One of the more controversial moments of the final day (April 13th) of the Coachella festival’s first weekend came during a set by L.A. punk legends Circle Jerks.
Following a rendition of the rebellious political song “Coup d’état,” frontman Keith Morris made a point to clarify some of the song’s lyrics — namely the last line, “kill all” — in the context of the modern day.
Addressing the crowd, Morris said [as transcribed by SF Gate]: “That song, that last line, ends with ‘kill all.’ That’s a pretty fucking ugly statement. In ugly times. Do not think that we encourage that.”
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However, he added, “What we do encourage — what would be totally fucking happening — would be an army of Luigis,” referring to Luigi Mangione, who faces federal and New York state charges for the alleged murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2023.
Morris’ between song banter went uncensored on the Coachella livestream of the Sonora stage. References to Mangione and even the name “Luigi” have been the source of censorship on the internet, with Mangione’s sudden fame and martyrdom raising concerns of copycats. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has asked prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione.
Later in the set, Morris even criticized his own sister for voting for “that guy,” presumably Donald Trump, adding that he couldn’t visit her anymore due to her being a “white Christian nationalist.”
As mentioned, Morris’ comments went unedited in the livestream, despite other Coachella performers such as Irish hip-hop group Kneecap claiming that their more pointed remarks were cut from the livestream, as reported by SF Gate.
Editor’s Note: Head here for more coverage of Coachella 2025.
