Coachella goes virtual

Krystal Ortiz, News Editor

CEO of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Philip Anschutz announced that the popular party event will be held digitally on April 10.

The annual event was co-founded by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen in 1999 and is organized by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents. The music festival is usually held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert.

“I wanted to promote the importance of social distancing and ensure the safety of our dear Coachella fans,” Anschutz said. “However, that does not mean we cannot enjoy ourselves and show our love for music!”

The multiple day event will be featured on a new platform Coachella is developing. The new digital platform will be called Vibe.

“We partnered up with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival because Sony understands the importance of social distancing,” Sony Corp. spokeswoman Fay Canoes said. “But we also understand the importance of creating a sense of unity, so we were more than happy to take on this project.”

The new platform is an application available for all electronic devices. It is a video chatting app with high security to ensure that no one is granted access without a unique code that is given to each person who purchases a ticket. The festival is expected to take place from Oct. 9 to Oct. 18. Vibe is expected to be released a week before the event so that participants can get familiar with the application.

To create a “Coachella vibe” at home, Coachella spokesman Bob Sherm advises participants to “set the tone” in their homes.

“We know it is not going to feel the same since we will all be apart, but it will make a huge difference if you set the tone and make your own Coachella vibe,” Sherm said. “Dress up in that crazy outfit you were planning to wear, get strobe lights and order some good food. Don’t let a good opportunity to have fun pass you by.”

Participants will not have to worry about music either. Coachella will be providing music from well-known DJ Steve Aoki as well as performances by Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B.