By Crystal Harrell
Metalheads, rejoice! The inaugural metal festival Power Trip revealed its star-studded lineup with a three-night, six-band bill featuring double headliners each night across a spectrum of heavy that spans decades — Guns N’ Roses and Iron Maiden (October 6); AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne (October 7); and Metallica and Tool (October 8).
Power Trip will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio—the site of the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, and former home to Desert Trip, the 2016 festival that served up Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Roger Waters and others.
This unique night-time desert setting with unmatched concert production will amplify the experience beyond the traditional stadium or parking lot concert norm with three double-billed headlining performances. Goldenvoice describes the festival as “the most rocking line-up to ever perform in an unparalleled location for heavy music audiences looking for an unforgettable weekend escape.”
Three-day general admission tickets start at $599, plus fees and other tiers, including The Pit, Reserved Floor, and Grandstand Seating, in addition to various VIP packages. Unlike the annual Empire Polo Club festivals, Power Trip will have specific floor, grandstand and pit areas. A wristband with reserved floor seating starts at about $875 while those for the pit begin at $1,750. Those passes also offer access to two lounge areas of the festival, although the website explains the lounge will not have a view of the stage.
Even though the lineup features metal, most of the bands have performed at Coachella in previous years. Tool performed at the first Coachella in 1999 and again as headliners in 2006. Frontman Maynard James Keenan has also performed at the festival with his side projects Puscifer in 2013 and A Perfect Circle in 2018.
AC/DC’s 2015 headlining performances came with some obstacles. Co-founder and guitarist Malcolm Young officially left the band due to receive treatment for dementia, which was the cause of his death two years later. Drummer Phil Rudd was charged with possession of methamphetamine and cannabis a few months earlier and was replaced by Chris Slade. Still, the Australian rock band won the crowd over.
When Guns N’ Roses headlined in 2016, it was the first time the reunited lineup featuring frontman Axl Rose with guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan performed at an outdoor festival together in 23 years. The band played an epic two-and-a-half hour set both weekends, and Rose was forced to perform while seated in a throne loaned to him by Dave Grohl due to a broken foot.
The festival is also selling several VIP packages that include access to the lounge areas, as well as VIP merchandise. The starting price for those packages is $1,749 to $2,999. VIP packages for Coachella currently start at $1,199. As with the other festivals, camping will be available on site. A car camping spot starts at $234.87 for the weekend, while the cheapest RV spot goes for $1,404.87. More information can be found on the festival’s homepage, powertrip.live.
