ice rink

Coachella Reportedly Scrap Frank Ocean Ice Rink

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Frank Ocean has loomed large over Coachella 2023, despite only spending about an hour playing at it. After injuring his leg in the week leading up to Weekend 1, Ocean’s bizarre behavior overshadowed the festival’s first weekend. He was late to his own set, only performed for an hour, and didn’t even livestream what little he did perform.

Then came the shocking announcement that just days before the second weekend was due to kick off, Ocean had pulled out. In response, Coachella has been forced to shell out millions to replace his Sunday night performance. Furthermore, they have been left with the dilemma of what to do with the giant ice rink they had built for his set. Due to liability issues, they were unable to open it as a public rink. Instead, Coachella’s organizers hoped that they would be able to incorporate it into another performer’s set. However, as Coachella 2023 reaches its final day, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

Leaked Photos Show Scrapped Rink

According to TMZ, Coachella has chosen to scrap the rink rather than repurpose it. Sources informed the outlet that the 100 skaters hired for the set had been informed Thursday that they would not be performing during Weekend 2. Instead, they would receive payment for rehearsals and their Weekend 1 performance. There is no word of where the ice rink is currently. However, it has likely been moved off-site for a more private dismantling. Coachella has not officially commented on the rink.

TMZ also obtained footage of the ice rink during rehearsals. According to sources, security was incredibly tight as Ocean wanted the ice as pristine as possible for his performance. This may be due to the unverified rumor that the ice would reveal an image of Ocean hidden beneath the surface. This may also explain why Coachella ultimately chose to scrap the prop entirely. It wouldn’t make sense for, say, GloRilla to showcase Ocean’s face. Ocean was replaced by blink-182 as well as a new closing act from Skrillex, Four Tet, and Fred again… Coachella’s final day begins at 12pm PDT, with sets from Eric Sanchez and Minus the Light. Other major performers on the final day include GloRilla, WILLOW, Latto, and Noname.

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Coachella Trying To Find Use For Frank Ocean Ice Rink

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Frank Ocean’s shock departure from Coachella’s second weekend sent ripples through the entertainment industry. After sustaining a leg injury at the festival site in the week prior to weekend 1, Ocean proceeded to show up an hour late to his April 16 10:05pm slot. He then cut his set short due to the festival’s midnight curfew. Fans were also left disappointed when it was revealed the set would not be live-streamed. Overall, it was a complete mess of a set from the artist.

Ocean was meant to perform at a similar timeslot on April 23. However, it was announced on April 20 that Ocean would not be returning to Coachella for its second weekend. Ocean’s representatives cited his injuries as the primary reason for his withdrawal. Blink-182 was scheduled as a replacement for his Sunday night set. Ocean’s set, however, included a large ice rink problem. Now organizers are struggling to work out what to do with it.

Ice Rink Gives Festival Organizers Logistical Headache

Ocean’s Coachella set reportedly included a large rink, which would have contained 100 trained skaters who performed during his session. However, the rink was allegedly scrapped prior to his Weekend 1 set. The problem is that the rink is a physical ice rink that Coachella now just owns. Furthermore, it’s now a symbol of Ocean’s departure, which is reportedly costing the festival “several million dollars.” The rink itself was allegedly the most expensive part of Ocean’s set. However, it was scrapped after Ocean suffered multiple fractures and a sprain during rehearsals.

Coachella’s organizing staff is now trying to find a way to incorporate the rink into the festival’s second weekend, which kicks off later today. Due to liability concerns, the rink cannot be turned into a public skating rink. However, the organizers are hoping that it can be incorporated into another artist’s set. blink-182 are scheduled to fill Ocean’s 9:20pm timeslot. Additionally, the 10:25pm closer is listed as “tba”. However, there is no word as of yet as to which artists may take on the responsibility of the ice rink. Coachella Weekend 2 opened at 12pm PDT on April 21 with sets by Dave from the Grave and Juliet Mendoza.

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