Day two of Gov Ball 2025 got off to a stormy start – literally. Four hours after incoming weather warnings caused last-minute delays, the festival doors finally opened at 4:30pm, with a reduced lineup and a reworked evening schedule that pushed the festival’s end back by an hour.
Hardcore fans who had been camping since the early hours of the morning were less than thrilled with the weather and its subsequent delays, but those who were able to avoid the hours-long entry line and didn’t mind the rain were rewarded with some truly amazing acts. Here’s a recap of the ones we were able to catch:
Wallows:
Arriving at Gov Ball just in time to see Wallows hit the main stage was absolutely kismet. After hours of anticipation and anxiety, the LA-based boyband brought a wave of joy and 90’s era post-punk indie-rock nostalgia, switching up instruments and completely rocking under a stormy sky that still tasted like electricity. And it really was electrifying.
When the skies opened up into a downpour midway through the set, it was nothing short of cinematic. Energized by the torrential rain, the band played on, and the crowd went crazy.
“If this is a first for you, it’s a first for us too,” Minnette hollered into the mic as the crew scrambled to push their equipment under cover. Soaked to the bone, he ran back onto the catwalk, performing directly beneath the pouring rain as the crowd screamed along, embracing the storm and the moment for all its glory.
Conan Gray:
Gov Ball 2025 marked Conan Gray’s first live performance since announcing his upcoming album, and the Kid Krow singer took full advantage of the massive stage, performing with an incredible theatrical set depicting a stormy seascape, with Gray emerging from half-sunk ship to join band members scattered amongst the waves.
“This is my very first time singing songs since I’ve announced my new album Wishbone, and I’m so excited and grateful that you’re here.”
Gray opened by debuting his latest track This Song, which was greeted by excited screams from the packed, still soaking-wet crowd. The eleven track setlist included hits like I Wish You Were Sober and People Watching, along with the lost verse version of Heather.
Speaking on Instagram after his performance, Gray referred to the festival as “the perfect way to start wishbone. i love you @govballnyc”
Wallows (Again):
After drying off a bit, Wallows made a second Gov Ball appearance on the Kona Stage for an acoustic set that felt more like a casual lawn party than a concert. Still visibly energized by their main stage rain show, lead vocalist Dylan Minnette and bassist Braeden Lemasters hopped on to the Kona stage with no setlist and no shame, joking, “should we play the least acoustic songs we have right now?”
The duo is visibly relaxed and enjoying themselves, and they essentially let the crowd pick half the setlist by shouting out their favorite songs, resulting in a wildly energetic acoustic show that ended up including Minnette asking “Where are my girls at?” before launching into a cover of One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful that brought out screams of nostalgic excitement from the crowd.
Olivia Rodrigo:
Finally, we’ve arrived at the headline. No amount of rainstorms, delayed lines, or anything else could have damped the excitement to see Olivia Rodrigo perform. A huge portion of Saturday’s crowd came to Gov Ball for Olivia and Olivia alone, and she delivered, performing her hour-long setlist in its entirety despite a delayed start time.
While the crowd was certainly a bit intense, I get it – twenty years from now, teenage girls will be so jealous and think we were so lucky to be young at the same time Olivia Rodrigo was releasing and touring albums. She really is that good, and in a time where the music industry is brimming with talented female singer-songwriters, Rodrigo is in a league of her own. Her performances and songwriting abilities are unmatched amongst her generation; everyone has felt the emotions that Olivia sings about, but practically no one could put them into words the way she does.
Rodrigo is a fantastic performer. She’s undeniably dynamic onstage, feeling every lyric and moving in perfect sync to every beat. From scream-in-the-car rock anthems to emotional piano ballads, she captivates the 40,000 person crowd; and if that wasn’t enough, also brought out David Byrne of The Talking Heads to duet Burning Down the House.
Rodrigo is a once in a generation talent, and she put on a once in a lifetime show. However stormy the start of day two may have been, it’s safe to say that Olivia Rodrigo ensured that all attendees were obsessed with how it ended.
Check out our highlights from Day 1 here, and stay tuned for coverage from Day 3
