Coachella 2018: What you didn’t see at one of the hottest music festivals in the world

IT was dubbed ‘Beychella’ after Beyonce and featured more nipple covers and exposed G-strings than ever. From the loos to A-list parties, this is what went on.

Back for more! Fai Khadra, Kendall Jenner, Jordyn Woods, Anastasia Karanikolaou partied at weekend two of Coachella. Picture: @jordynwoods/Instagram

IT was dubbed “Beychella” after Beyonce’s performance and featured more nipple covers and exposed G-strings than any other festival.

Coachella held its second weekend in the Californian desert, and there was as much action off the stage as there was on it.

From glamping to VVVIP parties, here’s what you didn’t see at “Beychella”.

BACKSTAGE

Ariana Grande, who had performed No Tears Left to Cry with Norwegian DJ Kygo, attended a private after-party thrown next to an Airstream. With her hair in a peroxide blonde-and-violet ponytail and wearing glitter eyeshadow and a purple tutu, she was there with her boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller.

Ariana Grande and Mac Miller at Coachella. Picture: @arianagrande/Instagram

Supermodels Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin and Jordyn Woods (the Instagram model and Kylie Jenner’s BFF) were seen dancing to The Weeknd in the guest viewing area within metres of the main “Coachella” stage.

They showed off the festival’s emerging new trend of designer streetwear, sporting Fendi scarfs, white tanks and oversized denim, scrunchies, gold hoops, Vans and sporty parkers (in Baldwin’s case, a Vancouver Canucks jacket) — signalling a departure from Coachella’s usual designer boho dress code.

Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin and Jordyn Woods at Coachella. Picture: @jordynwoods/Instagram

They continued the streetwear trend seen at Coachella this year — a departure from the usual boho styling. Picture: Instagram

American Teen singer Khalid drew near hysteria from even Coachella’s coolest crowd, performing Young Dumb & Broke during SZA’s set. Backstage, he chatted with rapper Ty Dolla $ign and his girlfriend, Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui.

Guyliner-clad Daniel Johns, who performed at Coachella with his new band DREAMS, was spied with controversial model, Michelle Leslie.

A face mask as seen on Hailey Baldwin (aka the unofficial Coachella uniform). Picture: @haileybaldwin/Instagram

Kendall Jenner. Picture: @kendalljenner/Instagram

At Beyonce’s homecoming-themed performance (aka “Beychella”), Cardi B, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry, and Kendall and co. watched on from a private viewing area.

Jay Z tenderly touched Cardi B’s baby bump as he greeted the Bodak Yellow singer by worshipping her pregnant belly.

No wonder Beyonce’s headline set, featuring a human pyramid of dancers and musicians, a Destiny’s Child reunion and costumes by French luxury house Balmain, almost broke the internet.

Beyonce’s set drew a star-studded crowd including Cardi B, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Baldwin and Katy Perry. Picture: MEGA

“Initially I was like, ‘Bey, just go out there and have fun. People are gonna be so excited to see you,’” Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams said, according to People.

“And then I walked into rehearsal for the first time and saw this big old pyramid and that it was gonna be filled to the brim with humans,” Williams added.

“I said, ‘What in the bejesus is this? I told you just to go have fun!’ But she can never do anything that we would think is normal. And this is what’s fun for her.”

Beyonce sported completely different costumes from Balmain for her second weekend Coachella performance. Picture: MEGA

Can you keep up? She reunited with Destiny’s Child again. Picture: MEGA

ON-SITE

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival rakes in serious cash — $US704 million ($A906 million), according to the Los Angeles Times, with estimated spending in the area billed at more than $US400 million ($A515 million).

The festival’s owner, Golden Voice, is a pro at staging the three-day event, held over two consecutive weekends in Indio. General admission tickets cost about $US500, with VIP passes priced at $US1000 ... and those prices doubled at resale.

The Instagram-worthy money shot of Coachella at night. Picture: Max Whittaker

The VIP enclosure featured shorter queues for drinks, cutting wait-times to between five and 15 minutes, from longer lines in the general admission areas.

Security guards checked IDs to an almost obsessive level, staffers emptied bins often so there was rarely excess rubbish, and the toilets were much cleaner than an average festival. The loos in the money-can’t-buy-access artist’s lounge were almost hotel-like, with lavender pot plants and wooden floors, and a 24/7 concierge service on speed dial.

And while Coachella sent social media into a frenzy of selfies, it was hard to actually access Instagram or Snapchat while at the site because the Wi-Fi was incredibly slow.

Vans and body-con ... Jordyn Woods at Coachella. Picture: Instagram

MERCHANDISE

There were packed queues at the merchandise tents, where staff told News Corp Australia that Beyonce, The Weeknd, Tyler the Creator, and SZA-branded clothes, headwear and accessories were among the top-sellers.

Within hours, a grey Bey crew-neck sweater had nearly sold-out with only sizes XL and XXL remaining, while a Coachella peach jumper with balloons on the sleeves ($US50) was also close to selling out on the Friday. Caps, cotton hankies and basic Coachella tees in white, grey and black cost about $US30 each.

GLAMPING

Even more exclusive than VIP access at Coachella was the exclusive Safari precinct, where upscale glamping accommodation was priced between $US8,500 and $US20,000.

There, guests including Vanessa Hudgens stayed in five-star Shikar safari-style tents close to the festival’s backstage compound (and nowhere near the public camping precinct), were driven around in golf buggies, and watched acts from guest viewing areas right in front of the stages.

The artist access meant you could so get so close during Beyonce’s performance that you could see the rips in her fishnet stockings.

Up close! Beyonce and her fishnet stockings. Picture: MEGA

The Safari enclosure, run by Music Valley Travel (aka the official provider of Coachella’s one-site accommodation packages) featured an air conditioned private bar with a live stream of the main stages.

This writer watched rising LA-based rapper Kyle backstage via the live link, then boarded a private golf buggie en route to the stage, and was watching the Nothing 2 Lose performer’s set in the flesh, front row, within minutes (Kyle crowd surfed while “riding” on an actual surfboard).

Kyle crowd surfed ... on an actual surfboard. Picture: Getty Images

The Safari zone also featured 24-hour security, a glam station (glitter eyeshadow, hair pins and temporary tattoos), and hotel-style mobile toilets with a cleaning service, antibacterial towelettes, and flattering lighting for mirror selfies.

Cooling off! A Coachella pool party at the Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs. Picture: Max Whittaker

Leaving Coachella was bittersweet ... but the road trip back to LA can take you through the spiritual Joshua Tree National Park. Picture: Max Whittaker

Staying on-site at the Coachella grounds had serious advantages — you didn’t have to battle long wait-times for Ubers to depart or enter the festival, or take shuttle buses to off-site accommodation, which could take up to an hour.

Plus, the tickets — either artist passes or guest passes — are even more than VIP than actual VIP wristbands.

Tickets to Coachella 2019 are expected to go on sale in January.

The writer attended Coachella and Greater Palm Springs as a guest of Visit California.