Thousands of country music fans were greeted at Indio’s Empire Polo Club by triple-digit heat to attend the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which is billed as “country music’s biggest party.”
Crowds arrive on the first day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times and Evan Schaben / For The Times)
The three-day festival that treads on Coachella’s heels on the same grounds and will run this year from Friday, April 28, through Sunday, April 30, featuring more than 60 artists including some of the biggest names in country music such as Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton.
The Compton Cowboys are returning for a second year as a special guest to share their story and experiences with festival goers. And Nelly is scheduled to make an appearance Saturday night.
Los Angeles Times staff photographer Allen J. Schaben has photographed Stagecoach since the second festival in 2008 and will be taking us around the cowboy-hat-studded landscape this weekend along with his son Evan Schaben.
See photos from last year’s Stagecoach here: “One photographer reveals the magic of Stagecoach’s country legends”
And check back for more photos from Stagecoach; we will be updating this gallery each day.
ZZ Top performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Breland performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jon Pardi performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ian Munsick performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Clockwise from left: Daryl Clark places his hat over his heart as Jackson Dean performs, Jackson Dean on the Mane Stage (Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times) and a woman in the crowd.
(Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Elle King performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A festival goer escapes the heat in the air-conditioned rainbow tower.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Melissa Etheridge performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Sammy Kershaw performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Country music fans dance at the K-Frog & KSON Dance Party in the Dome at Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The sunset lights up the sky with an orange glow as fans watch Melissa Etheridge perform on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
