According to pitchfork.com following Frank Ocean’s headlining set at Coachella last Sunday, sources have allegedly revealed that the singer had suffered a serious ankle injury in the week before his performance and the production was altered on the advice of Ocean’s doctor.
The original production of the performance was to allegedly include an ice skating rink. Now, brothers Dan and Chris Powers, hockey players and hosts of the Empty Netters podcast, have discussed their alleged involvement with Ocean’s alleged scrapped stage production.
In a new episode of their podcast, the Powers brothers allegedly described auditioning for the performance on an alleged elevated ice rink and allegedly rehearsing for roughly a month leading up to Ocean’s headlining set.
Both brother allegedly claimed that they were allegedly rehearsing with other hockey skaters and Olympic figure skaters up until last Tuesday and allegedly did not learn about the production switch-up until hours before Ocean’s set.
At one point in the podcast, Dan Powers allegedly discussed getting a call sheet for the performance on Sunday morning, the day of the show.
“We get our call sheet, we have to go to this hotel to be picked up by a runner to be brought over to wardrobe and makeup.That moment is where the wheels started to fall off. We get to this hotel, we’re told to be there by 12. We then get a text that, ‘Ah, the runner’s not going to come till 1.’ We then get another text, ‘Ah they’re not going to come till 3.’”
Dan Powers adds: “We’re then waiting outside at 3. We got our skates, we’re ready to rock. The bus of all the other skaters who weren’t at Coachella already has arrived. They’re all sitting in wardrobe. It’s a nightmare. We sit at this hotel and we run into the figure skaters—these Olympic figure skaters, mind you. And they have a disgruntled look on their faces, and they casually mention to us that they just got a phone call and they’ve been cut from the show.
Also Dan Powers allegedly claimed that they started hearing rumors that Ocean had sustained an ankle injury and that they were allegedly told that they wouldn’t be skating in the show once they were already preparing to go into makeup.
The podcaster also allegedly claimed that the original setup was allegedly going to included 120 skaters. The Powers brother allegedly claimed that they were allegedly offered the roles of walking back and forth onstage behind Ocean in the adapted stage setup but they both allegedly turned down the offer.
At one point Dan Powers allegedly recalled a bit of choreography that was allegedly practiced for the original show.
“There’s a point in the performance where we’re skating around in a circle and then we all stop at a break in the song, and everyone pretends to be like fighting with each other,”
The brothers also allegedly spoke admiringly of their time working with Ocean.
“The one thing that made me genuinely sad [after] spending some time with him over the last several weeks: He really cares about the production,” Chris Powers said. “He had a very clear vision, and even though that vision changed a lot, he was always on us, helping us, making sure everyone hit what he was picturing in his mind.”
Ocean’s set caused some disappointment among his fans, with the fact that his performance was not livestreamed on Coachella’s official YouTube channel. Ocean has since pulled out of his scheduled headlining set at Coachella this Sunday.
Photo Credit: Adam Blyweiss
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