Latest news with #Governor'sBall
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Gov Ball 2025: We heard Hozier's yell, "Heat Waves," and more
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. For the Northern Hemisphere, summer officially starts on June 20. Yet, for myself and many fanatic New Yorkers (interns we love to hate and true lifers alike), the first breath of summer feels more like the day one of Queens' annual Gov Ball. Spirits are high, the air is thick, and crowds encircle three massive stages. Strangers dance till they forget that cocktails start at $25, waiting impatiently to hear headliners like Olivia Rodrigo, Hozier, and Tyler, the Creator wail through hour-long sets under thunder and warm rain. Advertisement There's really someone for everyone at Gov Ball, and it's all just a quick subway ride away, depending on how many people are willing to smash into the 7. Contrary to its name, the fourteenth iteration of Governor's Ball took place in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, right beside the Unisphere — a site at which my European friend asked, 'Is this Universal Studios?' I'm no novice to New York's music scene, but I've only lived here a couple of years, and from that, I've gathered that the pop-indie-rock-rap festival can feel more like a good-natured family reunion than a multi-day music party. Were there quite a few twelve-year-olds? Yes. Was I too cool to be there? Definitely not. Ready to swap some head-banging for smoother swaying was no deal-breaker. We made our way to catch the final acts on Sunday: bedroom pop-girly Clairo, five-piece indie rock band Mt. Joy, Aussie-rockers Glass Animals, and of course, our new headliner that had the entire crowd hollering, Hozier. Advertisement Luckily for us, Flushing Meadows has no shortage of options for fueling up. Ticket holders have access to five food courts and freebies, too, if you know where to look. Dunkin' was handing out throwback merch and ice-cold lattes (caffeinating highly recommended), and some spirit brands had spin-to-win deals, too. My advice? Skip the longlines and stick to the basics. Festival food is festival food. Now, let's get to what matters: the music. Clairo Advertisement No map was needed to find our first stop. Clairo's voice finds you: soft, ethereal, layered, and breathy. The only heavy side of her set is the lyrics, but you may as well forget them when you're in front of her. If Indie Goth-Girl is in this summer, she's a blueprint, floating around in a black mesh dress, mic in one hand and wine in the other. I mean, she is the aesthetic. She made her Gov Ball debut more gracefully than others, sweeping both sides of the stage with lo-fi gems like 'Echo' and 'Bags.' The slow burn in 'Juna' offered a moment to make some sing-song intros to the band. And, still, nothing matched the dream-state of 'Sofia.' Her sets are true easy-listening, albeit more mellow than expected. Want to see her live? You can find Clairo's complete 2025 tour calendar here. Advertisement Mt . Joy For more energy, all we had to do was swap stages. One of the joys of a festival is the pace of it all. Most artists are allotted an hour, just enough time to deliver their greatest hits sandwiched between some new sounds. Sometimes though, there's room for leftovers. 'Leave it to a bunch of stoners to map out an hour's worth of time, and that's what you get!' to quote Mt. Joy's lead singer Matt Quinn. What we got was more music, and nobody was complaining. The folksy rock outfit just released their fourth studio album, 'Hope We Have Fun,' and offered a rare example of artists whose fresh music lands just as well with a crowd craving all the oldies-but-goodies. They sang those, too — belting 'Astrovan' and 'Julia' before finding some solace in 'Silver Lining.' Cheers erupted as Quinn welcomed Gigi Perez — who has quite a few 2025 shows lined up — for 'In the Middle.' This was a crossover meant to happen. The two duet together beautifully, building hazy vocals into a moody ballad that might make you want to text your ex, and blow up both of your lives a bit. Perez is someone to watch; the same vibrato that sent 'Sailor Song' viral was just as moving in real life. It's almost a Tracy Chapman-esque tone, deep, a bit androgynous, and intensely powerful. If she's not on the next lineup, I'll protest. Politely, but still. Mt. Joy's other items felt like a stripped-back reflection on life with a lens that lends beauty to all of it. 'Lucy' rang like an anthem amid a stream of existential questions like 'Dust to dust, what becomes of us?' — a track inspired by a friend of the band who is battling an illness. A light, loving escape came with 'Bathroom Light,' and those still craving gritty guitar riffs and rebellious Americana got a rousing cover of Wheatus' Millennial anthem 'Teenage Dirtbag.' A little musical poetry is what this band does best. Never seen the band live? Click here to see Mt. Joy's schedule to see if they're headed to your neck of the woods. Glass Animals Advertisement The only thing that made leaving Mt. Joy more bearable was the promise of Glass Animals. Don't get me wrong. Hozier was the headliner here, but I was just as hyped to hear 'Heat Waves' performed live, on a hot day in the middle of June. I mean, nothing was more thematically appropriate for this late spring/early summer extravaganza than these lyrics: 'Sometimes, all I think about is you/ Late nights in the middle of June/ Heat waves been fakin' me out.' It felt made for this stage, and while it did offer a satisfying climax to their jam-packed set, I found myself more impressed with their deeper cuts and Dave Bayley's dance moves. A standout moment came as he launched into mid-crowd for 'Gooey.' I watched Glass Animals perform the moody single a decade ago, and it still has that nostalgic quality that nips you when you least expect it. It feels a world apart from 'Tokyo Drifting' feat. Denzel Curry, which the band offers as an invitation to rave beside jolting lasers and bouncing EDM graphics. It was electric, eclectic, and a little bit sensual (I witnessed a parent cover her kids' ears.) The best of Bayley and Curry in a bit over three minutes. There's still a bit of Glass Animals' tour left. Snag tix to see the group now. Advertisement Hozier Hours passed, and we were properly primed for the main act. I caught Hozier at the laid-back Forest Hills Stadium last year, and he delivered with a force. But, closing out Gov Ball is higher stakes, and even more so for someone severely under the weather. He unnececarily apologized for his illness shortly after settling in (while still managing to look like a God), then belted like he'd never felt more alive, opening with 'Nobody's Soldier,' before carving out time in his set to deliver stone-cold classics 'Someone New,' 'Like Real People Do,' and 'De Selby (Part 2).' Of course, if anyone can perform while fighting a virus that feels 'like a shark with knees and legs,' it's the almost 7-foot Irishman who harnesses a voice my friend compares to 'Heaven's gates opening.' Like last time I saw him, his strongest moments were also the softest ones, especially when he wandered to the B-Stage for 'Unknown/Nth' and 'Cherry Wine'. For people who have speculated that he's not real, this was the proof. Raw talent requires nothing more than a mic and melting eyes. Advertisement Hozier, as a good headliner does, took a minute (several, actually) to speak on issues close to his heart. He called for an end to imperialism, expressed support for a 'Palestine that's free from occupation,' and encouraged unity over division. During 'Nina Cried Power,' graphics of unhoused people lit up the screen, juxtaposed with charts showing the surging stock prices of Lockheed Martin. Faces froze; it was an impact you felt as much as you saw. Just when it seemed that the only thing missing was 'Too Sweet' and the long-awaited closer 'Take Me To Church,' he gave us those, too. Breathless, but no less powerful, it was a testament to strength and solidarity, but also evidence that Governor's Ball belongs to the people, regardless of age, background, or taste. It's a fest anyone can enjoy — where music gives meaning and the stories are loud and clear. Hozier is on the road. To see him, smash this link now. Upcoming music festivals near NY Advertisement Missed out on Gov Ball and want to catch a fest or three in the Tri-State these next few months? You're in luck. Here are just five of our favorite options for can't-miss multi-day outdoor get-downs in NY, NJ and CT in summer 2025. 2025 music festivals The Capitol Groove June 28-29 at Bushnell Park in Hartford, CT Bleachers, Cake, Khruangbin, Thundercat, Thee Sacred Souls Borderland Music Festival Sept. 12-14 at Knox State Farm in East Aurora, NY Vampire Weekend, Mt. Joy, Khruangbin, Nathaniel Rateliff, Band of Horses Festival Sept. 13-14 at North Beach in Asbury Park, NJ Hozier, Blink-182, LCD Soundsystem, Alabama Shakes, Lenny Kravitz All Things Go Sept. 26-28 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY Lucy Dacus, Doechii, Clairo, Gigi Perez, The Marías CBGB Festival Sept. 27 at Under The K Bridge Park in Brooklyn, NY Iggy Pop, Sex Pistols, Jack White, Johnny Marr, The Damned What else is coming up? Take a look at our comprehensive list of 2025 music festivals to find the one that makes the most sense for you.
Refinery29
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
4 Summer Festival Denim Outfits You Haven't Tried Yet
Primavera Sound and Governor's Ball brought us all the dramatic looks we were craving, from the performers and celebrity attendees to the crowds of stylish festival goers. Naturally, it sparked the urge to start planning our own summer festival outfits, whether for Bonnaroo (June 12 to 15), Glastonbury (June 25 to 29), the Cowboy Carter tour… or any upcoming desert, city, or beach concerts. With so many festival fashion trends and aesthetics to choose from — western cowgirl, rainbow raver, retro hippie — there's one wardrobe anchor that fits every vibe: denim. From '70s bell-bottoms to '90s vests, denim has always been a go-to for concert style, and now, there are even more playful ways to wear it. As a denim devotee figuring out my own festival lineup, I decided to make it the centerpiece of several outfits. From one-and-done jumpsuits to matching sets, trending jorts, and unexpected accessories, I put the tried-and-true staple to the test. Here's how it went — and how you can do the same.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
JPEGMAFIA on Why He Wants to Be a Superstar & Not Be Like Other Rappers ‘Making the Same F–king Song for the Last 20 F–king Years'
During JPEGMAFIA's rambunctious set at this year's Governor's Ball, I watched as a young teenager stumbled out of the crowd, caked in sweat and mud. His glasses were fogged up, tilted at an angle across the pointed frame of his nose. He correcte them and looked at me and my friend I brought along for the day. 'Do NOT go in there,' he exclaimed, his face radiating the sort of joy that made me think he probably wanted me to ignore this warning. More from Billboard 'Democracy Forward' Compilation Features Tracks From Michael Stipe, Wilco, Brandi Carlile, John Prine and Tyler Childers Gracie Abrams Shares Snippet of New Music & Gets Support From an Excited Olivia Rodrigo Cardi B Blasts Donald Trump's 'Dictatorship Vibe' Over ICE Raids & National Guard Deployment By 'there,' the young teen meant the mosh pit that had inevitably formed in the middle of the audience, a staple of every JPEGMAFIA show. As Peggy's set continued, I watched as young person after young person entered and exited the crowd in a dusty, sweaty and (in one case) bloody haze, all emanating the same joy. It was as if Peggy's mosh pit was a sort of exfoliant, revealing a newfound aliveness underneath those daring enough to try it out. This is the magic of JPEGMAFIA. Growing up, he was a ubiquitous presence in Baltimore's punk scene, and in turn has constantly toed the line between rap and hardcore. His latest two albums, 2024's I Lay Down My Life for You and 2023's Scaring the Hoes with Danny Brown are the closest Peggy's ever come to completely shattering that genre matrix. Both projects flip from jazz to metal to rap to punk to house to everything else so frenetically it can be nauseating — but like that notorious mosh pit, to embark upon these journeys leaves you fully awake by the end. You realize just how deep the rabbit hole goes in terms of how music can be deconstructed and reconstructed. In the world of JPEGMAFIA, there are no boundaries. 'There's no f—king rules, especially not in the music industry,' Peggy told me at his trailer just a few hours before his show. He's sitting in front of a full length mirror, tackling his skincare routine. 'Everything is f—king made up. All the contracts say we own you in all universes and then these n—as never been to Mars. They're just saying s—t. You get me? They're just saying s—t, I'm just saying s—t.' I spoke with JPEGMAFIA about the Director's Cut of his latest album, his haters, his thoughts on the state of rap and how it feels to be labeled an underground rapper while shooting for superstardom. What inspired you to take a approach to ? I looked up the word directors cut after I saw that Justice League, whatever, Snyder Directors Cut s—t, and I was like s—t, we need a directors cut in music. Because I do direct all these albums. I produce them, I mix them, all that s—t. So I was like, what can I do other than call it a deluxe? Cause you either do that for some old s—t or it's just being lazy. So the deluxe or the directors cut for me was I just put the original album out. Cause I cut the fat off of it, so I put the original one back out. I love it and I got inspired from SZA cause she did Lana and she put a whole f—king new album at the front of that b—h and I'm just like, 'Oh I didn't know you could do that.' Why choose these songs to be on the Directors Cut? I've had 'em around for so long I was like, 'OK, these still go. I still like these…' So I put 'Protect the Cross' and all that other s—t out. 'Protect the Cross' goes hard. Oh, they hated that s—t. They was hating hard. You have one lyric on 'Protect The Cross' I really wanna touch on where you say: '2025, your politics is a gang sign.' Tell me more about your thoughts on politics at this moment, and how that bar came together? When I say 'your politics is a gang sign,' I meant it — because who you affiliate with now really says a lot about you. Trump has done more racist s—t in the last six months than I think Ronald Reagan did in his whole f—king career. John Oliver said this, but I'm gonna paraphrase him: If Ronald Reagan woke up from the dead and saw the racist s—t Trump did in the last six months, he would c-m so hard he'd die again. So It's just like, if you wanna support that, that says a lot about you. But if you're on the other side that also says a lot about you because the Democrats are a losing, f–ked party. They're dismantled. So it really is a gang sign in the same way that gangs do that. It's the same way. Curious what the reception was to this album when it first came out? I know you've always had rock influences in your music, but there seems to be a lot more punk and noise energy in . Were people hating at first? I mean yeah, because they just wanna hate — and some people just don't like me, and they can't admit it, so they be tryna pretend because they don't like me the snares aren't hitting as hard or somethin'. [I Lay Down My Life for You] got the same reception it always does. N—as hated in the beginning, and [then] they was like, 'Oh wait this is actually good.' Yeah, f—k you. I get it. That seems to be sort of a trend with your releases. How does that feel when that happens? It happens every time. When I released Scaring the Hoes people were like, 'This is an abomination to music.' Now they asking me for Scaring The Hoes 2. It's so funny, when it comes out, n—as be hating. I'm just theorizing, but maybe it's like a risk-taker type thing? I am a risk-taker! I'm one of the only risk-takers in rap! The rest of these motherf—kers literally do the same thing. Alchemist, Earl and them? They've been making the same f—king song for the last twenty f—king years. Nobody gives a s—t. I'm not them. I'm here to evolve, go farther, go harder and I'm gonna do my s—t. I'm not here to give people the bare minimum and have that just be okay, n—a. That's not me. I'm not wasting my potential like those motherf—kers. I'm not like that. I'm maximizing my s—t. I'm 35 years old — and Tupac said when Black men turn 30, they lose their fire. I have no loss of fire. I'm hot as s—t. These other motherf—kers, whatever. Y'all go do that boring ass s—t. I'm not with that. I'm here to take this s—t forward whether y'all like it or not y'all can kiss my Black ass. And they're gonna pretend like I'm not doing what I'm doing, but I've been doing it! And I've been doing it so well that people have to hate. They try to take the title from me and they just can't, because it's me. You can't imitate me. I'm me, It came from my brain. Keep imitating Earl, and making hyper-pop songs, whatever the f—k these n—as is doing. I'm gonna be doing my thing like I've been doing, 'cause clearly something is working. Going off that, how do you feel about the state of rap right now? I think the state of rap is in the best state its been, ever. Because you have choices from everywhere. You can make any kind of rap you want. In the same way '90s rock was so big, Marilyn Manson got big. Rap is the No. 1 genre in the world, anybody can take off at any point off of one TikTok. It's like a free-for-all. I like that s—t. I enjoy that s—t because it evens things out. I don't have the same resources as some of these motherf—kers do so I gotta go off my talent. Some of these motherf—kers come out here, and they just be havin' pyro and they be sitting in they f—king room on stage and all this dumb ass s—t and I'm like, 'I don't wanna see all that s—t n—a, can you perform? And that's my thing. I'm gonna come with the production. I'm gonna come with all that s—t…because that's what I do. Same thing I did before I ever got in the music industry. I said, you know what? F—k these n—as. I can do this better. And I got in the music industry and I got better than all the f—king underground. Now it's time for me to take it farther. I don't wanna be in the underground no more. These n—as suck. They're boring and they're losers. How important is the live performance to you? When I first came in, I knew it was important to be a good live performer because it would make me stand out. And I came from the hardcore scene in Baltimore so I was used to that kinda s—t. I'm always gonna have my energy, I'm always gonna do that but it's not enough to carry you on forever. Eventually you got to, like, do some s—t that's interesting. My set now is like some Batman Returns s—t. Fogged out, lights everywhere. There's a podium, because I was watching the Democratic National Convention and I was like, 'Damn this s—t look crazy. What is this set up? A podium? Three drapes, and just a motherf—ker talkin' lookin important? I like that.' So I imitated that. I wanna keep evolving and growing, because I don't like being an underground rapper. Do you feel that definition doesn't suit you anymore? Do people still try to put that on you? They will try to put it on me, and that's fine, I understand it. I just wanna blow past it so hard where you say it and you sound crazy. It'd be like calling Steve Lacy an underground rapper. Why do you wanna blow past it? Because I'm not a trust-fund kid and I actually come from the projects. So I want actual success. I'm not, like, avoiding it because my parents already had it. I don't have the mindset that these other motherf—kers do. So I'm just like, 'No, I wanna take it to the tippy-top, because I came from the bitty-bottom.' You wanna be a superstar! Yes, and If I don't, fine, I'm fine being an underground rap legend, that's cool. But while I'm alive and active I'm gonna do everything to take this s—t to the top and not the middle. What do you see for the future of rap when it comes to fusing it with hardcore music? I think a lot of people are gonna jump on that because what people are gonna do is they're gonna realize what you guys are doing is boring as s—t. People yearn for something new, especially in rap. We're yearning, we're tired. We don't wanna hear Drake complain about b—hes anymore. We don't f—king care, he's 40. We need something different. I'm here to try to provide and cultivate that as much as I can because rap fans are f—king bored. Their idea of doing something different is taking different sounding s—t and throwing trap drums on it, and that's not what I'm here to do. I'm here to really f—k you up. You get what I'm saying? And If I'm not, I did not do my f—king job. Conscious rap has Nas, trap rap has Future, experimental rap is me. That's it. Do you feel there have been rappers that have come after you that have tried to bite your sound? I've seen plenty of it, but then I see guys like Matt Proxy from Minneapolis. He came out of my influence and he shows love and respect, but for some reason some of these guys, they come at me like we beefing or something. Sometimes I tweet a lot and you think I'm your friend. I'm not your f—king friend and I don't know you, and If you come up to me I'll slap the s—t out of you. So leave me alone. I see people d—k riding and copying, but they don't wanna give homage, because it's me and they're offended by something I say or do. It's the same reason you won't see me on certain festivals because certain n—as don't want me to be on that s—t. I'm the Real Deal Holyfield motherf—ker. Imitation don't look good next to the real thing, do it? It seems like you're very aware of all of these things that are going on. Everybody is. Everybody is. All artists are. When I was working with Ye, he was on his subreddit every day. Every day. Him and Bianca, every day, just looking at it. Everybody is. I'm not on my subreddit, but he was in there — because he was using it for, like, criticism and to be like, 'Oh let me fix this.' Do you think there's still a lot of misunderstanding surrounding who JPEGMAFIA is? People are kinda coming around, I see it a little bit. Because before it was literally just white teenagers projecting their insecurities on to me, and I was like, 'Y'all realize I'm not a 15-year-old white boy in my house with my mom, right?' I'm a 35-year-old man and I run a business. I don't mind, it's not [about] being white. It's the people that take that and try to remove my Blackness to make their little narratives sound better. It's just like, that's not real. So now people are starting to realize that these motherf–kers are just hating. I'm not doing anything egregious right now. I'm not getting on Twitter to say anything crazy, and when I do get on Twitter to say something crazy it's to promote an album. People just fall for it so well, you know? But I see a lot of people turning the tide and being like, 'Okay, maybe this n—a just likes to make music, and his personality is not a white teenage boy. Maybe he was born in 1989 and he might not think like me.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hypebeast
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Feid Fires Up New Salomon XT-Pathway Colorway
Name:Feid x Salomon XT-Pathway 'FXXOMOR'Colorway:GreenWhere to Buy:Salomon Feidhad the unreleased heat on his feet for his headlining Governor's Ball set this weekend. Ferxxo pulled up to his Saturday night performance donning his imminentSalomoncollaboration, which takes the shape of theSalomon XT-Pathway. The Feid x Salomon XT-Pathway 'FXXOMOR' isn't the first collaboration between the musician and the footwear brand, as the pairpresented their dual-minded take onSalomon's XT-4model back in May 2024 – arriving shortly after he was namedSalomon's brand ambassador. Staying true to Feid's artistic identity, the 'FXXMOR' XT-4 came dipped in shades of green, laying the groundwork for the collaborative Pathway to follow. Feid x Salomon's XT-Pathway silhouette comes similarly doused in different shades of green, with a forest green midsole complementing the lime green accenting throughout the shoe. Many details still remain unconfirmed, though typical in-line Salomon XT-Pathway's run for a retail price of $130 USD, so the 'FXXOMOR' version will likely run a bit higher than that. Take a closer look at the sneakers in the gallery above and stay tuned as more solid details materialize surrounding a price point and release date.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Governors Ball 2025: Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier reign over New York festival
For the past year, I have dined out on the story of being in the Sunday crowd at last year's Governor's Ball. That sweltering afternoon in the sun, the largest crowd of New York's premier music festival – more than could fit on the lawn of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens – gathered at an unusual hour for a mid-bill set. If you're lucky, there are a few times in the life of a regular concertgoer when it is not just another great show, when you can feel the gravity of the zeitgeist shift. Chappell Roan, dressed as the Statue of Liberty and ferried to the stage in a giant apple, belting Red Wine Supernova to a sea of pink cowboy hats in one of the loudest sing-backs I have ever heard, is one of those times, a clear sonic boom of a cultural rocket taking off. Roan's star-making moment turned out to be a stake in the ground of a tentpole year for women in pop music, and the 2024 Gov Ball happened to find itself at the center. The festival lucked out in booking Roan before she blew up, unofficially launching her successful campaign for Grammys best new artist. Same for Sabrina Carpenter, also given mid-day booking before Espresso became the song of the summer. From Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna to proudly queer Broadway crossover Reneé Rapp to headliner SZA, the festival palpably hummed with hype for female acts both ascendant and bankable, taking advantage of Coachella's so-called flop year for a cheaper, more accessible, banner weekend for, as I heard more than once, the 'girls and the gays'. That momentum was palpably absent from this year's Gov Ball, a colder and soggier affair that felt comparatively removed from the cultural pulse, short on buzzy moments or big debuts, though still an excellent showcase for the breadth and talent of international artists. That's not entirely the fault of the organizers, who had to grapple with intermittent storms bad enough to delay all of Saturday, forcing cuts to lower-bill acts, shortened sets and exorbitant entrance lines snaking around the park. And no shade to a slate of enjoyable performers who brought as much energy as they could to gray days, and especially not to Saturday headliner Olivia Rodrigo, a pop princess in her own right who drew easily the biggest crowd of the weekend – the sheer amount of people rushing the gates after her triumphant kiss-off anthem Get Him Back! brought foot traffic to a sardined standstill. That Rodrigo would pull the greatest focus of the weekend – Saturday was the only day to sell out – is not a surprise, as Gov Ball notoriously skews young, the festival being relatively cheap (emphasis on relative – three-day general admission starts at $359, compared to $649 for Coachella, and a single day goes for $189) and accessible via public transit. (One hopes the hordes of teenage girls I saw in the outfit of the summer – a lacy, tiered white miniskirt and brown western boots – were not on Klarna payment plans.) Like her one-time idol Taylor Swift, Rodrigo appeals to the very young – girls on their parents' shoulders, teens who trill in unison 'ooooh she looks so goooooood' when she appeared in a red polka dot lingerie set and knee-high Doc Martens, her staple shade of blood-red lipstick pristine. Girls largely too young to understand the import of David Byrne, who showed up for a buoyant duet of Burning Down the House that delighted as much as it confused the audience around me. Rodrigo, still an ingenue when speaking and gloriously fed up in song, delivered on an already well-regarded set, her Guts tour having been under way for over a year. Such was another weight on this year's Gov Ball, which caught fellow headliners Tyler, The Creator and Hozier on the back end of tour cycles instead of launching them, as with last year's headliners Post Malone, SZA and the Killers. Tyler, the still-impish provocateur of experimental hip-hop, acknowledged as much during his banger of a Friday set, admitting in typical chillspeak that though he was tired from his Chromakopia tour, 'I fuck with Governors Ball and what they do so I decided to show the fuck up.' And he did, offering a masterclass of weirdo charisma from atop a storage container, at turns devilish, mischievous and conspiratorial ('Let's see what other old shit I got,' he said before launching into 2011 hit She.) The ghost of 2011 could be felt elsewhere; if last year skewed pure pop, this one skewed toward the voguish, so-called 'stomp clap hey' revival of folk pop, with more acoustic acts such as Mt Joy, the Japanese House and festival-closer Hozier, as well as Spotify-friendly indie pop bands like Wallows (fronted by 13 Reasons Why actor Dylan Minnette) and Australian duo Royel Otis. If there was a viral star of the weekend, it was upstart Benson Boone, appealing to a similar crowd as Rodrigo with ruddy-cheeked earnestness and, by my count, nine backflips. ('Did you really just say don't flip? What did you think this show was gonna be?' he said to a concerned audience member after his first high arc off the piano.) The same straining balladeer act that drew Pitchfork derision at Coachella won over the crowd here; former YouTuber and Rodrigo BFF Conan Gray stretched the theatrical earnestness even further with a sailor moon-themed set. The zeitgeist is an uncontrollable variable, and though its current was overall weaker this year, it still flashed in lower-billed sets that got the people going. South African siren Tyla performed Bliss for the first time live – albeit so early on Friday the adults were not yet out of work – and, as at Coachella, transfixed audiences with her sinuous dancing and micro-shorts. whose guitar feats inspired dozens of 'how did he do that?' videos last year, kicked off the weekend by blowing out everyone's ear drums (complimentary) in a smoky, banter-less, virtuosic set befitting a new guitar mystic. Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Young Miko nearly stole the show Saturday, flexing her bars and Puerto Rican pride for one of the most hype sets of the weekend. 'New York, is it gay here or is it just me?' she said in English, wishing everyone a happy pride month. (And later, in Spanish and to huge cheers, 'Whenever I come to New York I feel at home.') British chanteuse Raye brought up the energy with her powerhouse vocals, while genre-bending Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae performed in front of clear instructions for her audience: MOSH. If the energy – and weather – was hit and miss, Gov Ball at least brought it home on Sunday with back-to-back sets calling to some higher power. For Oxford psychedelic-pop quartet Glass Animals, the catharsis of letting go on a dance floor, let by startlingly (and winsomely) upbeat frontman Dave Bayley; the bass drop of Tokyo Drifting into 2020 smash Heat Waves killed whatever hearing and inhibitions I had left. And for Irish headliner Hozier, the power of solidarity, underscored by 90 minutes of worshipful folk-rock and one extended speech 'from the heart' on anti-colonialism, name-checking Mavis Staples, the American civil rights movement, the Irish civil rights movement and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian liberation. 'Every single day, we have an opportunity to show up for not only members of our community but people around the world,' he said. 'I would advise you to say no to the types of imperialism that lead to cycles of violence that we're seeing at the moment.' The 35-year-old flattered New York as a 'very special place' where he witnessed 'acts of goodness, acts of solidarity' and anti-racism. One could dismiss it as pandering, but as a stranger hugged my sister and I to Hozier's rousing Take Me to Church, and his transcendent chords blended magically with the whirr of incoming flights to LaGuardia, I found myself among the festival faithful.
