The Governors Ball Music Festival (commonly known as Governors Ball or Gov Ball) is a multi-day music festival held on Randall's Island in New York City. Launched in 2011, the festival features an array of genres and styles of music, including rock, electronic, hip-hop, indie, Americana, pop, folk, and more. It is produced by Founders Entertainment, a festival promotion company based in New York City, which also produces The Meadows Music & Arts Festival. Aside from the wide variety of music, the festival features a multitude of popular New York restaurants and food trucks, as well as activities and games.
Musical Acts
How to Survive and Thrive at Gov Ball 2017 in NYC - On the first weekend in June, Complex News headed out to Governor's Ball 2017 on Randall's Island in New York City. While experiencing sets from artists like YG, Stormzy, and Wu-Tang Clan,...
2011
The inaugural Governors Ball was held on June 18, 2011, on Governors Island in New York City. The one-day festival was headlined by Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, and Empire of the Sun. Governors Ball 2011 amassed the highest attendance of any event in the history of Governors Island, outselling Dave Matthews Band Caravan and Bassnectar's Bass Island in 2011. Reviews for the 2011 festival were positive, with Flavorwire reporting, "As many area festival attempts often fall flat due to poor execution, the Governors Ball was a pleasant exception to the rule, leaving us looking forward to its return next year," and Gothamist reporting, "A gorgeous day at Governors Island...everyone seemed to leave sunburned and happy."
The 2011 lineup, ordered as on the poster, was as follows:
- Girl Talk
- Pretty Lights
- Empire of the Sun
- Big Boi (of Outkast)
- Neon Indian
- People Under the Stairs
- Passion Pit (DJ Set)
- Mac Miller
- Das Racist
- Miami Horror
- Outasight
- Reptar
2012
Governors Ball 2012, the second year of the festival, was held June 23â€"24, 2012, on Randall's Island in New York City. Expanding to a two-day event, the festival featured many more acts in order to fill both days. The 2012 version of the festival was headlined by Beck, Passion Pit, Kid Cudi, and Modest Mouse. Randall's Island was chosen as the new venue of the festival due to the event's growth. Food offerings at the 2012 event included Coolhaus ice cream, Luke's Lobster, Waffles & Dinges, Mexicue, Food Freaks, Philz Steaks, Ports Coffee, and Pie for the People. Activities at the event included lawn games such as cornhole, ladder golf, and croquet (sponsored by Zog Sports), ping pong (sponsored by SPiN New York), and silent disco. Reviews of the 2012 festival were positive, with Time Out NY saying: "[Governors Ball] has all the necessities of a first-class music fest," and Vogue noting, "The summer music festival New Yorkers can finally call their own."
The 2012 lineup was as follows (as it was listed on the official poster):
- Beck
- Passion Pit
- Kid Cudi
- Modest Mouse
- Fiona Apple
- Duck Sauce
- Explosions in the Sky
- Chromeo
- Atmosphere
- Devendra Banhart
- Built to Spill
- Major Lazer
- Cage the Elephant
- Santigold
- Cults
- Special Disco Version Featuring: James Murphy (of LCD Soundsystem and DFA Records) & Pat Mahoney (of LCD Soundsystem)
- Phantogram
- Big Gigantic
- Freelance Whales
- Alberta Cross
- Penguin Prison
- Walk the Moon
- The Jezabels
- Art vs. Science
- K.Flay
- Nobody Beats the Drum
- Turf War
2013
Shortly after the 2012 festival, Founders Entertainment announced that the 2013 festival would take place on June 7â€"9 on Randall's Island.
It rained heavily on the Friday, June 7, the opening day of the festival, which caused massive transportation delays to and from the island. The festival was also forced to shut down early on Friday evening due to weather-related safety concerns, and several performers were cancelled, including headliner Kings of Leon. Much of the surface of the green lawns in the festival grounds had become mud by Saturday morning, thus there were extremely muddy conditions for most of the festival.
The 2013 lineup was as follows:
- Kanye West
- Guns N' Roses
- Kings of Leon
- Nas
- Pretty Lights
- The Avett Brothers
- Grizzly Bear
- The xx
- Feist
- Beach House
- Kendrick Lamar
- The Lumineers
- Thievery Corporation
- Animal Collective
- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
- Young The Giant
- Cut Copy
- Erykah Badu
- Bloc Party
- Beirut
- Of Monsters and Men
- Foals
- Crystal Castles
- Local Natives
- Azealia Banks
- Yeasayer
- Gary Clark, Jr.
- Best Coast
- Dirty Projectors
- Portugal. The Man
- Cold War Kids
- Dinosaur Jr.
- Holy Ghost!
- Japandroids
- Twin Shadow
- Divine Fits
- Alt-J
- Deerhunter
- The Vaccines
- Poliça
- Steel Pulse
- Dillon Francis
- Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
- Paper Diamond
- Fucked Up
- Wild Nothing
- Icona Pop
- Foals
- The Knocks
- Haim
- St. Lucia
- Freddie Gibbs
- Robert DeLong
- GRiZ
- Ms Mr
- Reignwolf
- Solid Gold
- Bear Mountain
- Swear and Shake
- Cherub
- Pacific Air
- The Rubens
- The Revivalists
- Roadkill Ghost Choir
- Moon Hooch
- Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics
- ON AN ON
2014
On January 8, 2014, the dates for the 2014 edition of the Governors Ball Music Festival were announced. It again took place over three days on Randall's Island, from June 6 to June 8. On January 9, 2014 Rolling Stone announced that Outkast would be one of the headliners; headlining alongside Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, and Skrillex.
- Line-up
- June 6
- June 7
- June 8
2015
Governor's Ball 2015 took place June 5â€"7, 2015. It rained during the second day, but, unlike previous years, the festival was not cancelled. Ponchos and umbrellas were sold, at the festival carried on, albeit a bit delayed.
Governors Ball 2015 had a lineup of; Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Björk, St. Vincent, Marina and The Diamonds, My Morning Jacket, Ryan Adams, The Decemberists, Death from above 1979, Vance Joy, Gorgon City, Benjamin Booker, Priory, Black Pistol Fire, Clean Bandit, Atmosphere, Flume, Royal Blood, Drake, The Black Keys, Deadmau5, Rae Sremmurd, Mø, Charli XCX, DIIV, Weird Al, Monotronic, and other artists.
2016
The sixth iteration of Governors Ball took place over June 3â€"5, 2016. All three days of the festival sold out. Saturday evening, the festival grounds were subject to heavy rains, but the event was not cancelled. However, Sunday was cancelled due to heavy rain and safety concerns, and fans received refunds; festival management wrote: "The safety of fans, artists and crew always comes first."
Friday Lineup: The Strokes, Beck, Robyn, Of Monsters And Men, Jamie XX, Matt and Kim, Bloc Party, Father John Misty, BIG Grams, Action Bronson, Duke Dumont, Years & Years, Christine and the Queens, Bob Moses, Elle King, Bully, Meg Mac, Boogie, The London Souls, Black Pistol Fire, Public Access T.V., Transviolet.
Saturday Lineup: The Killers, M83, Haim, Miike Snow, Miguel, Purity Ring, De La Soul, Lord Huron, Mac Miller, Against Me!, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Misterwives, Albert Hammond Jr, Thundercat, Jon Bellion, Marian Hill, Torres, The Knocks, Louis the Child, Nothing (band), Holly Miranda, Eliot Sumner.
Sunday Lineup (cancelled): Kanye West, Death Cab for Cutie, Chvrches, Two Door Cinema Club, Chet Faker, Gary Clark Jr, Joey Bada$$, Courtney Barnett, Eagles of Death Metal, Thomas Jack, Cold War Kids, Vince Staples, Galantis, Vic Mensa, Bat for Lashes, Betty Who, Fidlar, Whitney, Whilk & Misky, Day Wave, Blank Range, Tor Miller.
The cancellation of Sunday's shows led to some bands' announcing pop-up shows. That night, Two Door Cinema Club played the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Courtney Barnett played a free show at Rough Trade, Prophets of Rage played at Warsaw Brooklyn, and Vic Mensa (tag-teaming with Galantis, who had a scheduled "After Dark" performance) played a sold-out Webster Hall. Late Sunday night, Kanye West announced he would hold a 2am show somewhere in Manhattan; anticipating this, crowds began to gather at venues across the city. Musician 2 Chainz posted that they would be at Webster Hall; over 4,000 fans rushed to the venue, blocking streets and triggering an NYPD response. Kanye arrived at the venue, but didn't perform.
2017
The seventh edition of Governors Ball took place at Randall's Island Park in New York City from June 2â€"4, 2017. Tickets for the festival went on sale January 6, 2017 and the lineup for the 2017 edition of Governors Ball was announced January 4, 2017.
- Line-ups
2018
The eighth edition will take place at Randall's Island Park in New York City from June 1â€"3, 2018. Eminem, Jack White, Travis Scott and Yeah Yeah Yeahs will be headlining this year's festival.
- Line-up
References
External links
- Jenn Pelly (2012-02-21). "Beck, Modest Mouse, Passion Pit, Cults, Santigold, Major Lazer, James Murphy to Play Governors Ball". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Governors Ball 2012 Lineup". Pollstar. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Beck, Modest Mouse Headlining NYC's Governor's Ball 2012". SPIN. 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Fiona Apple, Beck, Passion Pit Headline Governors Ball in New York City". Rolling Stone. 2012-02-28. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Music". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- Levy, Doug (2011-06-20). "Photo Highlights from NYC's Governors Ball Music Festival â€" Flavorwire". Flavorwire.com. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Governors Ball 2012 at Randalls Island (SLIDE SHOW)". Timeout.com. 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â
- "Governors Ball beats odds, 2013 dates announced". Brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 2016-12-30.Â