Gov Ball 2021 at Citi Field in Queens New York City September 24-26
Words & Photos by Patriciana Tenicela | Instagram
2021 marks the 10-year anniversary of Governors Ball, as well as their debut at Citi Field. For the past decade (excluding 2020 which was unfortunately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic) Gov Ball has provided New York with an incredible lineup of top artists as well as a platform for emerging talent. Their first year featured 12 artists and was only a single day. They have since expanded to include 60 artists across three full days as well as showcase some of the city’s greatest restaurants and provide attendees with a handful of interactive experiences.
Editor’s Note: Check out Pop Break’s coverage of the first ever Governors Ball Music Festival from 2011 on Governors Island featuring Big Boi, Mac Miller, Passion Pit, People Under the Stairs and more.
The festival hasn’t always gone off without a hitch though. In 2013 a tropical storm resulted in what would be known as the infamous “mud ball”. New York’s resilient music fans embraced the rain and danced through the mud creating some of the most iconic imagery of the festival to date. In 2016 impending storms caused the festival to cancel their final day which was to include a headline performance by Kanye West. In 2019 heavy rain took center stage once again, this time causing the festival to be evacuated and The Strokes set to get cancelled. As disappointing as this was for fans, they gathered together on train platforms and put on their own sing-along version of The Strokes set. Thankfully, unlike previous years, the weather this year was near perfect all three days.
This year the festival was held at Citi field which offered a unique festival experience never before seen by Gov Ball fans – a 360 stage setup. The new layout offered no sound bleed and made traversing between stages a whole lot easier. The venue was thoughtfully organized and utilized the space creatively. They set up tons of painted shipping containers for countless photo ops and spread out all of the music, food and experiences in an easy to navigate circle.
FRIDAY: The party began long before reaching Citi Field, as scores of fans piled onto subways dressed to the nines. Although drinking is prohibited on the MTA, that didn’t stop many from pre-gaming on the packed 7 train. For the first day of Gov Ball, one of the biggest acts in music today, Billie Eilish, headlined. It was only three years ago that Billie played a mid-day set on a small stage at the festival. One of the best parts of large scale music festivals is the opportunity to discover your new favorite artist before they have broken through to the mainstream. In the three years since her last performance at Gov Ball, she has gone on to amass critical acclaim in the form of countless awards, magazine covers, a documentary on Apple and a concert film for Disney+. She was truly the ‘belle’ of the ball. Her presence on stage was mesmerizing and the energy of the crowd was contagious. She sang from atop a forklift for part of her set which granted a lot of fans deep in the crowd a chance to feel a bit closer.
Leading up to Eilish’s headlining set that night were plenty of other incredible acts. Orville Peck came out in his signature cowboy duds and fringe face mask. He had killer stage presence, engaging with the audience and throwing a rose out to the crowd. Kehlani put on a powerfully soulful set which included backup dancers and a female backing band. Her performance was stunning, showcasing her raw vocal talent. Portugal. The Man’s set was a lot of fun and began with a video of Beavis and Butthead playfully discussing how much the band “sucks” only to then proclaim that they are actually “the greatest band that has ever walked the Earth.” Their set featured a crowd pleasing rendition of It’s Always Sunny’s “Dayman” as well as an incredible cover of David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream” accompanied by the singer of New York rock band Sunflower Bean.
SATURDAY: The interactive experiences offered by the festival this year included various bars, a full on hair salon and an NFT gallery celebrating 10 years of Gov Ball. However the coolest experience by far was seeing Mr. and Mrs. Met on their home turf – something any Met fan would appreciate, and a nod to this year’s host venue.
One of the highlights for Saturday was Phoebe Bridgers, who came on 20 minutes later than scheduled. This unexpected delay was perfectly timed as she performed in unison with the sunset. She truly dazzled in one of her signature beaded skeleton outfits. Bridgers at one point stopped mid song to make sure a fan in distress got help, one of three people that fainted during her set alone. Phoebe could also be spotted earlier in the day when she joined the band MUNA for their song “Silk Chiffon.”
After Phoebe Bridgers had everyone crying (and fainting), J Balvin got everyone dancing. His entire set was enormously energetic, almost as enormous as the oversized coats his backup dancers donned. Throughout his performance he had smoke and fire on stage, and even ended his set with a massive and colorful fireworks display. It was a perfectly fitting celebration for Gov Balls first ever latin headliner.
To close out the night, Governors Ball brought out New York’s own real Governor Kathy Hochul who poignantly addressed the crowd stating “This proves that New York is Back.” Afterwards, A$AP Rocky started his set from the crowd riding atop an inflatable station wagon. The crowd erupted into mosh pits and so much jumping the entire parking lot of Citi Field shook. The festival oddly kicked A$AP offstage abruptly ending his set earlier than he anticipated. He demanded but was denied a final song, instead jumping into the crowd as the music played on. It was a strange ending to an otherwise flawless day.
SUNDAY: The food vendors at this year’s festival were as diverse as the music lineup. Whether you were craving arepas from Palenque Colombian Arepas, stir fried veggie noodles from Flaming Wok or a juicy double cheeseburger from Gotham Burger Social Club – Gov Ball had you covered.
One of the highlight sets on Sunday was pop icon Carly Rae Jepsen. Jepsen rocked a blonde mullet and a low back dress covered in silver tassels as she commanded the stage. Standing at only 5’2” she had a larger than life presence that demanded your attention. Many fans fled her set early to make their way to the Verizon stage for 21 Savage, only to be waiting over an hour for him to finally show up. Both he and Young Thug arrive late resulting in abbreviated performances.
Fans quickly forgot their frustrations once Post Malone took to the stage to close out the final day of Gov Ball. Like Billie Eilish, Post Malone also played Gov Ball on a small stage in 2018 only to return to headline this year. He brought out several guests during his set including the aforementioned Young Thug and 21 Savage as well as Roddy Ricch. One of the highlights of his performance however, was the somber acoustic song “Stay” that showcased his growling vocals. While he claimed it would be the most boring part of the show, there was nothing boring about Posty’s set. The night ended with a burst of fireworks to close out his set and this years festival.
TAKEAWAYS: With all things live music being put on pause due to the pandemic, the team at Governors Ball utilized that time off as an opportunity to reinvent the festival and propel it forward into its next era. Putting on a major music festival in post-pandemic New York City is no easy feat, but they were able to pull it off and surpass expectations. To call it a music festival would be doing it a disservice, what Governors Ball accomplishes is much more akin to a music Wonderland.
The sponsored experiences were enthralling, the food was a showcase of the city’s best and the music was nothing short of phenomenal. From alternative country and electronic music to hip hop and mainstream pop, there really was something for everyone this year. Many in attendance braved casts and even crutches in order to finally see their favorite bands and artists perform. Being at a music festival with over 50,000 fans per day was a cathartic juxtaposition to the city this time last year, when the only soundtrack was that of sirens and a daily community applause for the city’s first responders. What Governors Ball managed to pull off was one of the best music festivals this city has ever experienced. They have put on a hell of a show for the past 10 years and have proven once again that Gov Ball is here to stay.
