Longtime Coachella Stagehand Falls To His Death On Concert Grounds

A longtime Coachella employee died from a fall on festival grounds this weekend.

Goldenvoice, the production company behind the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, confirmed the unfortunate death of one of their workers on Saturday (April 6) in a statement to Billboard. Considered a "lead rigger" for the annual music and entertainment event, the unnamed man worked for Coachella for 20 years.

"Today, Goldenvoice lost a colleague, a friend, a family member," the company's statement reads. "Our friend fell while working on a festival stage. It is with heavy hearts and tremendous difficulty that we confirm his passing. He has been with our team for twenty years in the desert and was doing what he loved."

Goldenvoice went on to describe the man as a "hard-working and loving person that cared deeply about his team," adding, "As our lead rigger, he was responsible for the countless incredible shows that have been put on at the festival. We will miss him dearly."

Per the report, the incident transpired on the Empire Polo Club grounds, where the Indio Police Department were called to the scene at approximately 9:30 a.m. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the accident.

The tragedy comes merely a week before Coachella is set to kick off from April 12-14 and 19-21, with musicians like Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and more acts slated to perform.

Photo: Getty Images