Recap: Governors Ball 2018 [Day 3]

Eminem

Two days into Governors Ball 2018 and we were only hit with a brief bit of rain during the tail end of Day 2 during The Gaslight Anthem’s headlining performance. Considering how dour the original forecast was, this was a huge surprise and good news for the festival that was so long overdue.

N.E.R.D

We began the day with British rockers The Struts who I have heard so many good things about from fellow photographers. Their style of rock and roll takes from many of the classics but it made for a fun midday set for sure, one that I hope to catch whenever they return back here for a show of their own. I mellowed out a bit following their set with some of the alt-country from the super-talented Margo Price who sounded delightful. From there it was the artrock of Dirty Projectors who sported a very different lineup from their appearance at Governors Ball 2013, somehow the last time I saw them.

Then it was time to see N.E.R.D one of my most anticipated sets of the entire weekend. I’ve been a fan of theirs for a long time and have never gotten the chance to see them play, which made this Governors Ball showing one with tons of anticipation in the air ahead of their set. The minute that the team of Pharrell Williams, Shay Haley and Chad Hugo took the stage, they took flight and got the entire crowd into it with ease, dropping new songs and old classics, making a case that they really belonged a later headlining spot in the later part of the festival. But considering how great Slyvan Esso were following them, the duo proved that they certainly belonged during a later part of the night, using the darker skies to their advantage and bringing a full-fledged dance party to the grounds of Randall’s Island.

There was then only one set remaining, the Festival closing performance from Eminem, who hadn’t performed a proper show in NYC in eight long years. Like so many, I grew up a big fan of his earlier work but I can’t remember the last time I really enjoyed any of his new material and it makes me quite sad to say that as he was once one of my favorites growing up. But I have to hand it to him, he delivered a fun and entertaining performance that took everything you liked about Eminem and put it on display in a firey fashion that had the entire audience going wild from start to finish. Sure he played a few of his more recent singles but for the most part, this set was dedicated to the tried and true classics that had me feeling all sorts of nostalgic. He even brought out some special guests, most notably 50 Cent, who nearly stole the show when he got a chance to perform “In Da Club.” Just like the night before it stated to end as the set came to a close, but Eminem made the evening such a good time that no one cared that they were getting soaked.

It was one hell of a way to end the weekend and I would definitely consider catching Eminem play again, which was one of the biggest surprises of the festival for me. He’s still got it. Now lets hope he can give us one more classic album that we all know is hiding in him, somehwere.

Find a full set of photos from all the Day 3 performers posted in the gallery below.

The Struts: