Festival Recap: GovBall Day 2
Words by Ambika Verma and Grace Prock
Day two started off strong with Octavio the Dweeb taking the main stage at noon. A crowd had already formed by the time Octavio took the stage, and although admittedly, many of those festival goers hadn’t heard of him previously, he won over the crowd by the end with his incredible vocal range and alternative music. He finished his set with his angsty 2021 single, "We're All Falling Apart." Afterwards, we caught California natives' Almost Monday's set, which did not disappoint. The group made sure to mention several times how grateful they felt for the opportunity and truly ensured the crowd had a great time. They played both new and old songs, including "don't say you're ordinary," "sunburn," and the unreleased song "cough drops." Next, we caught the Peach Tree Rascals in action. Known for their "Mariposa," song, the group brought the energy and so much so, I found it hard to leave their set. The dynamic between the group was best described as playful and colorful, along with their musical hits, which combined elements of R&B, jazz, funk and hip hop.
Professional athletes have sometimes gone on to have a second career upon retirement and everyone’s favorite friendly giant, Shaq, chose DJing. Going under the stage name DIESEL, the energy felt comparable to your high school’s cheering section at a big football game. Mashing up hits like “I’m Too Sexy,” and “Mr. Brightside,” the crowd was hypnotized. Being a man of the people, not only did he turn the festival into an all out party, he even brought multiple fans to party on stage with him. When instructed to mosh, the crowd did exactly that, much to Shaq’s delight. However the good mood was shortly put on pause due to weather.
We made it in time for Chelsea Cutler’s set, which was everything we expected and more. Her relatable lyrics encaptured fans who sang along to every single song without fail, including the ones from her newer album, “When I Close my Eyes,” which equally shocked and delighted her during her set. It turns out Shaq wasn’t the only Killers fan performing on Saturday. She even covered her "all-time-favorite" song "Mr. Brightside,” which had everyone bopping along.
Even though according to Apple, we should have been prepared to be soaked for the rest of the night, Mother Nature gave internet sensation Ashnikko a break with clear golden skies for her set. If you were on TikTok at any point during the initial lockdown, you more than likely have heard of Ashnikko. Flooding your “for you” page with hits like “Daisy” and “STUPID,” the young star has a commanding and powerful stage presence. It’s no wonder then the internet loves her for her brazen attitude towards lackluster men.
After the weather changes of the day, festival goers were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow over the festival grounds. Wrapping up the night on a similar note, Halsey encouraged female fans to get on a friend’s shoulders during her song “Hurricane.” Prefaced with a speech to these women encouraging them to continue to fight for the right over their own autonomy and to believe they belong to no one but themselves, it was nothing less than empowering. Despite an already impressive career, Halsey was determined to change hater’s minds in the matter of 90 minutes. As an artist who consistently turns their music into entire worlds, it’s no surprise that the performance was accompanied by haunting visuals in a self-described horror show. Halsey’s set melted the boundaries between concert and performance art. Playing her latest single “So Good,” live for the first time (even with the single being out for only a day), fans were singing along to every word and just like that, day two was finished.