Squeezing through the sardine packed crowd waiting in anticipation for Outkast, it seemed Coachella goers were eager to experience the reunion of Andre 3000 and Big Boi, together onstage for the first time in nearly a decade. And as the duo appeared first in shadow, then standing over a dining room set from one of Macklemore’s recent trips to the thrift shop, it became clear that OutKast was not there to throw on their preppy green plaid and “break this thang down for just a few seconds.”
Rocking overalls over a hoodie, Andre was definitely in a mood to remind the world that Outkast first earned our respect waaaaay back in 1994 with their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Opening with “B.O.B.” and “Gasoline Dreams,” the pair was ready to thrown down with some seriously badass throwbacks.
Video: Watch Outkast’s Entire Coachella Performance
Diving into their impressive catalog spanning two decades, the duo was not starved for material. What they became increasingly hungry for, however, was any level of energetic feedback from the audience. The old school ATL showcase continued with the drone-like crowd nodding along to Sleepy Brown’s performance “SpottieOttieDopalicious” and “BowTie,” then Big Boi’s track “Shutterbug.” Bringing Janelle Monae to perform “Tightrope” was a defibrillator to the heart of the crowd, which lingered as up and coming rapper Future hit the stage. But the feeling was short lived when everyone realized they have no idea who that guy is.
The unfortunate truth of this disconnect is simple. Coachella fans at the end of the first long day in the desert really just wanted to “shake it like a polaroid picture” and sing “I like the way you move” in all their inebriated glory. Whether Outkast finally picked up on the crowd’s mindset or simply gave up on bringing the ATL to Indio, they threw their remaining audience a bone with 4 of their most widely known songs in a row. “Ms. Jackson” and “So Fresh So Clean” got the dance party started, just as the 1am curfew closed the place down.
For the real Outkast fans, the show was a complete success, a fluid tribute to the duo’s genius and collaborations over a 20 year career. If they choose to cater more to their “Hey Ya” fans earlier in future set lists is yet to be determined, but either way, they had everyone dancing out of the festival grounds to kick off the Coachella weekend.
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