Photos: Stagecoach 2023 brings Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Jon Pardi - Los Angeles Times
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Photos: Stagecoach 2023 brings Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Jon Pardi to Indio

Jon Pardi performs at Stagecoach 2023.
Jon Pardi performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Bailey Zimmerman at Stagecoach 2023.
Bailey Zimmerman performs on the Mane Stage on the third day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Thousands of country music fans were greeted at Indio’s Empire Polo Club by triple-digit heat to attend the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, which is billed as “country music’s biggest party.”

In an animated series of photos, a man rides a bike off an improvised table ramp into a pool at Stagecoach.
Gary Colle of San Diego jumps his bike off a table ramp into the pool with friends to escape the triple-digit heat, while his wife, Nicole, right, records on her phone.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The three-day festival treads on the heels of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on the same grounds and ran this year from Friday through Sunday, featuring more than 60 artists including Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton.

The Compton Cowboys were returning for a second year as a special guest to share their story and experiences with festival goers. And Nelly was scheduled to make an appearance Saturday night.

Los Angeles Times staff photographer Allen J. Schaben has photographed Stagecoach since the second festival in 2008 and takes us around the cowboy-hat-studded landscape this weekend along with his son Evan.

See photos from last year’s Stagecoach here: “One photographer reveals the magic of Stagecoach’s country legends”

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Lainey Wilson performs at Stagecoach.
Singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson performs on the Mane Stage on day three of Stagecoach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Fans in cowboy hats.
Fans watch and sing along with singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A combined photo of Warren Zeiders,  Evan Felker and Sierra Farrell at Stagecoach.
Warren Zeiders, clockwise from top; Turnpike Troubadours lead singer Evan Felker; and Sierra Farrell perform on day three of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Brooks & Dunn at Stagecoach.
Brooks & Dunn perform on the Mane Stage on day three of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Kix Brooks holds a guitar at Stagecoach.
Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn performs on the Mane Stage on day three of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Tyler Childers at Stagecoach 2023.
Tyler Childers performs on the Palomino Stage on day three of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Bailey Zimmerman at Stagecoach 2023.
Bailey Zimmerman performs on the Mane Stage on the third day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A close-up of a rapt woman in a hat.
A fan watches Bailey Zimmerman perform.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lainey Wilson poses on a couch at Stagecoach 2023.
Singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson is photographed backstage before performing on day three of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben/ Los Angeles Times)

Day 2 - Saturday, April 29, 2023

Three photos depicting people in a pool, a guy in a small tub and a man with chest hair shaped like a bra.
Amid triple-digit temperatures, festival goers dance and revel in a pool at the Stagecoach festival campgrounds. With his chest hair shaved in the shape of a bra, Berk Cakmak of Rancho Santa Margarita rides a one-wheel through the campground. Owen Strassner of Los Angeles drinks a cold one while relaxing in a small tub of water at the campground.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A country music fan strikes a surfer pose on a table as people play drinking games at the Stagecoach festival campgrounds.
A country music fan strikes a surfer pose Saturday on a table as people play drinking games at the Stagecoach festival campgrounds.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Three women in cowboy boots and hats and shorts ride an electric bike together on the Stagecoach campground.
Women ride an electric bike together through the campground Saturday at Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A woman sings and a man plays guitar on a stage with a huge screen showing them perform.
Gabby Barrett performs with her husband, guitarist Cade Foehner, on the Mane Stage during Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A fan gets an elevated view above the crowd to watch a performance.
A fan gets an elevated view to watch Gabby Barrett perform at the Mane Stage on Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A woman sings into a microphone while a crowd is behind her.
Gabby Barnett performs on the Mane Stage during Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two men play guitar onstage. One of them is in a bright blue jacket with flowers on it.
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives perform at the Palomino Stage on Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Four men play various kinds of guitars on stage while a huge screen behind them shows them playing.
Old Dominion performs Saturday on the Mane Stage at Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans dance in the crowd as Old Dominion performs on the Mane Stage.
Fans dance in the crowd as Old Dominion performs on the Mane Stage on Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two men play guitar on stage.
Old Dominion performs on the Mane Stage during Day 2 of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A man in a sports jersey stands on stage while flanked by tall vertical jets of fire.
Stagecoach headliner Kane Brown performs on the Mane Stage during Day 2 of the festival.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A man in a sports jersey and dark pants dances in front of a red background on stage.
Stagecoach headliner Kane Brown performs on the Mane Stage during Day 2 of the festival.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A festival goer is silhouetted while walking at night through a blue, purple and pink lighted tower.
A festival goer takes an evening walk through the colorful rainbow tower during at Stagecoach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Day 1 - Friday, April 28, 2023

A large crowd cheers as first day headliner Luke Bryan performs on the Mane Stage.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Crowds arrive on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
Crowds arrive on the first day of the three-day Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio on Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times and Evan Schaben / For The Times)
ZZ Top performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Breland performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jon Pardi performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ian Munsick performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jackson Dean performs on the Mane Stage at Stagecoach 2023.
Clockwise from left: Daryl Clark places his hat over his heart as Jackson Dean performs, Jackson Dean on the Mane Stage (Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times) and a woman in the crowd.
(Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Elle King performs on the Mane Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A festival goer escapes the heat in the air-conditioned rainbow tower.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Melissa Etheridge performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Sammy Kershaw performs on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach 2023.
(Evan Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Country music fans dance at the K-Frog & KSON Dance Party in the Dome at Stagecoach 2023.
Country music fans dance at the K-Frog & KSON Dance Party in the Dome at Stagecoach 2023.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The sunset lights up the sky with an orange glow as fans watch Melissa Etheridge on the first day of Stagecoach.
The sunset lights up the sky with an orange glow as fans watch Melissa Etheridge perform on the Palomino Stage on the first day of Stagecoach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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