Massive Attack rejects Coachella 2025 over environmental concerns
Focusing on the festival’s water management practices.
Photo credit: Massive Attack – Spotify
Massive Attack has taken a bold stance on environmental responsibility by declining an invitation to perform at Coachella 2025. Frontman Robert Del Naja cited serious concerns about the festival’s ecological footprint.
In an exclusive interview with NME, Del Naja focused on the festival’s water management practices. The event, hosted at a golf resort in Palm Springs, California, relies heavily on artificial irrigation in its desert setting. “It’s a golf resort built on a desert, run on a sprinkler system, using public water supplies. Mental. If you want to see something that’s the most ludicrous bit of human behaviour—it’s right there,” Del Naja explained, drawing from his firsthand experience of the festival.
This decision aligns with Massive Attack’s environmental advocacy in music. The group champions eco-friendly touring practices and recently held a climate-action concert in Bristol that set new standards for low-carbon live performances.
Del Naja continues his humanitarian work, including the Voices For Gaza initiative, demonstrating the band’s commitment to social and environmental causes.
