Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Day three dawns and the sun gods have visited us again – time to get alarmed, because now we know New York will be haunted with rain, fog and mugginess for the weeks to come. Only two minutes in, Canadian's Half Moon Run have set the bar for the day, with smooth harmonies and a gracefulness that makes every instrument from drum to kazoo look like an elaborately choreographed move – more dancing than music-making.
The crowd sings along to every word of “Call Me In the Afternoon” and there’s genuine surprise on behalf of these long-haired boys, more hippie than hipster, who have an excellent turnout despite their 12.45pm timeslot. But the real star of the show is Carl the security guard, who takes his job seriously by jumping on the guardrail and demonstrating the clap-along methodology for “Full Circle” to the entire crowd. Looks like the band’s got themselves a new publicist, along with fans aplenty – this writer included.
SKATERS are taking the stage next, and as a quintessentially New York band in a quintessentially New York venue, it’s bound to be interesting. Disappointingly, what sounds like unique and challenging rock music on the radio comes across as fairly standard classic pop rock on stage. Luckily, the band move past it in their first few songs and the vibe ascends into what can only be described as some kind of mixmastered blend of fun, beachy, swingy country Caribbean dubsteppy metal-ish rocker joy. It may not make sense, but we’re all dancing, and even as we change direction every five seconds there’s nothing to do but go with it as the crowd gets seriously into the mosh. All clad in black except the lead singer in his white muscle tank and white pants, towel on his head like a tennis player in a Grand Slam final, the boys are loving the hometown crew and the moshing circle gets wider. SKATERS, you win.
It’s time to chill out for the next few sets, and Wild Belle helps us do just that with the perfect blend of breezy pop to complement the clouds that are drifting over the island, and, oh lord, do I have to keep waxing lyrical over this weather? It’s seriously out of control. To end the breezy interlude, Banks is over at the Gotham Tent with some new songs and a couple oldies, like the gorgeous This Is What It Feels Like – enough to make any girl cry, except the girls who’ve just overdosed on feel-good hormones thanks to the earlier lineup. We’re off to find out what the rap side of the festival is all about, and with a lineup that’s featured the quirky sounds of Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino and Tyler the Creator over the last several days, it’s about bloody time we do it.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Earl Sweatshirt is owning the crowd over on the Honda Stage, but my theory about rap and hip hop at a festival stands, and I’m not so much for the live version. Frank Turner, on the Gov Ball side, is making beautiful music but struggling to bring the crowd across the lone, asphalt “moat” that surrounds the stage and separates him from the picnickers luxuriating in what is clearly roll-on grass, brought on by organizers trying to avoid the mudpalooza of 2013’s Governors Ball. With an instructional routine that would make Jillian Michaels proud, Frank’s got the crowds doing jumping jacks (star jumps, as we call them in the sunburnt country), and the singalong sesh turns into a full-blown dance party.
The American penchant for hitmakers is apparent when crowds begin flocking to the Gotham Tent, home of AlunaGeorge, who opens with "Attracting Flies" while the crowd dances along half-heartedly, waiting for the draw that is White Noise. Not a phone in the house is left unraised as the boys from Disclosure join Ms. Aluna onstage for a deafening version, but suddenly the tent is emptying and only half the crowd is left to see yet another nostalgic cover, “This is How We Do It”. The crowd on the Big Apple stage are yelling their guts out for Tyler the Creator, but for those familiar with the quality downtempo selections from 2013’s Body Music, AlunaGeorge is delivering a high-octane live show that’s been underestimated by the hit-seeking festival hordes.
The dinnertime picnic selection for this evening features J.Cole alongside The Head and the Heart, Mumford-esque in their crowd-pleasing ability to entertain thousands who litter the Gov Ball stage lawn in all their hamburger-eating, cloud-gazing, ganja-smoking, suntanning glory. The Kills, on the other hand, are a festival highlight who conveniently are scheduled simultaneously with another festival hit, The Bloody Beetroots (LIVE), who effectively destroy the Gotham Tent with stampedes as they shout, “Do You Wanna Dance!” to kick off Rocksteady.
It’s that festival conundrum that hasn’t come up often this weekend, but between beautifully orchestrated music and what can only be called synchronized drumming (yes) from The Kills; and a raucous dance party that seems to improve every second from masked Bloody Beetroots live band, it’s hard to choose a spot, and running back and forth becomes the order of the day. It’s the age old question: Have fun, or see good music? Why, oh why, can’t we have nice things?
James Blake answers that question by delivering a set that is, in a word, the opposite of scintillating. That’s three words, but I didn’t want to call it boring because hey, it’s pretty music if anything. It’s a good time to rest up, because the headliners are getting into gear, and Foster the People are where the party’s at. A friend from Capital Cities is invited to play the horns onstage, and by the time we’ve launched into the crowdpleasing "Pumped Up Kicks", there isn’t an inch of grass left unturned.
But this is an Aussie website and we are always looking out for our compatriots. So with much self-sacrifice for our dear readers (that’d be you), it’s time to snag a quality spot to see the Empire of the Sun boys do their thing, and their thing is precisely what they do. The Gotham Tent, if it wasn’t already destroyed by The Bloody Beetroots, is shredded to pieces as there’s dust in the air and sweat in the sand and body upon body squashed together to dance along to the spectacular that is “We Are The People,” “Walking On a Dream”, and what can arguably be named song of the summer, “Alive”. There are dancers on the stage and Luke Steele’s wearing an awesome feathered headdress (no, not a horrible Native American one, but more of a Phoenix-esque variety), and every single person in that entire damn tent is loving every thing cos it makes me feel so alive. Alive. Alive!!
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
From the Alive to the eternally undead, Vampire Weekend headline the Gov Ball stage kicking off with Diane Young and proceed to play a variety from the recent “such good new stuff” to the old “not as good stuff”, as is succinctly stated by the indie kids behind us. As Ezra Koenig and his cronies close out the evening, there’s a clear distinction between the subtle jiving of the families, thirtysomethings and children crowding the Gov Ball side, and the EDM-obsessed fluoro-wearing crew saluting their masters, Axwell and Ingrosso, on the Honda Stage. The Swedish-House-Mafia alumni are happy to be back together again and among an idolizing crowd who are agape with awe and joy to hear the latest songs from an upcoming collaboration.
There’s the sound of hearts melting and reaching their apex in life as the Swedish gents ask the crowd to record their roars for incorporation, but that may be the only live elements of a set that’s clearly been designed to please the SHM-loving EDMkids among us, far cry from some of Axwell’s best sets that play off the energy of a European or Australian crowd. Hey, who am I to complain though, as the electronic beats are set off with fireworks, stars and lots and lots of confetti and there’s nothing to do but dance along when that bass drops. Arms outstretched to the sky, paying homage to the music and the city that has not slept in three days, we’re all wondering who’s Gonna Save The World Tonight and feeling like this time, Gov Ball certainly saved the future of American music festivals.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Photos provided by The Governor's Ball Music Festival.
Head into our Governor's Ball Hub for parts one, two, a photo gallery and daily news round ups!
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
