Coming at the launch-point of festival season, Coachella‘s line-up is almost always a marker of festy things to come. 2019’s is no exception. From the trio of young headliners – Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande – representing a new breed of bill-toppers, right down to the bottom rungs representing the finest newcomers around, it’s a promising hint towards festival futures.
Elsewhere, there’s similarly-huge showings from the likes of The 1975, Janelle Monae, Solange, Aphex Twin and more. However, further down the line-up, in the squinty-squinty sized fonts, there’s yet more gold. Here’s your guide to the unmissable hidden gems of Coachella 2019.
Turnstile
We banged on about this lot for the majority of 2018, and with good reason. The Baltimore hardcore bunch changed the game with last year’s ‘Time & Space’ LP, a gnarly bounce through punk, disco, samba and god-knows-what-else. Under the punishing Cali sun, that anything-goes approach is set to be one of the sweatiest sets of the whole weekend.
Yves Tumour
Bafflingly low down the line-up, given how much acclaim September 2018’s ‘Safe in the Hands of Love’ garnered, Yves Tumour’s Coachella appearance is sure to be packed to the rafters with avant garde obsessives and electro-heads alike.
Bakar
This Londoner fuses thundering live instrumentals, influenced by his love of old-school British indie, with a fiery, rap-tinged attitude. At times it comes off like Rage Against The Machine had they grown up in South London; others, it’s a warm, human approach to the street smarts of the British rap scene. Whichever he brings to Indio Valley (likely both), it’ll be a breakthrough moment for the British star-in-waiting.
Shame
It seems somewhat baffling that this is Shame’s first appearance at Coachella, given their rising US stature and the near-endless tour the South London lads have been on post-‘Songs Of Praise’. Still, they’re heading Stateside once more, and showing no signs of fatigue. Maybe try a nap after this, though, lads. Please?
Hop Along
Philly indie with more raw edges than your favourite, over-worn blanket, the warm, ragged vocals of Frances Quinlan might not seem like the kinda thing you’ll be hankering for under the beating Coachella sun, but one listen to the warts ‘n all storytelling of last year’s ‘Bark Your Head Off, Dog’ should tell you exactly what makes this one so unmissable.
CHON
Not since Battles has such a complex math-rock band breached the mainstream like this. It’s not hard to see why, in fairness – CHON’s complexity might be the thing you first notice, but it’s the groove and danceability of the likes of ‘Waterslide’ that will make them perfect festival fodder for even the most glitter-clad of normies.
Easy Life
The slinky, sultry newcomers are heading Stateside, bringing their neo-soulful wares along for the ride. It’s sure to go down a storm in the mid-afternoon sun.
Boy Pablo
Everyone’s favourite (alright, only) YouTube algorithm musical success story, Boy Pablo’s dreamy beach-pop feels primed for the frivolous, slow motion Instagram stories Coachella attendees simply love to plaster all over the place.