By Vindhya Burugupalli
After hazy dystopian air took over New York City, concerns arose on whether the festival would still take place, but the sky cleared out just in time for the Governor’s Ball weekend. Upgraded to a new venue this year, attendees were welcomed into a lush landscape with more than enough space to walk around, check out sponsored pop-ups, food vendors and lay down under the trees— a moment of applause for the pink furry ones. While the past two years of Gov Ball boasted a strong line up of artists and generated a decent turnout, this year felt like a step-up with renewed energy from festival-goers and organizers. Rising stars like Ice Spice and Central Cee bought out some of the biggest crowds at the event. Fans also braved the sudden rain and hail on Friday during Metro Boomin’s set and stayed put for Lil Uzi Vert.
While Gov Ball as whole was a weekend to remember, here are some memorable moments that stood out to us—
Lizzo celebrated pride with her dancers by putting on a special choreo and waved the rainbow flag. She served bangers in a metallic chrome bodysuit and long pink hair. Lizzo’s set wasn’t just about her performance, it was a celebration of love and inclusivity. Hitting all the high notes, she also sang a personalized birthday song for a fan in the front row. Never shying away from raising awareness about human rights/social issues, Lizzo addressed the need for climate change action and voiced her support for the trans community. And that’s not all she put on a spectacular flute recital along with her touring musicians.
Odesza’s set featured their iconic drumline who were dressed to look like characters in a sci-fi game. With futuristic visuals, lighting and electronica beats, Saturday’s closing set was an out of body experience. The legendary electronic dance music duo also bought out singers during their set and featured physical and digital pyrotechnics. The amalgamation of the stage production, avant-garde visuals, drummers and of course, the music made Odesza’s set feel like an immersive art installation.
With arguably the most unique and genre-bending set of the weekend, Rina Sawayama enthralled the audience with a theatrical performance. She brought live theater, dancers and prop work to the stage— in one scene she was reading a fake newspaper dragging critics of her John Wick martial arts skills. She also pulled off five costume changes that started with a white gown and ended in her dancers ripping off her clothes to reveal a red lingerie set. The crowd went crazy, and the right and left sides competed to see who had the best energy while singing “this hell.” Rina’s show was sensual, bold, eclectic, retro (inspired by 90s and 2000s nü metal) and unforgettable.
Lil Nas X’s performance came to a pause during the first song due to technical issues. But he came back and “served cunt.” From ‘Montero’ to ‘Industry Baby,’ Lil Nas X brought his energy despite saying he didn’t want to perform. Mid-set he even got on a furry Trojan horse to perform the song that started it all, ‘Old Town Road.’ His dancers were dressed in white cut out tops and put on a fierce show—they even entertained the crowd during the break. As tech issues progressed, he tried to lighten the mood and asked the crowd “if they wanted to see his snake.” A giant metal snake appeared with dancers performing underneath it, making the crowd gasp in awe.
The weekend's most anticipated performance and the final headliner Kendrick Lamar did not disappoint. From performing as a rising artist in 2013, to closing out the festival on Sunday this year, it was a full circle moment for him. Kendrick’s set at Gov Ball was a reflection of himself. While he had dancers come out and interesting visual backdrops, he spent a good chunk of time showcasing his rapping prowess. King Kendrick kept the crowd grooving with just his mic, rapping and singing.
Check out Gov Ball's official 2023 playlist here
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