After 10 years of the All Things Go music festival in Washington, D.C. a second location has finally opened up at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. Despite persistent rain, this widely anticipated event was one of the biggest nights in music for young women and the LGBTQ+ community in particular (“Lesbopalooza” as MUNA called it). In fact, the only male-identifying artist in the entire NYC lineup was Del Water Gap.
“Queer artists, female artists and non-binary artists are making the most important music,” said Del Water Gap during his set. “All the music I listen to is made by women. Sorry boys.”
Although the festival definitely caters to a certain demographic, there was a little something for everyone among this star-studded lineup of musicians. From the fun pop rap duo Coco & Clair Clair to the indie punk rock band Mannequin Pussy to a Chappell Roan-themed drag dance party, this festival certainly lived up to its name. Here’s my recap and personal highlights from the event.
Towa Bird performed an electric set to open last Saturday’s lineup, hyping up the crowd and leaving every girl blushing. Coco and Clair Clair were hilarious together, making me want to be best friends with them. Soccer Mommy shared heartfelt tunes from her upcoming album, “Evergreen.” Del Water Gap was a standout, bringing incredible energy and sharing touching moments with the crowd. He spoke to us about how appreciative he was to be welcomed into this space among female and queer artists.
He encouraged us to vote and get involved, particularly on the issue of abortion. It is so important for artists to speak about subjects that matter to them, and make everyone feel less alone about their identity when their voices aren’t being heard. Del Water Gap brought out Holly Humberstone to perform the song they wrote together and released earlier this year, “Cigarettes & Wine.” Humberstone was next on the lineup, and her emotional vocal performances of “Falling Asleep At The Wheel” and “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” brought me to tears. She even brought out Katie Gavin of MUNA to perform the collaborative version of her song, “Into Your Room.” The crowd was on fire.
After the disappointing news that Chappell Roan would be pulling out of the festival less than 24 hours before the show, many fans were left shocked and devastated. Of course, it’s very unlikely that a highly anticipated artist would do this, but she deserves respect for prioritizing her mental health after what I can only imagine to be an emotionally exhausting few weeks. Personally, I was excited to discover what the festival was going to pull together in her absence. As a tribute, the replacement was a dance party to her music starring a fabulous group of drag queens. Among them featured “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumni Aquaria and Yvie Oddly. It was electric, exciting and a beautiful tribute to Chappell, as we shared our love for her music and the “HOT TO GO!” dance.
MUNA gave my favorite performance of the weekend. They were funny, had amazing chemistry and were just so engaging to watch. They sang an acoustic cover of Chappell’s song, “Good Luck, Babe!” in her honor, which was very sweet. At the end of their set, they brought out surprise guest Lucy Dacus to sing “Silk Chiffon.” MUNAgenius fans everywhere cheered!
The final headliner of Saturday was Reneé Rapp, who brought the house down with her incredible vocals, and made sure every boyfriend in the crowd felt scared. She brought her signature sarcastic humor and bitterness, getting the crowd screaming, “F*ck you!” which was extremely cathartic. She ended her set by sharing an adorable moment with guitarist and girlfriend Towa Bird.
Sunday’s lineup was just as exciting, even though the rain lasted much longer. Annie Dirusso and Indigo De Souza gave incredible opening performances and Mannequin Pussy made my soul vibrate. Marisa Dabice, lead singer of Mannequin Pussy, gave a powerful message about ending generational shame, fighting fascism and freeing those in occupied land. It was incredible to see several of these artists advocate for what they believe in front of large crowds, inspiring fans to take action and be angry at injustice. Next, Samia gave a charming performance with silly dance moves and gorgeous vocals. Maisie Peters, fresh off opening at “The Eras Tour” in August, was a surprising standout for me. She stole my heart with sweet acknowledgements of her bandmates, and a passionate cover of “Holding Out For A Hero.”
After the success of boygenius and even three Grammy wins, Julien Baker is back in the solo spotlight. As the first headliner of the night, she performed on her birthday (this was actually my second year in a row seeing her live on her birthday, just for the record). Much like many of us thought, she has a hatred for the day, and when the audience tried to sing her “Happy Birthday,” she strummed her guitar angrily. “NO!” she protested. “I’ll do the singing. But thank you.” Performing with a new band, many of her older songs had been revamped with new arrangements that gave them so much life and emotion. Her powerhouse vocals and gut-wrenching lyricism is always an experience to behold.
Ethel Cain took us all to church with her performance, and as someone whose life was changed by her most recent album, “Preacher’s Daughter,” I was in tears by the second song. Although her songs are lengthy, I am always hooked on every note, especially when she pulls out her harmonica for “Thoroughfare.” As an icon of the Southern/Midwestern gothic aesthetic, she is almost never seen anywhere near the East Coast, so it was special to watch her end her tour in New York. She closed the set with her hit song “American Teenager,” which was just named the 29th best song of the decade so far by Pitchfork.
The final headliner of the NYC lineup was 10-time Grammy nominee Janelle Monáe. As an actress, Monáe knew how to perform theatrically, with a mindblowing multi-act show. The set was complete with brass instruments, backup dancers and costume changes. At one point, she brought up members of the audience to just dance onstage with her. Her expert choreography, impeccable vocals and high energy were absolutely mesmerizing, and a perfect end to the weekend.
Despite the rain, schedule changes and surprise mishaps, this festival was everything I could have asked for. Every single performance was energizing, intimate, heartfelt and unique. Adding a second venue in New York was a brilliant idea to allow residents who are closer to attend; choosing a relatively small venue also offered a much more personal and low-stress experience. The vibe of the crowd was so supportive and friendly, buzzing with feminine energy and joy. If you are not familiar with all of these artists, I encourage you to check them out, keep tabs on their new releases and maybe even catch them on tour. This was an unforgettable experience and I will definitely try to be back next year.