This year, Governors Ball Music Festival ditched the Citi Field parking lot and moved down the street to Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The upgrade of location really made fans happy not to have to walk around on concrete all day. With plenty of space to roam around, lots to see and do with interactive exhibits, and fresh grass to lie down on, the change of scenery boosted crowd vibes before the first note was played.
On Friday, fans lined up well before gates opened to make sure they got the spot they wanted for the headliners that evening. Attendees hustled their way into the grounds to explore the new setup and see what it had to offer. The festival kicked off with Matt Maltese and Kaycyy, who although are polar opposites genre-wise, got the crowd fired up for what was to come the rest of the day and weekend.
Saba delivered a relaxing 45-minute set that was perfect for the mid-afternoon slot. As the day went on, one highlight was Diplo’s 4:45 p.m. performance which had everyone from the audience to staff members dancing. By far the most anticipated set of the day was Ice Spice. Performing in her hometown, she had one of the most animated and lively performances as she commanded nearly the entire crowd in word-for-word singalongs. As the evening started to end, concertgoers had to make the tough decision whether to see Lil Uzi Vert on the GoPuff Stage or Lizzo who closed out the main GovBallNYC stage. Despite what people chose, both acts left everyone in awe with anticipation for what the rest of the weekend had in store.
The second day started off with some astounding performances from acts such as Flipturn, Zolita, Lovejoy, and more. Suki Waterhouse and Syd both performed powerful sets full of energy and spirit. One of the most breathtaking performances of Saturday went to Aespa, who was the first-ever K-pop group to perform at Governors Ball. The crowd erupted with excitement and energy as the group took the stage with extremely lively songs and unreal choreography.
Throughout the rest of the day, as the sun began to set, the festival grounds were ringing out with amazing music coming from every stage in every direction. With the sun setting right behind the main stage, electronic duo ODESZA delivered what went down as perhaps the overall best performance of the weekend. The pair’s performance was a once-in-a-lifetime experience consisting of their various horn instruments, special guests vocalist, their famous drumline, and an amazing lighting and pyro show that left the crowd with their jaws on the floor.
As fans lined up on Sunday for the third day and final of the festival, tensions were high waiting for the headliner, Kendrick Lamar. Much like the first two days of the festival, the third day was full of music all across the genre spectrum. From Coast Contra to Black Midi to Pinkpanthress to Giveon, every artist delivered a set that will stay in the fans’ heads for months to come.
Some highlights of the festival on Sunday were Central Cee, Ari Lennox, and Lil Nas X, who pushed through sound issues to put on a spectacle of a show featuring an elaborate stage setup and a team of dancers. Fans gathered around the main stage hours before Kendrick Lamar went on to ensure they got the best spot possible. After not playing the festival since 2013, Kendrick put on a memorable performance that will remain fixed in the mind of everyone who witnessed it. Playing hits off his records old and new—often with re-vamped live mixes featuring energizing rock guitar accompaniment—in front of a series of painted backdrops, with a small, subdued crew of Kendrick “clones” accompanying him onstage. Late in the set, he welcomed out his cousin, Baby Keem, for their collaborative hit, “Family Ties”, before icing the show with a closing “Savior” and a celebratory fireworks spectacle.
Check out an array of image galleries from Governors Ball 2023 courtesy of photographer Avi Warren along with a collection of fan-shot videos.
Snail Mail – “Pristine” – 6/10/23
[Video: YouTube System Account]
