Stagecoach 2015: Rolling Stone Country’s Best Behind-the-Scenes Photos
This past weekend, Coachella's country cousin the Stagecoach Music Festival set up its massive stages at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, for three days of country and Americana music. Against a desert landscape, with mountains rising in the distance, nightly headliners Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton performed for a sprawling crowd on the main stage, as rising artists like Chris Janson, Brothers Osborne and Nikki Lane got face time with fans on the festival's secondary platforms. Rolling Stone Country captured many of the artists backstage — from Dierks Bentley to Sturgill Simpson — for this exclusive behind-the-scenes gallery.
All photos by Joseph Llanes.
-
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley holds on — to his own arms — before his nighttime performance on Saturday, April 25th.
-
Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw heads to the stage for his headlining slot on Friday evening.
-
Cassadee Pope
Cassadee Pope shows ink and confidence backstage at Stagecoach 2015.
-
Sturgill Simpson
Sturgill Simpson relaxes in a backstage trailer before his Stagecoach set.
-
Kip Moore
Kip Moore tunes up before his energetic Stagecoach performance.
-
Eli Young Band
The Eli Young Band pay a visit to catering and offer to share their desserts on Saturday, April 25th.
-
Jake Owen
Hours before taking the Toyota Mane Stage on Friday, April 24th, Jake Owen soaks up some sun.
-
Brothers Osborne
Brothers Osborne T.J. and John get off the bus on Friday, April 24th.
-
Frankie Ballard
The "Young and Crazy" singer-guitarist, who recently celebrated his Number One single "Sunshine & Whiskey," is the epitome of suave backstage at Stagecoach.
-
Lindi Ortega
One day after announcing the summertime release of her fourth album, Faded Gloryville, Lindi Ortega gears up for an afternoon performance on Friday afternoon.
-
Steve Earle
Touring in support of this year's Terraplane, Steve Earle stares down the camera during a quiet moment in his backstage trailer.
-
Chris Carmack
Chris Carmack, whose Nashville co-stars Charles Esten and Clare Bowen also performed at Stagecoach, poses backstage against the palm trees.
-
The Band Perry
Neil, Kimberly and Reid Perry get their strut on during a palm-lined backstage shoot.
-
Nikki Lane
Ballsy and booted, Nikki Lane pauses backstage before a midday performance on Saturday.
-
Maddie & Tae
Country breakout duo Maddie & Tae performed their hit "Girl in a Country Song" during their Sunday set.
-
ZZ Top
The legendary rockers pose in front of tour buses before their electrifying Stagecoach set.
-
The Cadillac Three
The Cadillac Three's Neil Mason, Jaren Johnston and Kelby Ray spend some time with their trailer's wood paneling before performing new single "White Lightning" during their daytime set on Saturday.
-
Chris Janson
"Buy Me a Boat" singer Chris Janson, who recently signed a major label deal with Warner Music Nashville, is as cool as ice backstage.
-
Justin Moore
Justin Moore, sporting a retro Bad Company T-shirt, recently recorded a version of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" for a Cabela's campaign.
-
Sara Evans
The "Slow Me Down" chanteuse took her own advice backstage with a few minutes of quiet time.
-
Gregg Allman
The Midnight Rider himself leaves the bus and heads toward the Palomino Stage on Saturday night.
-
Cam
Up-and-coming artist Cam chills backstage before performing her new single "My Mistake."
-
Caitlin Rose
Nashville singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose poses with the boys — including an incognito Andrew Combs — before hitting the Mustang stage on Saturday afternoon.
-
Kip Moore and Sturgill Simpson
Kip Moore and Sturgill Simpson possibly debate the merits of sleeves before Simpson's Friday performance on the Palomino Stage.
-
Ben Miller Band
The eclectic old-timey Ben Miller Band pose with their instruments before their Sunday, April 26th, set.
-
Jerrod Niemann
Jerrod Niemann, who performed Sunday on the Mane Stage, is captured in shadow in his backstage digs.
-
Logan Brill
Knoxville, Tennessee, native Logan Brill is seeing double in an artsy glam shot.
-
Logan Mize
Hard-touring new artist Logan Mize, currently working his party single "Can't Get Away From a Good Time," is contemplative backstage.
-
Parmalee
Playing between the Brothers Osborne and Kacey Musgraves, Parmalee enjoy the benefits of being middlemen during a Friday afternoon lineup.
-
Swon Brothers
The Voice alums Colton and Zach Swon donned their shades for the California sun.
-
Kacey Musgraves
The "Biscuits" singer, who just completed work on her second album, strikes a patriotic pose outside her Stagecoach trailer.