Concert Review: Gov Ball 2024

by Natalie Najar

In the second week of June, the D and 7 train grew ever so familiar as I commuted to the Governors Ball festival grounds at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. On the festival’s website, the Governors Ball is described as “New York’s biggest party” and “the ultimate kick-off to summer in the city,” additionally boasting “60+ of the world’s best artists across 3 stages.” I remember 12-year-old me being so envious that my older sister got to go to Randall’s Island (Gov Ball’s former venue) and see era-defining artists like OutKast, Vampire Weekend, and The Strokes. That didn’t mean I was dissatisfied with who I got, though.

Compared to 2014, Gov Ball 2024 is more diverse, with Latin artists like Rauw Alejandro and Peso Pluma headlining alongside familiar faces like The Killers. However, when I chatted with people I met throughout the day, one name loomed above the rest: R&B virtuoso SZA, whose catchy beats and effortlessly relatable lyrics united the crowd before her. For On Air, as I highlight my favorite artists and describe some fascinating interactions with other festival-goers, I hope to underline why music festivals are so special for those attending them. One of the first artists I saw at the festival was

Doechii, an unapologetic and brilliant artist from Tampa, FL who sings, raps, and dances. I had seen her before at the 2023 edition of Columbia University’s Bacchanal music festival, but this felt like the first time all over again, with past hits like “Persuasive” and “What It Is” shining brighter than before. It was also clear how well Doechii worked a crowd. She shouted “You say ‘alter,’ I’ll say ‘ego!’” as she launched into a recent single, the pulsating and defiant “Alter Ego.”

Photo by Natalie Najar.

During Doechii’s set, I made barricade friends: two sisters named Mary and Muna who flew all the way from Arizona to see SZA. I had heard of people going by themselves to concerts and making friends easily, yet I’d never anticipate it would happen to me. As a sociology major, I found it interesting to see a barricade culture develop right before my eyes. We would hold our spots for each other by spreading our legs so we could go to the bathroom; we had little trouble making friends with the security personnel who handed us water bottles, checked in on us, and stayed for some conversation.

The first performer for my second day at Gov Ball was Elyanna, a Palestinian-Chilean singer, performing a seamless blend of Arabic music, pop, and R&B. She made history by being the first performer to sing a full set in Arabic at Coachella, and it was amazing to see her bring her talents to the New York stage. Alongside her enchanting vocals, Elyanna emphasized her Palestinian heritage, singing one of her newest songs “Olive Branch,” which is a prayer for peace in Gaza. I could see how much her fans—many of them wearing keffiyehs—resonated with her powerful message. During a break, I stopped by the stage where Peso Pluma was performing. I saw an audience teeming with Mexican flags and vaquero outfits, another stunning example of his ability to promote international pride.

Chappell Roan, a rising pop sensation I have become quite a fan of, also made a mark with statements about America. Dressed in drag as the Statue of Liberty and holding a comically oversized joint, she gave an energetic performance of her irreverent yet reflective pop catalog for one of the biggest crowds of the day. Later in her set, she teared up as she called for “freedom in trans rights… freedom in women’s rights… [and] freedom for all oppressed people in occupied territories.”

When I caught up with my new friends from Arizona on my second day, I was delighted to see they had made even more friends: there was

Mary from the city, Paris from Louisiana, and Alexia from Mississippi. Packed like sardines at the barricade, we were a microcosm of the diverse crowd of people who just couldn’t wait to see SZA, Gov Ball’s final headliner. A massive force in contemporary R&B, SZA has set herself apart with a vulnerable, casually- poetic songwriting style and a voice that conveys a multitude of emotions. Even more than her 2022 record SOS, 2017’s Ctrl has been a near-anddear album to me, and I may even argue it has made me the person I am today. Seeing SZA live was everything and more. The sociology major in me especially appreciated how I was able to talk to complete strangers (such as an older woman with her husband, who sang every word of the song “Supermodel”) purely because of our love of the music we were listening to. It certainly made my entire Gov Ball experience worth the hustle and bustle of barricading.

For this being my first festival, I’ll start by saying I get it. I get why people save up all their money for concerts and festivals, living and working for the music that gives them so much joy. I hope to continue over-analyzing the music community and what it means to be a live music connoisseur.