Governors Ball 2018: 20 Best Things We Saw

D.R.A.M. earned his “Big Baby” nickname at Gov Ball, giving the crowd nothing but absolute positivity. The rapper was all about “spreading the love” – a suggestion that he he chanted on multiple occasions, along with signature words and phrases like “sentimental” and “love your mama.” With sing-song raps, such as “Cute” and “Caretaker,” and a slinky new love song, he performed like a soulful Seventies crooner. Prior to performing a stripped down rendition of his Chance the Rapper collab “Special,” he even shared the motivational wisdom that “All you have to do when you’re feeling down is look in the mirror, look at your phone in selfie mode, and tell yourself these four words: You are very special.” After a round of optimistic cheers, D.R.A.M. concluded his set with his chart-topper “Broccoli,” leaving the crowd jubilant and satisfied. S.B.

“It’s a pleasure to be here. We’re here to rock!” said Alvvays lead singer Molly Rankin as they kicked off their Friday afternoon main stage set. As the sun finally broke through the clouds on what had been an overcast day, it felt as if the Canadian indie-pop band were changing the very weather by exuding sheer bliss.

The set balanced songs from 2017’s Antisocialites – from the sugary, danceable “Lollipop” and “Saved by a Waif” to the pensive “Dreams Tonite” – with favorites from their self-titled 2014 debut, including “Archie, Marry Me” and “Next of Kin.” With just the right amount of joy, quirk and twee, Alvvays gave the crowd what felt like the promise of a romantic summer. S.B.

On Gov Ball’s main stage, British synthpop stars Chvrches nabbed the coveted evening slot before Eminem – and played a stellar set for many of the rapper’s diehard fans, who rushed to the front hours before Slim Shady was to perform. “I’d like to thank the Eminem fans here today,” said frontwoman Lauren Mayberry, who was nevertheless determined to throw down in black platform boots and a rhinestone-speckled tutu. Apart from a swarm of young fans dancing freely in the back, the immediate crowd was nearly comatose. Yet unbeknownst to the band, Eminem’s daughters Hailie Scott and Whitney Scott Mathers were seen making their way to the front to watch Chvrches… presumably on purpose. S.E.

Just days before they were slated to play Gov Ball’s American Eagle stage, L.A. hip-hop collective Brockhampton dropped out of this year’s fest to privately contend with sexual misconduct allegations against ex-member Ameer Vann. But thanks to some savvy festival organizers, Gov Ball roped in the buzziest possible replacement Saturday afternoon – and, fresh off a highly-publicized beef with Drake, Pusha T delivered one memorable show. Throwbacks from his Clipse days such as “Grindin'” were peppered among cuts from his new solo album, Daytona, which he performed for the first time live this weekend – including “Infrared,” his Molotov cocktail of a diss against Drizzy. Chants of “Fuck Drake” resounded across a sea of sunburnt college students (and some ride-or-die fans, too). King Push calmed the ruckus by raising his hands up and walking out 15 minutes early, like a boss. S.E.

Establishing a sense of intimacy is difficult within any festival setting, but Moses Sumney’s neo-jazz and soul-inspired atmospheric sounds hypnotized audience members – and signaled raucous onlookers to put up, or shut up. Grasping the harmonic capabilities and limitations of the body was the through line of Sumney’s set. Sumney’s versatile live band spotlighted classical instruments such as the violin and clarinet, and Sumney illustrated the body’s percussive capabilities via loop pedal, hitting his microphone, clapping, and snapping to form his own live backing track. He ended the afternoon set with “Plastic,” singing solo with his electric guitar. “My wings are made of plastic,” he sang in his delicate falsetto, reckoning with his own fragility onstage and sharing a quietly fervid connection with his fans. N.B.

Despite playing a relatively early set, British alt-rock group Wolf Alice managed to transport the energy of a London punk gig to the field on on Friday afternoon. Performing a wide array of tracks from their dynamite albums, including standouts like Visions of a Life‘s odyssey of a title track and their riotous breakout song “Yuk Foo,” the rebellious four-piece reveled in reverb and bombastic guitar solos. Singer Ellie Rowsell led them from lullaby-like laments (“Don’t Delete the Kisses”) to screams that incited a circle pit led solely by teenage girls – true to Wolf Alice’s essence. During the song “You’re a Germ,” Rowsell sneered, “You ain’t going to heaven, no – ’cause I’m dragging you down to hell!” It’s clear that in hell with Wolf Alice is the place to be. S.B.

In spite of their minimal aesthetic, indie pop group LANY held down the main stage on Saturday afternoon with confidence – and came off cooler than just about anybody else at the fest. Leading with sparkling Eighties guitar tones and drum machines, LANY regaled the crowd with fan favorites such as “4EVER!” and “ILYSB,” as well as releases from their 2017 self-titled LP. Enigmatic frontman Paul Jason Klein carried the sea of fans through his passionate delivery of the starry-eyed, gushy pop tracks, losing himself in smooth dance breaks and even climbing onto the audience barricade for a pseudo-crowd surf during “Made in Hollywood.” LANY’s star power was both out-of-this-world and incredibly effortless. S.B.

Holding court on the main stage Friday was Jack White and his noble band, shredding the night away and winning over new young fans in the process. White spanned nearly 20 years’ worth of songs, throwing in some Raconteurs and White Stripes cuts between his new songs. Olds and newbs alike rejoiced at the White Stripes’ fight song “Seven Nation Army,” but it wasn’t all nostalgic: There was some righteous rage, too. White redubbed their 2004 single, “Icky Thump” to “Icky Trump,” calling out the president mid-lyric. “White Americans,” he sang, “Nothing better to do/Why don’t you kick yourself out/You’re an immigrant too! … That’s for you, Trump!” S.E.

In the middle of his set, Shawn Mendes wailed the emotive intro to Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody,” stunning a vast majority of the crowd and leaving a handful of younger fans who were unfamiliar with the track confused. Nevertheless, it was a short and sweet tribute to one of Mendes’ favorite groups, and it highlighted the teen star’s pop-rock capabilities and vocal chops. Along with performances of hits like “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” and recent singles like “In My Blood,” the Canadian singer-songwriter proved that, while he was “totally” intimidated to play the fest, he had nothing to worry about. “This is really cool for me because this was one of the first festivals I went to and I remember thinking, ‘Wow, it would be cool to be on that stage,’ and now I’m on that stage,” he told the crowd. S.B.

Dozens of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fans who secured spots near the barricades got up close with frontwoman Karen O, who offered them her microphone to sing the ooh‘s of “Cheated Hearts,” off 2006’s Show Your Bones. The singer strung her microphone towards the audience and along the barricades, giving turns to as many fans as possible. This stunt resulted in some frequency-defying renditions of the song’s melody – including a kazoo version. Before the band broke out into their performance of “Maps,” Karen O dedicated the song to all the lovers in the crowd – lovers who have lost, lovers they have loved more than life itself, and their mothers, too. After the song ended, she tugged down her shirt to press her mic against her chest, twisting and turning it inward to where her heart rests. The audience felt the love. N.B.

“I’m sick as fuck!” shouted Third Eye Blind frontman Stephen Jenkins, who’d been battling a bout of bronchitis in the days leading up to the fest. “They shot my neck up with steroids,” he added. “But I could still use your help!” Fans from Generation X to Z happily obliged in singalongs, duly carrying all the high notes in “Jumper” and “How’s It Going to Be.” Jenkins also championed this weekend’s protest against gun violence, organized by the non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety. Wearing an orange guitar strap and wristband, Jenkins proclaimed, “We don’t have to cower and submit to those who perpetuate gun violence!” The band followed a fittingly sloppy cover of Babyshambles’ “Fuck Forever” with an extended, soul-quenching performance of “Semi-Charmed Life.” S.E.

Having just played three sold out nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Margo Price is a rare country music phenomenon. And although she played a significantly smaller show at Brooklyn Bowl Saturday night, as part of the Governors Ball After Dark series, Price’s set was nothing short of a honky-tonk barnburner. She riled up the crowd from the beginning with “Don’t Say It” – from last year’s excellent All American Made – and took the show into an unapologetically nostalgic direction, with rowdy covers of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Bob Dylan’s “Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine).” During stomper “Hurtin’ on the Bottle,” she even worked in verses from “Whiskey River,” and Merle Haggard’s “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink.” But the highlight of the set was Price’s own “Cocaine Cowboys,” a gem off her new album about guys she wishes she could stay away from. Price eventually put down her guitar and got behind a second drum kit, pounding away through an intrepid, psychedelic rock excursion. Perhaps it was a hint of where she might take her sound next. P.D.