Mother Nature has had her way with another festival. At 12:30am Eastern Sunday morning, Governors Ball issued a statement, “At Gov Ball, our top priority is your well-being and the well-being of talent and staff. If weather conditions are deemed unsafe for the festival, Sunday’s show will be delayed or cancelled.”
After an opening delay at 8:50am today, the official notice came at 12:15pm that the third day of Governors Ball had been cancelled, “Due to severe weather and a high likelihood of lightning in the area. The safety of fans, artists and crew always comes first.”
Fans had already endured rainfall on Saturday, due to Gov Ball’s “rain or shine” policy, which most festival and outdoor events have. But the difficult and costly decisions need to be made when there is even A CHANCE of lightening and flooding where someone could be injured, or worse.
On the bright side, Gov Ball, the artists, and fans got two solid days of the festival. At the end of April Austin’s Levitation Festival suffered a similar fate. But Levitation’s ENTIRE three-day’s worth of programming literally washed away because of the severe flooding Texas had been enduring (and unfortunately, is still experiencing). Their statement, much like Gov Ball’s, was one of taking the utmost precautions, “This decision is heartbreaking, but it’s a decision officials have made for the safety of festival attendees, and safety is our first priority.”
Although some ticket holders may look to the skies in anger, the glass half full in all of this is that Gov Ball takes place in New York City. When news came of the cancellation, there’s no doubt that venue booking agents’ phones began to blow up. Some of Sunday’s performers slated for Day 3 will still be playing, but in various venues around town.
This includes Courtney Barnet, who was scheduled to perform today and at the cancelled Levitation (detecting a pattern there…), but will instead do an in-store at Rough Trade NYC, Doors at 8:30pm – show 9pm.
Two Door Cinema Club will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg, with Gov Ball ticket holders gaining entrance for $10 and proceeds going to Save the Children charity. Prophets of Rage are throwing a benefit show at Warsaw for Why Hunger, and Vic Mensa announced a #RAINCHECK show at Webster Hall where the first 150 get in for free.
Keep an eye on @GovBallNYC for more show announcements. To follow the weather, which is supposed to get to those severe levels later in the evening, go to abc7NY.com/weather.
Ironically, Monday is supposed to be the day for outdoor activities and temps getting up to 85. Damn you Mother Nature.
