There was something undeniably tense in the air before Turnstile took the stage for Coachella Weekend 1. At the peak of their 2026 tour, and following the recent scandal involving their former guitarist, the crowd was almost anxious to see them step out.
The lights dropped as glitching audio buzzed through the PA, cutting to a pre-show video of fans sharing what the hardcore scene means to them. It was a remarkably intimate moment that ended with a message from lead singer Brendan Yates’ father, who spoke about his pride in how far the band has come and the community they’ve built.
Right on cue, the band walked out to the reverberating synths of “NEVER ENOUGH” and the pit immediately opened. After an intro rooted so deeply in connection, it was the perfect opener. I remember being about 200 ft from the stage thinking we were just outside of the moshing zone but as soon as the distorted guitars dropped in and to my pleasant surprise, the crowd surged all around me into a desert moshing frenzy. Throughout the song, Brendan Yates danced around stage and held the mic up to the crowd to chant “Looooooooove” during the chorus
The band kept the energy up going into their anthem “T.L.C” from their previous Grammy winning album “GLOW ON.” You could really feel the love and appreciation in the air throughout the set. Not just through the lyrics in each song but with how involved each person was in singing and dancing along and how the band showcased that through the live feed almost focusing more on the crowd than the band itself. Definitely a standout moment was during “Mystery” where camera personnel were in the pits filming groups of people huddling up to sing together.
By the end of the show, when the droning synth on “BIRDS” kicked in I knew we were in for a great sendoff to a great show. I could tell that the crowd didn’t want it to be over but were more than satisfied with it.
Being that the band is about 16 years old, what I find most impressive is how much people love their latest work rather than desiring them to play their earlier work instead unlike most bands. Their set consisted of songs off their latest two records, and each one kept the crowd engaged. It’s a testament to their commitment to this new direction in their songwriting and creative process, proving that no matter where they go next, their fans are fully along for the ride. They kept it real.
More photos of the experience below:
