After six years without a public performance, Frank Ocean returned to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival’s first weekend on Sunday night, finishing out the first weekend with a set that included intimate solos and new music – but a beautiful dud of a finale cut short by local curfew laws.
The enigmatic pop-soul artist, best known for his visionary albums “Blonde” and “Channel Orange,” played for over an hour on the festival’s main Coachella Stage on Sunday night. However, because Ocean began his performance nearly an hour late, he was forced to conclude it about 12:20 a.m. Monday.
The disjointed ending left many fans in disbelief, especially given the set was such a long time coming. Ocean was originally booked to headline Coachella in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a cancellation, and the singer was not available to play during the festival’s return last year.
“Everybody is talking like, ‘It’s been so long, it’s been so long,’ but I have missed you,” Ocean said to rapturous cheers earlier in his set.
While disappointing for fans, Ocean’s performance, like those of Friday and Saturday headliners Bad Bunny and BLACKPINK, was still historic: On Sunday, Ocean became the first openly gay man to lead the worldwide acclaimed festival.
Ocean began his concert with a look as distinct and mysterious as the musician himself, wearing a blue zip-up jacket and a black durag. Before he took the stage, numerous people wearing hoods and face masks marched in a circle around the stage, with big light fixtures blocking any clear sight. The unusual setting, which was projected to the audience on big screens, recalled Ocean’s 2016 visual album, “Endless.”
When he eventually appeared, Ocean kicked off his concert with “Novecane,” a hit from his debut mixtape, “Nostalgia, Ultra,” before moving into a few “Channel Orange” songs, including “Crack Rock” and “Bad Religion.”
For the first few songs, the light fixtures hung between Ocean, who was frequently barely visible on the dimly illuminated stage, and the audience, before the singer made himself completely visible to the enormous crowd gathering at the Empire Polo Club.
Though Ocean hasn’t released a new album since 2016, he has released numerous songs since then, and he played a handful of those releases on Sunday, including revamped versions of “Chanel” and “Provider” that earned praise.
Ocean, whose fans are often looking for hints about his upcoming album, also performed some new music quickly, though he reminded the audience that he “wasn’t here because there’s an album, not that there isn’t a new album.” He then sang “Inner Child,” a song written by Ocean, while a little child sat and played the piano while lip-syncing the words.
Ocean also touched on a family tragedy that occurred in October 2020, when his 18-year-old brother, Ryan Breaux, was killed in a car accident in Thousand Oaks. In his address to the crowd, he stated that his life had “changed so much” in the last few years.
“My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot, and I feel like I was dragged out here half the time,” Ocean explained. “Watching Rae Sremmurd with my brother and (our friend) Travis was one of my favorite memories.”
“I know he would’ve been so excited to be here with all of us today, and I want to say thank you for the support, ears, and love over all of this time,” Ocean concluded. “I’m going to get back to the songs now.”
Fans heard numerous songs from “Blonde,” including tweaked versions of “Solo” and “Pink + White” that Ocean played on speakers while casually dancing and rapping to the beat. The best part of the night occurred when he played “Nikes” and “Nights” back-to-back, with a smooth transition between the two. Soon later, he informed that the show had been canceled owing to curfew restrictions.
Finally, his performance was insufficient for many supporters, who were left disappointed by the sudden ending, with some booing and others crying as reality set in. Because the event was cut short, casual fans didn’t even get to hear some of Ocean’s biggest hits, such as “Thinkin Bout You” and “Pyramids.”
Sunday night, Ocean reminded fans of his generational skill, hitting the high notes and delivering peeks into the enigmatic songs he’s been working on recently. However, the curfew laws ultimately stole the show.
Source: desertsun.com
