Danny Elfman’s Nerdy Coachella Set Included Some of His Best Themes

In a post-show interview with Variety he talked about the experience. “I don’t think anybody’s tried that before, mixing up these kinds of elements in this kind of insane musical mashup,” Elfman said. “When you’re trying a conceptual idea, you don’t know what’s going to happen. But in the end, not having a safety net is also extremely exhilarating.”

He also ended up braving a freak sandstorm during the ambitious feat. “I was joking to a friend before the show, ‘Look, we have 30 minutes to set up a show that’s never been performed before with 50 musicians on stage. What can possibly go wrong?’” Elfman said. “And then I’m sitting there before we went on, thinking, ‘Fuck, man. That was a joke, but it’s no joke.’ There were a hundred things to go wrong. But in the end, the one thing that I really wasn’t planning on was a dust storm, an actual sandstorm, in my face. Everything else came together really well.”

Elfman detailed that he expects some of the kinks from last weekend will be sorted out and that he’s excited to return to the Coachella stage for round two. “Even with the mix being partial and so incomplete, I still got such great feedback that I’m really shocked, and encouraged. So now it’s just like, all right, make it better.”

We’ll be on hand to experience weekend two so keep an eye out for our full report from Coachella. Check out the set list, via Variety, below.

Sorry – from Elfman’s most recent solo release Big Mess

Insects – Oingo Boingo

Spider-Man Main Title

Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself) – Oingo Boingo

Just Another Day (Oingo Boingo)

Jack’s Lament/This Is Halloween/What’s This? – The Nightmare Before Christmas

Breakfast Machine – Pee-wee’s Big Adventure

Kick Me – Big Mess

Insanity – Oingo Boingo

The Batman Theme

True – Big Mess

The Simpsons Main Title Theme

Only a Lad – Oingo Boingo

Love in the Time of COVID – Big Mess

Ice Dance / The Grand Finale – Edward Scissorhands

Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo

Alice’s Theme – Alice in Wonderland

Happy – Big Mess

Who Do You Want to Be – Oingo Boingo

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