Massive Attack has turned down an opportunity to perform at the 2025 Coachella Festival due to concerns about the event’s environmental impact. The influential trip-hop group expressed their opposition to the festival’s sustainability practices, particularly its reliance on resources in an environmentally sensitive area.
Coachella, one of the largest and most profitable music festivals in the U.S., takes place every April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. For 2025, the festival’s headliners include Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Green Day, and Post Malone.
The decision comes after a five-year hiatus for Massive Attack, who recently returned to the stage following the 2019 death of guitarist Angelo Bruschini. The band has also been active in advocating for climate action, including organizing the “Act 1.5” event in Liverpool. The initiative aimed to promote sustainable practices in live music, incorporating renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, and plant-based food options.
In an interview with NME, Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack explained their decision, stating that the group had “said no to Coachella for next year” because of the festival’s environmental footprint. “It’s in Palm Springs. It’s a golf resort built on a desert, run on a sprinkler system, using public water supplies. Mental,” he said. Del Naja further criticized the event’s location, describing it as a symbol of excessive human behavior. (Coachella takes place in Indio, about 20 miles from Palm Springs.)
Mark Donne, a producer involved in the “Act 1.5” initiative, also weighed in, commending Maggie Baird, the mother of Billie Eilish, for her commitment to sustainable touring. Eilish’s upcoming European tour in July 2025 will incorporate environmentally friendly practices, including rail travel. Donne shared that they were working with Trainline to offer ticket holders discounts for rail travel, promoting a more eco-conscious method of transportation across Europe.
This rejection from Massive Attack highlights growing concerns about the environmental costs of large-scale events, and the band’s focus on advocating for more sustainable practices within the music industry.
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