Now in its fifth year running, The Governors Ball Music Festival took over NYC’s Randall’s Island for three days of food, New York pride, and, of course, music. Continually expanding over the years, the attendance reached 45,000 people at its peak, but, despite the large crowds in a relatively-small festival grounds, GovBall made it up by bringing some of the best and brightest from the mainstream music scene.

Here are the ten best performances we saw at Governors Ball 2015.

10. Little Dragon

Led by the boundless energy of Yukimi Nagano, the band Little Dragon borders between electronic and punk. Their show is wholly captivating, with Nagano’s presence absolutely dominating the main stage. This was certainly one of the more pleasantly-surprising performances of the weekend.

9. Flume

While admittedly skeptical of EDM DJs, Flume’s groovy rhythms got everyone fired up. The Australian producer is young, eager, and he makes great music. Not to mention the total dance party that he incited.

8. Future Islands

After years and years on the road, Future Islands have perfected their live experience. The synthpop band is mainly mild-mannered, except for frontman Samuel T. Herring, who is absolutely wild. From the pictures alone, you’d think that Herring was giving an impassioned motivational speech, and perhaps that’s what he was doing… in song form. His lyrics and energy were moving, making for a great performance.

7. Florence + The Machine

There’s no denying the sheer prowess of Florence Welsh, lead vocalist of Florence + The Machine. My god can this woman sing! Not only that, but her devotion to performing is rivaled by few… she broke her foot at Coachella, and insists on continuing her tour. Not to mention that her band’s recent album, How Big How Blue How Beautiful, is a contender for 2015’s album of the year…

6. Tame Impala

Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala wrapped up their US tour with a stop at Governors Ball. These guys take the music to a different level, at least compared to the other acts at Governors Ball, with sweeping melodies and dual keyboardists contributing to the overall soundscape. If this great set was any indication, you can expect big things when they release their new album, Currents, next month.

5. Big Gigantic

Not enough can be said about Big Gigantic, the ever-talented duo of Dominic Lalli (sax, production) and Jeremy Salkin (drums). Somewhere between jazz and electronica, these two have blurred the genre lines with their unique sound; a sound that never fails to get people moving and grooving. Their set at GovBall was perhaps only topped by their guest-laden performance later that evening at the Brooklyn Bowl. 

4. RATATAT

RATATAT is back! After a few years off, the masterminds of this rock/dance fusion band are gearing up to release their fifth album, Magnifique. Easily one of the highlights of the festival, the band tore into their smash hit, “Loud Pipes,” and continued to bring the party for the entirety of their set. Playing songs new and old, RATATAT never missed a beat. We can’t wait for what more they have in store.

3. Weird Al

The timeless parody master was a welcomed addition to the Governors Ball festivities. Weird Al delighted fans with quick costume changes (see more pictures below), performing material from his recent album Mandatory Fun mixed in with some of his old classics. While “Amish Paradise” and “Yoda” recalled classic childhood memories, his new material (“Word Crimes” for “Blurred Lines,” “Party In The CIA” for “Party In The USA”) really does stand up to the old stuff. Most impressively, his band is able to keep up with quick song changes, moving seamlessly to create an all-encompassing concert experience.

2. My Morning Jacket

Touring on their recent release The Waterfall, My Morning Jacket have breathed new life into their live shows. Sure, all the old hits are there, but there’s something about a band playing great new songs that elevates a performance. And considering just how eloquent their new album sounded, it’s no surprise that Jim James and company brought one of the best sets of the weekend. It’s slow, soul-stirring music that makes you happy to alive and present, and we soaked it up in style. 

1. Black Keys

Since the days of Chuck Berry, rock and roll has branched into countless categories. The diversity of the genre is uplifting, yet very few artists have stayed true to that cutting, blues rock sound. The Black Keys are one of a kind these days, with Dan Auerbach’s crisp guitar tone soaring through the crowd. GovBall saved the best for last, as the band had the final headlining slot, and perhaps the first guitar solos of the entire weekend. Between Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s drumming, this is a band that channels the energy of the rock and roll gods and pours it out into something new, creative, and downright fun. Their latest album Turn Blue may have been a bit slowed down and psychedelic, but the energy is all the same, and there’s no stopping the Black Keys.

Honorable mentions to the ever-talented Bjork, the sublime indie rock of The War On Drugs, Hot Chip, the fun-loving Chromeo, the dance beats of Odesza, the folk stylings of The Decemberists, and Ryan Adams, despite his disdain for Deadmau5 and EDM.

Recap Video:

A full gallery of pictures by Jarrod Goldberg can be seen below, but we’re just going to toss a handful of Weird Al pictures in here, because you need to see him in his fat suit.