Go Inside Hush Hush, Coachella’s Secret Disco
The craziest dance party at Coachella this year is not listed on any official schedule, and most of the 125,000 people on the field will likely have no idea it exists. But at 9 p.m. every night, the hidden, fully disco-themed bar Hush Hush throws a New Year’s Eve party for the year 1979 — complete with party hats — for whomever is lucky enough to find it and get in.
(All photos: Koury Angelo)
Related stories
Ariana Grande Brings 4/5ths of 'N Sync to Coachella, and Fans Respond With ... 'N Decision
Sound Fails Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande During Coachella Performance
The whole thing is a collaboration between the Coachella food and beverage team and bar man Sam Ross, who is responsible for NYC’s acclaimed Attaboy. Inside — even mid-day, long before the nighttime rager — the 65-person bar is a straight-up party, with sun-drained partiers getting down to disco hits amid mirror balls, a light-up dance floor, and alcoholic slushies, in a dark room that feels as far from the desert as Studio 54 itself.
Unsurprisingly, that notorious club was exactly the inspiration for Hush Hush — minus the exclusivity, an interesting twist for a festival that is more and more defined by VIP access. The entrance is hidden in plain sight in one of the largest eating spaces in GA — and no one is turned away. “Studio 54, they did a lot of picking and choosing,” says Nic Adler, who runs the food and beverage program at the fest. “Here, if you’re next up, you’re going into the bar.”
It’s not the first secret bar at Coachella — that would be the Tiki Bar, which has returned this year with an expanded setup for its third season. But Hush Hush feels like a natural extension: a tiny, exciting party spot for a crowd that can’t get enough of discovering the next big — or, in this case, nostalgic and small — thing.
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
