An incendiary post from the Coachella subreddit shook up the festival scene when an artist performing under the name villagersound alleged they played the iconic DoLab stage without any payment. Describing the ordeal as “shameful,” the artist asserted they had to essentially “pay to play,” suggesting it might be cheaper just buying a general admission ticket than securing a DoLab performance slot.
The Coachella community quickly rallied with clarifications that unpack the festival’s layered structure. The DoLab stage operates as an independent entity within Coachella grounds, curating and booking talent separately from Goldenvoice, the main festival promoter. The DoLab team often coordinates with outside events like Lightning in a Bottle (LiB), leading it to function as a distinct sub-festival with its own payment and booking policies.
This means artists at DoLab are generally not featured on the main Coachella lineup posters and are not compensated by the festival itself. Payment arrangements lie solely in the hands of DoLab and its associated organizers—a well-known but sometimes misunderstood aspect of the festival ecosystem.
Many community members saw the initial post as a misguided grab for attention, emphasizing that artists choose to participate voluntarily and presumably accept the stage’s terms beforehand. The discussion highlighted the complexities of multi-stage festivals, where satellite stages may operate under vastly different contractual norms and financial models than the main acts.
As this conversation spreads, it serves as a cautionary tale for artists and fans alike to fully understand the distinctions between various stages within huge events like Coachella—where not all performance opportunities come with the perks or protections of the headline acts.
Source: r/coachella
Source: r/coachella