Ice Skaters Allegedly Slated for Frank Oceans Coachella 2023 Performance Discuss Production Switch-Up

Following Frank Oceans headlining set at Coachella 2023 last Sunday (April 16), it was revealed that the singer had suffered serious ankle injury in the week before his performance, and the production was altered on the advice of Oceans doctor. The original production of the show was rumored to include an ice skating rink. Now, brothers Dan and Chris Powers, hockey players and hosts of the Empty Netters podcast, have discussed their alleged involvement with Oceans scrapped stage production.

In a new episode of their podcast, the Powers brothers describe auditioning for the performance on an elevated ice rink, and rehearsing for roughly a month leading up to Oceans headlining set. They claimed that they were rehearsing with other hockey skaters and Olympic figure skaters up until last Tuesday (April 11), and did not learn about the production switch-up until hours before Oceans set.

At one point in the podcast, Dan Powers discussed getting a call sheet for the performance on Sunday morning, the day of the show. We get our call sheet, we have to go to this hotel to be picked up by a runner to be brought over to wardrobe and makeup, he said. That moment is where the wheels started to fall off. We get to this hotel, were told to be there by 12. We then get a text that, ah, the runners not going to come til one. We then get another text, ah they’re not going to come til three.

He continued: Were then waiting outside at three. We got our skates, were ready to rock. The bus of all the other skaters who werent at Coachella already has arrived. Theyre all sitting in wardrobe. Its a nightmare. We sit at this hotel and we run into the figure skatersthese Olympic figure skaters, mind you. And they have a disgruntled look on their faces, and they casually mention to us that they just got a phone call and theyve been cut from the show.

Dan Powers also claimed that they started hearing rumors that Ocean had sustained an ankle injury, and that they were only told that they wouldnt be skating in the show once they were already preparing to go into makeup. Powers also claimed that the original setup was going to included 120 skaters. Dan and Chris claimed that they were offered the roles of walking back and forth onstage behind Ocean in the adapted stage setup, but they both turned down the offer.