neon green pantsuit with pink lightning bolts on the front. The back read "single" in a Metallica-esque font, which we couldn't have loved more.

The badass single mom wowed the crowd with her strong vocals throughout the set, and even though we were sad she didn't bring out Miranda Lambert to single their collab "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)," we still were impressed by the soul she put into said song for her closing number.

— Niki Kottmann

Priscilla Block ends her Stagecoach debut in true country style

Prisiclla Block, who's best known for hits "My Bar" and "Just About Over You," made her Stagecoach debut Friday afternoon on the Mane Stage. In a shiny two-piece black number and hoops the size of Texas (but don't get confused, she's from North Carolina), the empowering songstress kept the crowd dancing and singing along all the way up until the end, when she swapped out her turquoise solo cup for a beer, grabbed a neon-pink construction-style vest and shotgunned that brewskie like there was no tomorrow. Now THAT is what the "Block Party" is all about.

— Niki Kottmann

Nate Smith beats the heat

When it’s well over 100 degrees and you are playing to a mostly empty field, it’d be easy to feel a little lethargic. But Nate Smith was anything but during his half-hour Mane Stage set. Instead, he was bursting with enthusiasm about playing in his home state on the day he also released his self titled debut album. And that energy was matched by his guitar player, who demonstrated his shredding skills during some particularly nasty solos in “Wreckage.”

While Smith is a relative newcomer to the country scene, the fans who turned out for his set showed they were plenty familiar with his hit “Whiskey on You.” Smith played a more guitar-heavy version of the song and also showed his exceptional vocal range.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Festival foods you can (probably) only get at Stagecoach

We've perused the grounds, and we have some takes. Here's some of the boldest, biggest flavors from vendors inside Guy Fieri’s Stagecoach Smokehouse:

Texas Twinkies — Two stuffed jalapeños wrapped in bacon with smoked meat, cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Served with smoked poblano saues. (Roadhouse BBQ, $16)

The Peach Habanero Hootenanny — A “pile of the most sweet, savory, succulent, juicy and tender” smoked rib tips glazed in homemade sauce. (Big Lee’s BBQ, $25)

The Stagecoach Stalwart — A “stack of juicy, tender, well-seasoned and perfectly smoked” Black Angus brisket. (Big Lee’s BBQ, $23)

XL Turkey Leg  — Sure, turkey leg is a popular carnival food. But make it jumbo for Stagecoach. (El Dorado’s, $29).

— Jonathan Horwitz

Heat doesn't deter hundreds of festivalgoers streaming in after gates open

The gates opened about 20 minutes late during Stagecoach's opening day Friday. Although the crowd waiting to get in was much smaller than both preceeding Fridays for Coachella, there was still a large group who hightailed it to the Mane Stage with their folding chairs in hand.

The early birds were treated to a performance by the first artist of the day to hit the Mane Stage, Mackenzie Carpenter, best known for her single "Can't Nobody." Carpenter thanked the crowd for being "troopers" in the heat, and smiled hopefully when she quipped that maybe she'll be back in the future for an evening set.

— Niki Kottmann

No sign of Bud Light controversy at Ralph's near Empire Polo Club

Bud Light found itself under attack from Right-wing commentators early this month after TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney posted a sponsored video during the brand's March Madness campaign. Mulvaney is a transgender woman, and many conservatives were not happy with Budweiser associating with a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Budwesier is one of the major alcohol sponsors of Stagecoach, and there's no sign of any controversy at the festival — for now. A few reporters who stopped at the Ralph's on the corner of Jefferson Street and Avenue 50 on the way into the festival noticed that Bud Light has a large branded display in the corner of the store, with plenty of beers still up for sale.

Only time will tell if fewer festivalgoers opt to drink Bud or visit the Bud Light Backyard stage this year.

— Niki Kottmann

How to watch the Stagecoach Amazon livestream on Twitch

Don't want to miss out on hearing the likes of Gabby Barrett and Luke Bryan in Indio, but also not too keen on spending hours in triple-digit heat? That's what the livestream is for!

For the first time, the Stagecoach livestream is being handled by Amazon and can be livestreamed for free on Amazon Music's channel on Twitch, an online live streaming service. The channel can be accessed at www.twitch.tv/amazonmusic. Amazon Prime Video members can also livestream the festival on that service. The livestream will start everyday at 3 p.m. and show the sets of many — but not all — of the festival's biggest names, including all three headliners. Visit music.amazon.com/live/events/ for the complete schedule.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

How to tune into Stagecoach on SiriusXM

Those looking to tune in while toddling around town, meanwhile, can tune in to Sirius Satellite Radio's festival channel. Channel 56, Sirius' The Highway country station, will stream most of the Mane Stage performances, including headliners Luke Bryan and Kane Brown. Sirius says the channel will also be broadcasting "exclusive interviews" and "behind the scenes coverage" exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes coverage. The full schedule of sets to broadcast can be found at Stagecoach 2023: Listen Live | SiriusXM. The Sirirus show, Music Row Happy Hour Live, will also be broadcast live from the festival at 1 p.m. on Friday.

EDM fans, meanwhile, can tune in to the Diplo's Revolution station (Channel 52) to hear several of the DJs playing on Diplo's Honkeytonk Stage, including Dillon Francis, Lost Frequencies and Cheat Codes. Diplo's Sunday closing set on the Palomino Stage will also be broadcast on that channel. That schedule can be found here: Stagecoach 2023: Listen Live | SiriusXM.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Stagecoach 2023 set times: What you need to know to plan your weekend

Desert Sun reporter Paul Albani-Burgio has some good news and some bad news for festivalgoers.

The good news, he reports, is that fans wanting to park in front of the Mane Stage on Friday will be treated to a parade of hit-makers: Elle King will give way to Riley King of "There Was This Girl" fame, who will then hand off to Jon Pardi, and the night will culminate with headliner Luke Bryan.

The bad news (on Friday at least), people are going to have to choose between Pardi and ZZ Top, and also there's a choice to be made between Elle King and Melissa Etheridge. Read more:

More: Stagecoach 2023 set times: Here's when the headliners — and everyone else — are playing

— Paul Albani-Burgio

Stagecoach festival grounds have a new layout

The festival recently released a map of this year's grounds and it appears attendees can expect a setup that differs from last year's. The biggest change is the position of the festival's main stage, which is known as The Mane Stage. It appears that stage will now be located around where the Coachella main stage is located, looking south.

Guy's Stagecoach Smokehouse, which features several BBQ stands and cooking demonstrations featuring Food Network icon Guy Fieri and several Stagecoach performers, has also moved into a bigger space that Coachellagoers will recognize as the location of the Indio Central Market food hall during that festival. The full map is here.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

The little stage is no more

Those who attended Stagecoach last year may remember that some of the day's first performers played on the Sirius XM Stage, a smaller temporary stage that was set up in the field in front of the main stage. But that stage isn't returning this year; instead, the first few sets of the day also will take place on the main stage but with the twist that all festgoers will be let into the pit section at the front of the stage that is normally reserved for VIPs to watch them. Performers who will play those special early sets, which are billed as Sirius XM Spotlight Sessions, include Nate Smith on Friday, Lily Rose on Saturday and Tyler Braden on Sunday.

Perhaps in an acknowledgement that those early performers could be playing to a sparse crowd early in the day, several of those performers will also play a second set in the smaller Budlight Backyard space. They include Smith, Rose and Kent, plus Parmalee on Sunday.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

They have rotating sprinkers!!!!

You might thing the best place to be at Stagecoach is one of the VIP areas. But I am here to tell you that you are wrong. Seriously, look how great this is. A note to GoldenVoice: Whoever thought to do this deserves a raise.

— Paul Albani-Burgio

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stagecoach liveblog: Kane Brown, Nelly make festival a family affair