Find out what you missed at the new NYC festival's debut over the weekend.
While many reeled over The Weeknd's last minute cancellation and Kanye West's family emergency and swift departure on Sunday night (October 2), the debut of The Meadows Music and Arts Festival was still loads of fun for everyone who braved the gloomy skies and brisk fall temperatures.
Transforming the parking lot at Citifield in Queens — where the New York Mets call home — thousands gathered to check out their favorite acts; nosh on some great fare and discover some new sounds. See our favorite moments from this past weekend.
Chance the Rapper
If there was one set you needed to see at The Meadows this year, it was definitely Chance the Rapper. Garnering one of the largest and loudest crowds at the fest, he did nothing but deliver a high energy set. Performing his hits from Acid Rap and Coloring Book, he could have just danced and jumped around the stage because everyone in the crowd knew all the lyrics to his tunes. And once the instrumentals for "No Problem" blared through the speakers, the fest erupted. So if you still haven't seen this man in action, you really need to get on it ASAP.
J. Cole's Homecoming Set
J. Cole may have grown up in Fayetteville, NC, but the rapper also calls New York City his home, especially Queens where he graduated from St. John's University. So getting the chance to be one of the closing performances on the first night of Meadows was quite an honor for him. Performing everything, from 2014's Forest Hills Drive to the mixtapes he dropped in the early days, J sparked the audience into song throughout his set. He also brought out local rapper who also performed earlier that day, Bas, to perform with him.
Despite all the fun he was having during the show, J had some news for the crowd at the end of his set. "Before I get out of here, listen," he said. "This is my last show for a very long time."
The 1975
While each act's fans will talk say they are the most dedicated, there's something about the group that gathered for The 1975. And considering this writer has yet to experience the magic that is this UK band, it was going to be an interesting ride. From the moment they get onstage, the ear-piercing screams fill the air. But luckily for everyone else, the band's music overpowered the crowd and showed newbies and skepitcs that they were more than just the boy band girls swoon over. Between their pop rock tunes and Matt Healy's expressive face and dance moves, you couldn't help but be taken away by them.
The Elaborate Sets
What do The 1975, Kanye and Empire of the Sun have in common? They brought a kick ass stage set up to The Meadows. While The 1975 played with all kinds of lights, Kanye did bring his infamous platform that lowered him to the stage for the fest's finale. And then Australia's Empire of the Sun brought everything from trippy colorful imagery to a crew of backup dancers that made it more than just a show and turned it into an experience.
Legends Get Love From the Youth
While the crowds enjoyed the sounds of acts like Savages, The Temper Trap and Metric as well as newer acts like Zella Day and Coast Modern, there were also a couple of veteran artists on The Meadows bill that some attendees would admit they've never seen or even heard before. Charles Bradley was one of those veteran artists. But even though the 67-year-old singer brought his throwback soul sound to the stage, he caught everyone's attentions and gave the youngins a lesson a style of music that they may have never heard before. And his robotic dance moves didn't hurt either.
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley may have been a bit more well known amongst the crowd but also had the same effect. Bringing the traditional sounds of reggae to NYC not only relaxed everyone but also got them in touch with their island sides.
Special Guests
Queens might not be where all the stars are. However The Meadows brought out a few famous fans. Zac Efron (pictured in the middle above) rocked the Chance the Rapper's signature "3" baseball cap. Chris Rock, who also stopped by The Roots Picnic in Bryant Park as well as Comedy Cellar the day before, made sure he was there for Chance's show. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande caused a stir at the Shea stage and made sure to show some support for her man, Mac Miller. The two were also caught cuddling in the golf cart that drove them away from the stage.
The Neverending Kanye Merch Line
If you were one of the many who was meant to see Kanye West's set at Governors Ball in June, which was cancelled due to weather, or couldn't get a ticket to one of his shows at Madison Square Garden, you were likely to show up at The Meadows on Sunday. And while tons of people waited for hours for his set that day, they made sure to stop by the merch stand to grab one of the coveted Pablo tees ($45), hoodies ($90) or long-sleeved shirts ($70).
While some might find the price tag a bit high, that didn't stop Yeezus fans from standing on line for hours to grab every single item on display. While some events struggle to sell merch, the line for Kanye's gear never ended throughout the entire weekend.
Food
n case you didn't know, The Meadows was organized by the same people who brought us Governors Ball. And aside from giving us a great lineup, they also know how to bring on the major food game. And thanks to the team at The Infatuation, who curated the food selections, at both fests, we were able to nosh on everything from Roberta's pizza (shown above) and Wowfulls to Luke's Lobster and Cafe Habana. The Meadows not only made sure you were fed but also were able to fill your Instagram feed with some of the best food pics around.
