Latest news with #Hozier
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Q&A: Summerfest CEO Sarah Pancheri On What Makes The Event So Special
Today (June 19) Summerfest in Milwaukee kicks off with a slate of shows that include Aly & AJ, The Isley Brothers, Gary Clark Jr. and headliners Def Leppard. Over the next three weekends, wrapping July 3 – 5, some of the biggest names in music – Hozier, The Killers, Lainey Wilson, James Taylor, The Lumineers, Benson Boone – will lead an insanely eclectic lineup of top-tier artists that will grace the eights stages on the festival grounds. Bishop Briggs, The Fray, Lindsay Stirling, Riley Green, The Avett Brothers, Devo, Babymetal, Rick Springfield, Billy Corgan, Mike Posner, Social Distortion, Iann Dior, Jo Dee Messina, the list goes on and on. At the head of assembling these dream weekends of music is CEO Sarah Pancheri, who took over that role in 2024. I spoke with her about Summerfest's history and future and more. Steve Batin: So, you're opening with Def Leppard. Sarah Pancheri: Yes, we are thrilled that they will be opening up Summerfest 2025. Baltin: Is this the first year they've played the festival? Pancheri: No, I would need to go back into our archive to know how many times they've played, but I know they've played and they're always a great show, Tesla's opening. And as we talked about briefly the variety of what we present is really one of the things that makes Summerfest so special, which I know you have a high degree of understanding of. Just the nature of it. Baltin: Yeah, that's what makes it special. But most US music festivals would never in a million years put Def Leppard on. Everybody in the world loves Def Leppard. There's a cool factor with a lot of festivals and I really appreciate the fact that Summerfest isn't afraid to go populist. Pancheri: That's our idea, there's always going to be a big variety. When we say something for everyone It's something that we that we take really seriously. So, in our amphitheater this time around, you'll see [acts from] Lainey Wilson to James Taylor to Megan Thee Stallion to Bad Omens. That variety is really one of the parts that makes the festival so terrific. That philosophy has been with us for 60 years almost. So, when you pull from the archives, you see names like Tina Turner and Kenny Chesney, and Billie Eilish, and I was just having a conversation, Sammy Davis Jr. It spans such a wide variety of music that it's really what we pride ourselves on. There are a couple of other things that make us special, of course, the permanent nature of our festival park, Henry Marr Festival Park. It really is 75 acres devoted to festivals. Sixty years ago, as our forefathers said, we'll take this space, which was an old, abandoned field, if you can believe it, just sitting on the lakefront steps away from downtown. And over time, we've developed it into this really gorgeous place with eight permanent stage houses. The range of stages goes from like a 2000 capacity pavilion all the way up to the 23 ,000 seating amphitheater where Def Leppard is going to play. So, it's the variety of music, but then also this permanent site that really makes us stand out. Baltin: I love the fact that James Taylor is one of those people who's just iconic. He's not of the moment. You have Hozier, who's a great guy, and you have Laney Wilson. You have those people that are of the moment, but you also have those people that are just iconic. Pancheri: That is how we program the event because we want to create an environment for everybody to find something that they're going to love. So, the biggest stages are always super exciting. But then just to orient you towards how we do it. The festival admission to the festival does not include access to the amphitheater, but it includes access to the rest of the festival park, where you're going to find bands like Cake, like Loud Luxury, like Gary Clark, Jr. We are so excited about that show. And you'll hear me say that again and again, because it's absolutely true. And as a music fan, you know, you're excited you get to come to work. On our poster, you have Baby Metal, Chicago and Porter Robinson, all kind of in the same place, which again, just speaks to how rare our lineup is. And the accessibility of that is you can come to the festival for the price of 30 bucks. And then the other piece of that, which really makes us stand out, I believe, is as a nonprofit organization, we do this so that we can continue to provide access to this world -class place, this world -class lineup. And then 20 percent of our fans come in free above and beyond that low ticket price. So, it's pretty unique, I think we're one of one. We can't find anything else quite like it. Baltin: Milwaukee is synonymous with Summerfest the same way Jazz Fest is New Orleans. Pancheri: That's high praise. We appreciate that. Thank you, I tend to believe that the people that do this work, it is very special and really takes a lot of dedication, and I know the folks in New Orleans as well as everyone that works really hard at what they do. And so, it's high praise to say that, and when you go back to the roots of the event, the idea that at the time there were massive breweries of beer. And so, the tradition of coming together and celebrating music as well as gathering around, at the time it was Schlitz, Papst, and Miller. It was a great reason to put on display all that Milwaukee and music had to offer in the summertime. Baltin: Talk about the site. Pancheri: Over the past 20 years, we put over $160 million into improving this site, which really does make it that special place. If it were just a field, it would probably feel different, but the permanence of the site really gives the festival a lot of wind in terms of just how important it is. And we're really proud of the fact, over $300 million in economic impact is generated from this park for Wisconsin. So, on an annual basis, $300 million going back into Wisconsin, again, as a nonprofit organization and being able to do that on a regular basis is really, it ingrains us into what Milwaukeeans and what Wisconsinites consider summer. The city of festivals is very real for us. Baltin: You took over in your role in 2024. There's such a legacy for the festival. That's always a fascinating thing to balance that legacy with your own style and vision to it. Pancheri: Thank you. We have an incredible team. So, I've stepped into the role in the beginning of 2024, my predecessor and I worked together for quite some time before that. So, stepping into the role now and really the dynamic nature of this industry, as you well know, it's changing every day. We're making sure that we're remaining current and maintaining that variety while also adding some of these new artists that are coming out. In addition to considering how we're going to use this park, how we're going to continue to expand what the use is, and highest and best use of this beautiful facility is, and how do we continue to enhance the Summerfest experience. So, last year, we started adding some art installations. We're looking at continuing to do that. We continue to push our value proposition. When someone new comes to the festival park and experiences Summerfest, someone who's never been here before, they're genuinely blown away with the value as well as just the variety of music here. So, as I think about what the future looks like and what our team is looking forward to doing, it's how do we continue, enhance, and grow that opportunity that we know is one of one in Milwaukee.
BreakingNews.ie
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Electric Picnic to cost €25m to €30m to stage
Laois County Council has given the green light for the largest ever Electric Picnic festival to take place. Today, the Council granted the licence to EP Republic Ltd to stage the festival where 80,000 are to attend each day to see the likes of Hozier, Chappell Roan and Becky Hill perform. Advertisement Last month, Becky Hill was named as the final headliner and joined Sam Fender, Fatboy Slim, and Kings of Leon on the roster. The 80,000 for the 2025 EP - which is expected to cost between €25 million to €30 million to stage - is a 5,000 increase on the 75,000 tickets that were sold for the 2024 event. Entertainment for weekend ticket holders will commence on Friday at 2pm and finish at 4am on Monday, September 4th. The Council has granted the licence for the multistage live music and arts event at Stradbally Hall, Stradbally Estate, subject to 51 conditions. Advertisement The Council had received a number of submissions calling on the EP promoters to support local businesses. In one of six submissions made to the Council on EP Republic Ltd's application, David Walsh Kemmis of Ballykilcavan Brewing Company said: 'With a view to supporting small local businesses, I would like to see the Council enforce a planning condition that the festival organisers must provide access to the festival for food and drink suppliers based in Laois, even if their product is in competition with a sponsor of the festival However, in its 29 page planner's report into the licence application, the Council stated that submissions received relate to a number of issues relating to the event supporting locally produced produce and particularly the nearby Ballykilcavan Brewing Company. The report stated that 'this matter is outside of the remit of the Local Authority and therefore cannot be dealt with in the Event Licence. The decision to allow or not the Ballykilcavan Brewing Company or any corporate entity to trade at the event is a commercial decision for the Promoter.' Advertisement Ceo of Electric Picnic, Melvin Benn said last month that the cost of staging this year's Electric Picnic will be between €25m to €30m. In an interview, Mr Benn said Electric Picnic provides an enormous economic boost to the local economy. He said that every year, EP has 'an awful lot of local businesses and local traders that sell at the festival'. Mr Benn gave the example of Laois Taste which is a collection of local producers which sell their produce at the Electric Picnic Ireland EU foreign affairs chief criticised over 'clear la... Read More He said that 'we work very closely with local traders and I choose the ones that I work with. It is not up to the local authority to say who we work with. We have the freedom to choose who we work with and we exercise that freedom'. Tickets for the 2025 EP event went on sale on August 21st last and sold out within hours without any act confirmed at the time. This year's event returns to the traditional last weekend of August where it will run from Thursday, August 28th to Sunday, August 31st. The first Electric Picnic was staged on Saturday, September 4th 2004 when around 10,000 people attended.
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.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bonnaroo Canceled Amid Severe Tennessee Weather
The 2025 Bonnaroo festival is a washout. The long-running event in Manchester, Tn., outside Nashville canceled the final three days of its programming as severe weather began creating unsafe conditions on site. Bonnaroo was to feature such headliners as Tyler, the Creator, Hozier, Luke Combs and Olivia Rodrigo, plus a loaded undercard including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, John Summit, Dom Dolla, Avril Lavigne, Glass Animals, Vampire Weekend, Justice, Queens of the Stone Age, Goose and Modest Mouse. More from Spin: Bonnaroo Books Tyler, Olivia, King Gizzard For 2025 Fest Bonnaroo 2024: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Fred Again to Headline Bonnaroo Books Kendrick Lamar, Foo Fighters, Odesza as 2023 Headliners 'We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo,' organizers said. See their full statement below: Today, the National Weather Service provided us with an updated forecast with significant and steady precipitation that will produce deteriorating camping and egress conditions in the coming days. We are beyond gutted, but we must make the safest decision and cancel the remainder of Bonnaroo. We are going to make things right with you, and you will find refund information at the end of this message, but let's start with the next steps. The number one thing we need from the Bonnaroo community is patience. Some of your fellow campers' sites are in rough shape. The rain has settled in areas and made certain parts of Outeroo difficult to manage. We'd like to prioritize getting those folks as well as those with accessibility needs off the Farm as soon as possible this evening. To do this, we ask that if your campsite is in good shape or if you're in an RV or pre-pitched accommodation, please consider spending the night with us and we'll start working to get you out of here safely tomorrow. We will continue to operate as usual in Outeroo including food vendors and all health and safety infrastructure. We have put our hearts and souls into making this weekend the most special one of the year, and cannot express how crushed we are to have to make this decision. Thank you in advance for your patience, your positivity and your unfailing Bonnaroovian spirit. To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gov Ball 2025's 10 Best Moments: RAYE Sings in the Shower, Benson Boone Flips, Hozier Plays Through the Pain & More
The 13th Governors Ball festival went down in Queens, NY's Flushing Meadows Corona Park over the weekend (June 6-8) with three days of music, partying and largely unpredictable weather. Though the latter wreaked havoc on the fest's second day — resulting in an opening that was delayed by four hours, and leading to many acts' sets being compressed (with some cut altogether) — the first two ultimately carried the weekend, with a strong, deep lineup of breakthrough acts and returning favorites, and three top-flight headliners. More from Billboard Olivia Rodrigo Brings Out David Byrne for Scorching 'Burning Down the House' (And Does Some of His Dance Moves) at Gov Ball Governors Ball 2025 Delays Headliners, Cancels Early Sets Due to Weather on Day 2 If Benson Boone Didn't Hand You a JBL Speaker Out of the Trunk of His Car, You Can Score One Here Instead While hip-hop, dance, R&B, reggaetón and top 40 pop were all certainly represented at the festival, this year's roster featured a return to more of the alt-rock and alt-pop acts that Gov Ball was largely centered around in the early 2010s — with big-drawing bands who have recently leveled up to arena status, and singer-songwriters on the precipice of outright pop stardom, which all felt in relatively short supply in the late '10s and early '20s. (By contrast, EDM, also once a major pillar of the festival, had a somewhat more muted presence this year.) And headliners Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo and Hozier all repped for the alternative set in their own unique ways, while still providing plenty of crowd-pleasing moments and general mass catharsis. Here are our 10 favorite moments from a diverse and balanced Governors Ball 2025, in roughly chronological order — from vogueing Pride Month celebrations to unofficial rain dances to plenty of backflips. (We already listed our favorite moments from Tyler, the Creator's and Olivia Rodrigo's headlining sets, so we didn't include them again here.) 'We're gonna play two kinda-pop songs,' frontwoman Missy Dabice laid out the gameplan to the fans in attendance for Mannequin Pussy's mid-day set, 'and then we're gonna get real f–king rowdy.' The Philly punk outfit brought the fury as promised, both in their riotous set of jaggedly beautiful thrashers, and in Dabice's timely on-stage condemnation of America's current 'descent towards Christian fascism' and 'return to so-called conservative values,' delivered in a mock-coquettish breathy whisper. And as the cameras panned to fans wearing 'Just Say 'Pussy'' hats, Dabice made sure the men in the crowd — who she called out for their gender's sexist discomfort with the band's name — did just that, demanding they 'pay for the sins of [their] brothers' by leading them in a top-of-their-lungs 'PUSSY!!' howl. 'MONTAY! Why ain't nobody dressed up?' T-Pain yelled to his DJ about a half-dozen songs into his Gov Ball set. 'I thought this was supposed to be a Ball for the Governor!' Indeed, the veteran singer/rapper, donning a black tux with red trim to match his red sneakers, was looking much more refined than the thousands assembled at the main stage to see him play through his staggering catalog of 21st century hits. Despite his faux-disgust, T-Pain continued with the crowd-pleasing set — but kept things classy, performing an audience-participation number set to the tune of Mozart's 'Rondo Alla Tuca.' The actually inclement weather would wait for Saturday, but on Friday, brought the storms on stage with gales of guitar, synths and generously deployed laser sound effects — with sporadic pop hooks cutting through the tempests like rays of sunshine. One such light beam was actually borrowed from an unexpected source: '80s funk band Cameo, whose delectable 1986 hit 'Candy' made a brief appearance, before its bass pops and drum slaps gave way to own Two Star & The Dream Police highlight of the same name, an album and set highlight. 'Did you just say, 'Do a flip?'' Benson Boone asked incredulously of a demanding fan near the stage partway through his Friday evening performance on the Kiehl's stage. 'What show do you think this is? It's all I do!' True to his word, Boone flipped early and often throughout his triumphant Friday evening performance — sometimes from a standstill, sometimes from atop his piano, and for the eighth and final time, off the stage altogether, as he proceeded to run through the crowd high-fiving his fans to the show-closing strains of 'Beautiful Things' — and it remained gasp-worthy (and slightly nerve-wracking) each time. 'If this is a first for you, it's a first for us too,' offered Wallows frontman Dylan Minnette as the heavy rain — which had already forced Gov Ball into a late start on Saturday — briefly reappeared during the band's early-evening set, soaking the audience and sending some fans fleeing for shelter. Those who stayed, though, just went even crazier through the alt-rock band's closing trio of songs, howling the wordless singalong at the end of 'Remember When' along with a now-rain-soaked Minnette, and filling in Clairo's entire guest verse for the group's signature hit 'Are You Bored Yet?' About halfway into her scorching Saturday set, rapper/singer Young Miko took a second to note how 'craaaaazy' it was that she was performing at Gov Ball during the first week of Pride Month. 'Is it gay in here or is it just me?' she asked somewhat rhetorically, before shouting out her LGBTQ family in attendance and upping the set's BPM with her house barnstormer 'MADRE,' dancing and even doing a little voguing on stage as the crowd went nuts for the versatile young star. He may have been about half a month late for Fleet Week, but pop singer-songwriter Conan Gray nonetheless showed up to his main-stage set at Governor's Ball in full sailor's garb, with a ship-on-the-ocean set behind him. During ballad 'Astronomy,' he even climbed the ship's mast, and looked out at the crowd through his microphone as if it was a sea telescope. What he saw was one of the biggest non-headliner crowds of the weekend, as the decision to schedule Gray right before his self-professed best friend Olivia Rodrigo proved highly inspired booking — a point driven home by the fans in the audience shown wearing matching 'I'm Lacy' / 'I'm Heather' t-shirts. 'Who here had a Brat summer?' asked rap-rock-rave duo Joey Valence & Brae — who present like a modern two-man Beastie Boys, albeit one filtered through the EDM and hyper-pop eras — before celebrating the modern-classic Charli XCX LP that turned a year old this weekend with a furious cover of album closer '365.' Charli wasn't the only club icon the duo paid tribute to, as they also dipped into a bit of dubstep kingpin Skrillex's remix of Benny Benassi and Gary Go's 'Cinema,' mimicking guns shooting off the remix's rapid-fire synths. ('We need more Skrillex in our life,' professed Brae.) U.K. soul-pop star RAYE paused her set early on to ask her audience an important question: Who among them likes to sing in the shower? RAYE met the predictably hearty response by explaining that the reason she, like everyone else, loves the way she sounds in the shower, is because of the reverb effect created by singing in such an enclosed space. To demonstrate, she called on her sound guy to turn up the reverb on her mic, and launched into a series of heavenly vocal runs — raving 'I could do this for hours, I f–king love reverb' — which ultimately turned into a gorgeous rendition of My 21st Century Blues' 'Five Star Hotels.' Suffice to say, RAYE probably sounds slightly better singing in the shower than most of the rest of us. 'For anybody who has never seen me before, I promise I sound at least 5% better on average,' Hozier swore to those in attendance at his closing set on Gov Ball's final day, as he'd revealed earlier that a nasty virus had recently swept through much of his band. 'I am haunted — I am stricken — by the specter of puberty one more time.' The protestations were unnecessary, as despite some visibly heavy eyes, Hozier sounded fantastic throughout his set — and ironically, this specific apology came after perhaps his finest performance of the night, as he walked out to a secondary stage in the crowd for a stunning acoustic solo rendition of 2014's 'Cherry Wine.' And of course, the fans in attendance were more than happy to help out on singing duties anyway, particularly on the crowd-pleasers from his self-titled first album, and on the 2024 Billboard Hot 100-topping 'Too Sweet.' 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
