Governor’s Ball Music Festival Announces 2018 Lineup

The annual Governor’s Ball Music Festival on Randall’s Island in New York City has finally released its final schedule. Taking place June first through third, the three-day festival is always highly anticipated because of its well-rounded roster of popular and fresh upcoming artists. Originally, the lineup poster only had the names of confirmed artists, but no schedule for which artists would be playing each day. But finally, the wait is over. In the past, Governor’s Ball has managed to have coveted artists such as Chance the Rapper, Lorde, A$AP Ferg, and Childish Gambino perform.

“I want to go to Governor’s Ball (Gov. Ball) because I go to a lot of concerts, but I’ve never been to a festival. The idea of an experience tailored around artist appreciation and fan experiences is intriguing, especially with the diverse lineup that Gov. Ball has,” said sophomore Meghan Mahar.

This year’s lineup is looking stacked with headliners Eminem, Travis Scott, and Jack White. Other established and up-and-coming favorites such as Russ, N.E.R.D and Amine are scheduled to perform throughout the weekend. The diversity of artists all performing in one venue brings together all different types of listeners to come together to enjoy great music.

GovBallNYC Official YouTube Channel

“​I went to Gov. Ball this past summer!” said junior Elise Catan. “Being so close to such amazing artists really gives you a whole different experience than just being at a concert. It really makes you feel a deep connection to the artists, the music and everyone around you.”

However, the price for this experience doesn’t come cheap. Presale tickets ranged from $245 – $275 for a three day pass. Now the cost has gone up to $305, almost $100 per day. One-day passes are $115, but sell quickly. This could be an option for those who only want to see a few select artists but aren’t willing to shell out the full $305, but the most popular artists such as Eminem, Travis Scott, Halsey, and Khalid are split up amongst Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is typically the most popular day of the festival as they save the best for last.

“Even though I know it would be fun, Gov. Ball is a lot of money. I’m not sure I would be willing to shell out $300 if I don’t know every single artist that’s performing,” said junior Mackenzie Smilie.

Other students are willing to spend more on the experience.

“I think that the prices for Gov. Ball passes are a steal. For orchestra seats at an amphitheater like XFinity Theatre in Hartford, you’re paying a base price of $125 to see an artist and their opener. For $300 at Governor’s Ball, you get a 3-day general admission pass to see a ton of artists in a unique setting. I understand that $300 is a lot of money for the average college student to shell out, but if you’re a frequent concert goer like myself, the price is easily justified,” said Mahar.

Regardless of price, Governor’s Ball is sure to be full of excited audiences and fantastic music.