New York City's Governors Ball: A Recap
Summer has officially begun in New York City and the Governors Ball welcomed in the new season with three unforgettable days. New York City’s biggest party brought the excitement to a New York State park in Flushing, Queens, hopefully establishing a permanent home for the event in the years to come. Everyone from children to grandparents to furry companions came out to relish in the moment, enjoy outstanding music, and kick off summer in the best way possible. If you missed out on this year's GovBall, we are here with a recap of all the best moments, artists, and vendors from this past weekend.
Starting out with a bang, Friday morning was anything but peaceful in Flushing Meadows Park as fans bombarded the gates in anticipation for the day ahead. With the headliners Lil Uzi Vert and Lizzo for the first night of the Governors Ball, music lovers traveled from all around the east coast to be a part of something special, and it was surely worth it. From Friday’s performances, our personal favorites from the day were 070 Shake, Ice Spice, and Lizzo. Smack in the middle of the day, 070 Shake came on stage to bring the crowd into another dimension through their experimental hip-hop sound. 070 Shake’s unique musical techniques brought in a niche crowd of die-hard fans, but even if you hadn’t heard the artist before Friday, their music drew you in instantly. As the evening rolled in, fans began to crowd the GoPuff stage for Ice Spice hours before her set. Despite being in the scene for less than a year, Ice Spice attracted practically the entire attendance of GovBall to her performance and she kept the crowd active from start to finish. The female drill rapper effortlessly used her charisma to keep the crowd engaged. People were so enthralled with Ice Spice, the stage manager even had to address the crowd about safety concerns for swarming the area. Even if she wasn’t the headliner, Ice Spice had one of the largest crowds of the day.
Finally, it was time for the headliners... and I had the luxury of being able to witness both performers on stage. Lil Uzi is a polished rapper who has made a distinctive image for himself, especially in the New York City scene with his recent releases. However, his crowd was filled with die-hard fans as a result of the years he’s spent in the industry, making it difficult to stay in general admission for his entire set. There were times he had to stop the performance to assist people passing out in the crowd, and even so, Uzi cared tremendously about his fanbase and made sure to address any issues he saw happening beyond. Comparatively, Lizzo’s performance was just as captivating, in fact, you couldn’t take your eyes off her one of a kind stage presence. Lizzo knows the recipe to putting on a memorable show; She’s not just a singer, but a performer all around. The most memorable part of Lizzo’s set was unquestionably her numerous flute solos which she wove into her choreography seamlessly. Although it was obvious Lil Uzi was the star of the night to the majority of the people at GovBall, Lizzo put on just as spectacular of a show to close out the first evening.
The performances on Friday set the bar high for the performers on Saturday, but the energy wasn’t any less for the second day. Our personal standouts from Saturday are Rina Sawayama, FINNEAS, and Oliver Tree. The three solo artists brought their exceptional performances to the festival stage despite being one man shows. Rina Sawayama welcomed the evening by engulfing the stage with her unique persona. Not only did the artist incorporate every part of the stage into her performance with her choreography, she also changed outfits multiple times to re-engage the crowd every few songs. Rina Sawayama easily had one of the most jaw-dropping performances of the festival, and not just from her talent musically.
Shortly after Rina Sawayama, FINNEAS took to the stage to serenade all of New York City. Building his popularity off of being the national pop star, Billie Eilish’s, brother, FINNEAS has recently branched off to make an independent name for himself in the industry and he did a fantastic job at leaving a lasting impact on the crowd. FINNEAS’ whimsical vocals are enough to entrance listeners, but what really stood out to us at this particular show was the piano he brought along with him. Our favorite part of the set was when he sat down at the wooden piano, accompanied by only his memorable vocals. The Governors Ball is a large-scale festival filled with brand deals and flash, but FINNEAS brought a more intimate feeling to the event.
Finally, Oliver Tree took us by surprise with his eccentric performance. Oliver Tree knows how to build the anticipation for his set by beginning with a short, comedic documentary about himself. If this didn’t excite fans enough, his band entered the stage with violins as clones of him, making Oliver Tree the center of attention on stage from start to finish. Oliver Tree has somewhat melancholy lyrics, yet his adrenaline-induced energy feeds the crowd, making his performance a hit of espresso. By the end of Saturday, we were exhausted from seeing all the great artists takeover the stage, but we were only halfway through the best weekend of June.
Sunday rolled around and the anticipation for Kendrick Lamar provided the crowd with their final rush of adrenaline to get through the last day. Our top three from Sunday’s performances were PinkPantheress, Lil Nas X, and Girl in Red. With only two years of being in the scene under her belt, PinkPantheress stepped out onto the mainstage for her first festival ready to start a dance party and open mosh pits. PinkPantheress’ feel-good music was enough to make anyone want to sway in the wind, but her spunky, relatable personality is what really resonated with the crowd. Competing with each other at the same set time were Lil Nas X and Girl in Red. It was impossible to choose which to go see over the other, so I landed at both; I’m so glad I did. Lil Nas X is hands-down one of the best entertainers you can see live. From his crazy outfit changes to complicated choreography to his truly unique sound, Lil Nas X is one of a kind. Though I didn’t get to see all of Girl in Red, I got to the stage right as Marie jumped into her fan's arms from the stage. For someone with relatively mellow productions, Girl in Red’s set was far from laid back. She kept the crowd energized from start to finish and did a fantastic job engaging the fans throughout her set.
This year's Governors Ball was three days packed with endless entertainment, exceptional eatery, good vibes, and the best views, curating an unforgettable weekend for the music lovers of New York and beyond. Even so, some of the most memorable parts of the festival are unrelated to the music performed. The event planners gave their all to make this year special in its new location, including makeup artists, temporary tattoo applications, and disposable cameras hanging from trees to capture the best moments. The festival even gave the park a colorful makeover to match this year's slogan: “You’re doing great!”
If you haven’t yet attended New York’s biggest party, I recommend designating the first week of June 2024 to the experience, because there is simply nothing comparable to the way New York City kicks off the summer.