Bristol group Massive Attack has been making headlines this year, marking their return to the stage after five-year hiatus. Despite announcing a North American tour, the band abruptly canceled it, due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Now, group member Robert Del Naja, also known as 3D, has revealed their decision to decline an offer to perform at Coachella, citing concerns about the festival’s environmental impact.
In a recent interview with NME, Del Naja criticized Coachella’s location and infrastructure, describing it as unsustainable. “We said no to Coachella for next year because again, we’ve been there once, and once was enough. It’s in Palm Springs. 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 behavior, it’s right there,” he explains.
Del Naja added that for the same reason, Massive Attack would not play a Las Vegas residency either. While intrigued by technological advancements like the city’s new Sphere venue, he condemned its placement: “What a brilliant bit of infrastructure in the worst possible place it could be — in the worst setting in the world.”
Massive Attack has recently focused on reducing the carbon footprint of live shows. Del Naja revealed they are collaborating with Billie Eilish on her European tour in 2025 to promote rail travel, “We’re working out a deal at the moment with Trainline, where all across Europe we say, ‘How about a nice hum-dinging discount?.’ Billie can say, ‘If you’ve got a ticket to my gig, you get this discount code, and you travel by rail.'”
Del Naja also hinted at new Massive Attack music, which has been delayed due to a “dispute at the label.” The band hopes to release the material next year.
You can read the full NME interview here.
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