We stared at the map for about twenty-five minutes trying to decipher the best subway route to Randall's Island. The 4, 5, 6, 7 and R trains were to become our closest transportive friends this weekend. We patted ourselves on the back and decided we had figured out how to get from Queens to Randall's Island as efficiently as possible.
The five of us purchased a weekly metro pass to save the hassle of scrounging for change for subway fare. It was definitely one of the best decisions we had made. The weather was decrepid. This rain was raging. It was furious. It was coming down with vengeful purpose with one goal: to drown all beings which came in contact with it. So obviously, we were completely overjoyed with the prospect of standing in the rain listening to our favourite bands from noon until midnight. Estatic.
Nevertheless, embark we did upon day one of the music festival. We hopped on the subway, transferred and exited where we had to, walked the RFK bridge and safely (coldly....wet-ly..) arrived with every intention of making the very best of the poor weather conditions.
Brave the elements! Courage! Valour! Let's do this!!Our first experience of the festival was the mud. This was not mud as I had ever seen it before. This was about two football fields of swamp. Swamp. Mud six inches deep and puddles that resembled vomit more than rain. Sigh...
But "Fear not!" we said, we ripped off our shoes, put them in bags, pulled on our blue plastic ponchos, raised our umbrellas and ran to the first set. St. Lucia - a great introduction to the Gov Ball. Next were The Knocks who totally knocked it out of the park. They performed under a tent which lifted our spirits even higher for the time being.
We were stoic. Our excitement was unscathed. There was no amount of wind, rain or mud that could bring us down. And the Kings of Leon were to perform that night! Bring it on, storm. Bring it on.
And oh, how the storm brought it.
As Feist arrived to astound and amaze her loyal fans that were brave enough to withstand the monsoon, Mother Nature decided she had other plans. Feist was about halfway into her opening song when the wind shifted and the rain was no longer being blown onto our faces but onto the stage.
Feist: "You call this a storm???"
The storm responded with violent gusts of wind, soaking Feist, her band and her instrumental equipment. They were called off the stage. "They're telling us we might end up electrocuted if we stay out here any longer, guys. I'm so sorry. You all are amazing!"
Crushed. Kings of Leon was scheduled to perform after Feist.... I turned around to look at the sombre faces half-hidden beneath the umbrellas and multi-coloured plastic ponchos. Disaster. There was mud everywhere. Mascara was running down girls faces uncontrollably. The Kings of Leon would not perform that day. The main stage was shut down.
And so, painfully disappointed we left and made our way through the eye of the vehement storm eventually arriving back in the safely dry setting of our apartment.
However, "festival organizers worked swiftly and rescheduled the band to Saturday evening, slipping them into the mainstage at 6:45 p.m. before headliners Guns N’ Roses and offering Friday ticketholders free admission to the festival that day." (Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kings-of-leon-emerge-from-the-storm-for-rescheduled-governors-ball-20130609#ixzz2WFIXTKZZ Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook)
Sheer. Joy.
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