Summer festival season began in New York City yesterday (June 1) as the opening night of the eighth-annual Governors Ball took over Randall’s Island. Jack White ended the evening with an onslaught of White Stripes, Raconteurs and solo hits, and before his headlining set, the likes of Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, DRAM, and more ensured that festival-goers enjoyed an action-packed, genre-hopping Friday at the fest.
Billboard‘s team was on the island throughout the day; here’s our hour-by-hour recap of the Gov Ball’s Day One highlights.
1:32 p.m. Sir Sly takes to the Honda Stage, with frontman Landon Jacobs wearing a vibrant red top and matching pants. They give fans a taste of their forthcoming third album with a new song, “Pressure,” before breezing through tracks like “Astronaut,” “High” and “&Run.” Clips of cartoon television shows flash behind the band as they play, and Jacobs remarks that the band has wanted to play Gov Ball for about five years. — GAB GINSBERG
2:15 p.m. Wolf Alice sets the tone from song one, ready to rock with the rousing set-opener “Moaning Lisa Smile.” The London quartet’s set later includes guitarist Joff Oddie throwing his instrument in the air, mid riff, and catching it right where he left off.