Just under a decade-and-a-half ago, New York City ended its drought of music festivals with a small one-day electronic fest on Governors Island (QRO recap). The following year, it expanded to two days mixing electronica & indie on Randall’s Island (QRO recap). The next year in expanded to three days, though one was cancelled due to torrential rain (QRO recap). Since then, it’s shifted to a decidedly more pop-friendly line-up, as well as moving to the parking lot of CitiField after COVID (QRO recap), and finally to neighboring Flushing Meadow’s Park last year. And on June 7th-9th, Friday-Sunday, Governors Ball returned to Flushing Meadow’s for another big party.
After all the action of the prior two days of Gov Ball, it was easy to take it easy at the start of Sunday. Former Brockhampton member Kevin Abstract brought his solo show to the gopuff Stage, while Beach Fossils delivered their own beautiful relax – recently heard on last year’s Bunny (QRO review) – to the IHG Stage. Later Cannons would have the unenviable duty at that more distant stage, to be playing at the same time as the early day highlight act.
Because just as Saturday had a booming, of-the-moment artist playing relatively early on the main stage, so did Sunday in Chappell Roan. The singer came out dressed as “the biggest queen of all,” the Statue of Liberty, from crown & torch to head-to-toe painted green (also came on smoking a blunt, though had to hand it off to perform). This performance was buzzing both in the big, excited crowd and online, from trending on still-call-it-Twitter to being cited by the highbrow likes of The New Republic, for Roan noted that she turned down playing The White House for Pride – “We want liberty, justice and freedom for all,” she said. “When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.” She cited the inspiration for her costume, “In case you had forgotten what’s etched on my pretty little toes, ‘Give me your tired, your poor; your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ That means freedom and trans rights, that means freedom and women’s rights, and it especially means freedom for all oppressed people in occupied territories.” Oh, and she also debuted new song “Subway” (undoubtedly pleasing the folks behind the Subway Lounge that looked out on the stage), and did a mid-set costume change to match her taxi cab-clad band. Festivals are always looking for you-were-there moments, and this was definitely one.
The big crowd continued at the gopuff Stage with Don Toliver, even if it was hard to see the Houston rapper in his black wardrobe-on-black backdrop. Later, Peso Pluma was similarly black clad (even if fans wanted to see his hair) – and fractured his ankle on stage. This didn’t stop narcocorrido star, who just ran off to get his foot wrapped & returned. He was limping through the set, but still dancing. When a chair was brought out for him to rest his leg, he instead announced, “Fuck this chair!” and threw it. Another massive performance for Gov Ball ’24, Pluma was joined by Josiel Nuñez, Rich the Kid, acoustic Spanish guitars & horns, and dancers.
Like Carly Rae Jepsen the day before on the main stage, Reneé Rapp was the one to play that stage after the big early hit. It’s understandable that Rapp was scheduled higher on the bill this year, having already made cinematic splash starring in the musical version of Mean Girls this year, and if she didn’t make the same sort of big statement, she still brought her energy.
But the fans were here for SZA. It’s taken too long for festivals to start booking her as headliner, but after her SOS tour she’s been doing it, and doing it big, including her SOS elaborate, sea-themed backdrop set-up. Her performance included SOS, 2017’s Ctrl, some of her collaborations (“All the Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, “Kiss Me More” with Doja Cat, “Rich Baby Daddy” with Drake) and even this year’s “Saturn”.
-words: Ted Chase
-photos: Joyce Lee
