We are smack in the middle of a fantastic festival season - and this year's Governor's Ball is no exception. In addition to a spectacular location and amazing food lineup, the famous 3-day festival (held this year from June 3-5) on Randall's Island has some solid acts on the bill this year, with major crowd pleasers like Kanye West, Beck and Robyn headlining. But as usual, our focus is on the acts that fly a little more below the radar. Here are 3 exciting emerging artists scheduled to perform that we think are worth checking out!
WHO: Galantis
WHEN: Sunday, June 5th @ 5:25pm
WHERE: Bacardi House Stage
WHY: If you pay attention to EDM at all, you've probably heard that Galantis is having a breakout year. The Swedish electro-pop duo (which consists of Miike Snow's Grammy-winning Christian Karlsson and Style of Eye's Linus Eklow) have a breakout international single, "Runaway (U & I)", and just wrapped up their first and very highly praised worldwide tour. Their live sets are everything a fan could want out of an EDM show - pulsating bass, wild lights and an infectiously crazy dance floor. Their festival/tour schedule is a bit sparse this year, so don't miss the fast rising Galantis @ this year's Gov Ball!
WHO: Catfish and the Bottlemen
WHEN: Saturday, June 4th @ 3:00pm
WHERE: GovBallNYC Stage
WHY: BBC Radio 1 favorites Catfish and the Bottlemen are ready to take their refreshing brand of UK rock across the pond. The British band has seen some impressive success already this year, winning the awards for Best Breakthrough act @ the Brits, and their much hyped 2nd studio album (set to be released later this month) has them poised for international success. You can expect heavy guitar licks and belt-em-out rock tracks on the new record, but with a more tightly wound, fine-tuned sound than their debut album. Live shows are all rock-and-roll as well, with the passion of their fans clearly evident at their thrashing, almost always sold out gigs. Don't miss your chance to check them out on the big stage @ this year's festival!
WHO: Vince Staples
WHEN: Sunday, June 5th @ 2:40pm
WHERE: Honda Stage
WHY: Even though he is only 22, Long Beach native Vince Staples has already made a name for himself in the biz through high profile collaborations with Odd Future and Mac Miller. But the rising hip hop star's solo career is just starting to take off. Staples' has a unique style - his first full length album, released on Def Jam last year, takes complex ideas and spins them into a unique style of 'conversational' rap. It's a style much evolved from his earlier work, and has made him an exciting artist to watch develop over the years. Staples puts on an incredibly inspired, high-energy show, so don't miss his Gov Ball debut in NY this June.