Frank Ocean pulls out of Coachella's second weekend

Frank Ocean has pulled out of his headline slot at the Coachella Festival's second weekend this Sunday.

The musician played at the California festival's opening weekend, but his shambolic performance left many fans disappointed and baffled.

Representatives for the US star said a leg injury had prompted last-minute changes to that show, which included an onstage ice rink being melted.

Blink-182 will replace the star on the bill, Variety magazine reported.

Ocean's set last week was his first US performance in six years. He was supposed to headline the festival in 2020, but those shows were scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Ocean's representatives said he had withdrawn from the coming weekend's performance on doctor's orders.

"After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend one, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity," they said.

"On doctor's advice, [Ocean] is not able to perform weekend two due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg."

Rehearsals for his comeback lasted months, but the show often stuttered to a halt. Ocean was obscured behind a screen for much of the performance, and the middle of the set featured a DJ playing remixes of Ocean's songs, including Slide, Provider and Lost.

"Ocean looks like he's struggling up there," wrote the LA Times in a live blog of the show. "Nothing has achieved lift-off on a real groove yet and the crowd is looking puzzled. This is sedate to the point of confusion."

A planned livestream of the show was also scrapped and, because Ocean arrived on stage almost an hour late, the concert ended abruptly when he overshot the festival's midnight curfew.

Despite the setbacks, there were some highlights, including a reworked version of White Ferrari and an ethereal performance of Godspeed.

Ocean dedicated the show to his brother Ryan, who died in a car accident three years ago at the age of 20.

"These last couple years, my life changed so much," he told the audience. "My brother and I, we came to this festival a lot. I feel like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the dust... but I would always wind up here.

"I know he would have been so excited to be here with all of us, and I want to say thank you for the support and the ears and the love over all this time."

Afterwards, reports emerged of drastic last-minute changes to the show, which was originally due to involve 120 ice skaters.

Details emerged in hockey podcast Empty Netters, whose hosts Dan and Chris Powers were among the professional skaters who had been due to perform.

"For about a month, we've been doing rehearsal, we've been hanging with Frank, hanging with the other skaters, hanging with these incredible figure skaters, going through this whole process - this huge ordeal," Dan told listeners.

But when they got to the festival site in the Colorado Desert, they were told Ocean had injured his ankle and the ice was being melted.

"So now we're being told that we're still going to put on these sequined Prada suits, but we're just going to walk back-and-forth on stage for about five minutes, we're not gonna skate," Dan continued.

"And Chris and I, straight up, with Frank Ocean right there... we just go, 'No, dude. No thank you.'"

However, the duo were full of praise for the singer, despite the problems.

"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," said Chris.

"He was cool with everyone, he was teaching everyone how to sing the songs, giving them the cadence," Dan added.

"It felt like this was thing he really cared about, that he was super psyched about, and to see it all fall apart was definitely sad... but also nuts."

In a statement confirming his cancellation, Ocean reflected on the opening weekend.

"It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn't what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I'll see you soon," he said.

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