Stagecoach Draws At Most 25,000, Loses Money, But Will Be Back

Geoff Boucher of the LA Times writes: The crowd favored barbecue pits over mosh pits, and their guitar heroes wore boots and Stetsons, not sneakers and tattoos. In their campgrounds, instead of scruffy teenagers passing joints, it was a sea of shining RVs stocked with Budweiser on ice, but in terms of attendence this weekend's event wasn't even half of last week's show at the same venue.

The inaugural Stagecoach festival kicked off Saturday with George Strait, Alan Jackson and Willie Nelson on the same stages that last week held rockers such as Rage Against the Machine and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Emmylou Harris performed today.

But the young event will have to do some major growing to catch the three-day Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Coachella brought in 60,000 people per day. Stagecoach had failed to crack the 25,000 mark as of Saturday and probably will lose money.

"This is more like the spirit of our community and the rhythm of our community than the Coachella show," said Cindy Torrez, 40, of Indio.

Promoter Paul Tollett says that the event will be back regardless, and that he thinks it has a chance eventually to surpass its famous rock cousin.