Music Festivals Proceed in NYC with COVID-Era Cautions

(photograph courtesy of Electric Zoo)

Escaping a potential cancellation due to Hurricane Ida, Electric Zoo became the most recent in a short list of major multi-act outdoor music festivals in New York City in 2021. Governors Ball and Global Citizen are next, with Rolling Loud coming in October. The festivals, all of which were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, responded to growing safety concerns and will require ticketholders to have vaccinations or negative test results.

Electric Zoo began its annual festivals in 2009, perhaps making it New York City's oldest continuous multi-act outdoor weekend festival. This year, EZoo returned to Randall's Island over the Labor Day weekend, but this time in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Thanks to the island's new infrastructure and drainage system, the field was dry and ready to receive ravers by the tens of thousands. EDM giants including Alesso, Kaskade, Illenium, Seven Lions, Rezz, Galantis, Fisher, Tiësto, KSHMR, and Zeds Dead played dubstep, electro, trance, house music and more. This year, ticketholders accessed entry by proving they had received a COVID vaccine or tested negative within 72 hours. Protected in a seemingly COVID-free environment, the attendees raved for as long as 10 hours straight in front of four open-air stages.

New York City's own recent Its Time for Hip Hop in NYC and the We Love NYC concerts in August also mandated that the ticketholders for the free shows show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result. The last concert of the five-day series ended abruptly when lightning was spotted near the venue. Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, the Killers, Maluma, Elvis Costello, Cynthia Erivo and Patti Smith were unable to perform when the second half of the show at Central Park's Great Lawn was cancelled.

Post Malone at Governors Ball 2018

Upcoming Festivals Promise Precautions

Governors Ball will celebrate its 10th anniversary with live performances by Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, J Balvin, and Post Malone, along with about 60 other acts on five stages over three days and nights. Moving this year for safety reasons from its traditional June dates at Randall's Island to September 24-26 at Citi Field, the festival will feature pop, hip hop, EDM and even afrobeat performances. Founders Entertainment, the event promoter, announced on September 1 the music set times and on September 7 the various sponsored merchandise and service "experiences," offering free wine, hair styling, personalized dog tags, temporary tattoos and photo stations. Saturday and three-day wristbands are sold out; only Friday and Sunday general admission remains on sale.

After postponing and then cancelling its 2020 festival, Governors Ball 2021 will require ticketholders to present a full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result. In order to be fully vaccinated in time for the festival, ticketholders will need to have received the last Moderna or Pfizer (or single Johnson & Johnson) dose by September 10. Patrons who are not fully vaccinated will need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test no earlier than September 23 for their negative result to be honored on all three festival days.

Shawn Mendes at Global Citizen 2018

Global Citizen returns to Central Park's Great Lawn on September 25 with live performances by Coldplay, Billie Eilish, Camila Cabello, Jennifer Lopez, Lizzo, Meek Mill, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara, Burna Boy, Cyndi Lauper, Jon Batiste, and Lang Lang. Most attendees will have won free tickets by participating in social action causes to help end extreme poverty. The New York event will join similar events around the globe as part of a 24-hour broadcast intended to end COVID-19 and the international hunger crisis, resuming learning for all, protecting the planet, and advancing equity for all. The promoters promise to follow all local protocols for COVID-19, including requiring proof of vaccination for attendees, performers, and workers.

Following its success across three days in July at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, Rolling Loud will come to New York City's Citi Field on October 28-30. Travis Scott, J. Cole and 50 Cent are the main headliners among more than 150 acts at this festival of urban contemporary and hip hop music. Rolling Loud was perhaps the last festival to announce its COVID protocols, but finally posted on August 20 that all ticketholders must present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within three days of the event.

Travis Scott at Governors Ball 2018

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music developments as they happen. All photographs are by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise. For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music." For a listing of upcoming concerts for live audiences, visit The Manhattan Beat's September 2021 calendar.