IamA The Promoters/Producers of The Governors Ball Music Festival, NYC's Marquee Music Festival, AMA!

First of all, congrats on the amazing lineup! One of the best surprises for me was The Strokes. What kind of black magic did you use to get them out of hibernation?

We have tried to book The Strokes every single year that Gov Ball has existed. They essentially have had an open invite to play when they wanted. We got a call from their agent at the very last minute, saying that they wanted to reunite and play at the festival. Dream come true for us. We're New York City kids, and they are the greatest NYC rock band of our generation. BOOM -JW

Have you considered implementing something akin to Bonnaroo's "Superjam" (where a couple of acts that will be there get together to play on stage together)? I'd die happy if I could see Big Boi and Earl Sweatshirt go back and forth on a verse with a hook from Julian Casablancas...

YES. GREAT MINDS SIR! -JW

what day are vampire weekend and disclosure playing??

Bold question. VW on Sunday. Disclosure on Saturday. -YR

I noticed there are a lot of acts on the line up this year that have collaborated on tracks, such as:

OutKast and Killer Mike (Run the Jewels), Disclosure and Alunageorge, Chance the Rapper and James Blake

Any specific plans to bring any of these collaborations live at the festival?

For sure. But we don't want to ruin any secrets ;) -JW

Were there any serious inquiries into getting Daft Punk? If so, what was their official response?

For sure. Last summer, they said no dates in 2014. A month or so ago..it was 'not looking at dates till after the grammy's." they're cool though. much love to them. -JW

WHAT DID THE BIGGIE & TUPAC PICTURE MEAN?!

Ha, this got a lot of feedback from folks and much of that feedback was totally unexpected. We posted the picture right after Coachella posted their lineup, and it was a gesture to the old East Coast vs. West Coast days in hip hop. For the record there will NOT be any holograms at the event, and we apologize for any confusion about such a thing! - T

Would you guys ever consider getting a jamband?

Absolutely. No genre is off limits!!

Was it difficult to have the festival at Randall's Island again, considering the deaths at Electric Zoo last September? Was there any special requests from the city so that something like this wouldn't happen again?

The tragic events that occurred at Electric Zoo have lead to new protocols and additional oversight from the City of NYC and the Parks department. More city agencies (and more folks from each agency) are involved in our planning meetings, and we are required to do many additional things, mostly safety related. That being said, the city has been a pleasure to deal with and they have been very professional and practical about things. Safety is their number 1 priority, and we feel the same way, so our interests are aligned there. - T

I just wanna say thank you for that payment plan option! I wouldn't have snagged 3 day tickets without it! This is my third year going, super excited to see Interpol and The Strokes!

Thanks so much for your support! We understand money can be tight, so we do what we can. -YR

What did you think last year when you first heard about the possibility of the storm? Have you made any changes this year in case of a similar situation?

When we first heard about Tropical Storm Andrea it was 8 days out from the first day of the fest. By that time we have a Meterologist on call 24/7 to give us updates on the storms track, it's potential impact, etc. and we used that data to prep the site as much as we could for the coming rain. Unfortunately everything we did to prep the grounds was entirely negated by the massive amounts of rain we received. It was the most rainfall NYC has gotten in a 36 hour period EVER. That being said, during our repairs we did add in a new drainage line to help deal with rainfall, and we have had many convos with all city departments about how to address expected rainfall in the safest and best way possible. We have a new Weather plan which the City of NY have helped with, and we are better suited to deal with rain in 2014. That being said, and just being totally honest here, if we get 6 inches of rain in 36 hours again it will be another crazy year. However, let's think positive - it's gonna be beautiful and sunny and awesome! - T

What was it like negotiating with Outkast, given their push to seemingly appear at every major festival this year?

We have their exclusive NYC market performance. Considering that New York City is the birthplace of hip hop...this is a very big deal!

There's 4 headliners on the poster and only 3 days - are Vampire Weekend and The Strokes co-headlining the same day? When will the days and stages be announced?

None of the 4 headliners' sets will overlap. Don't you worry. -JW

I'm travelling all the way from the UK for this! Got a couple of boring questions:

• How much does food and drink cost there? (talking burgers and pints, nothing too fancy lol)

• What ID do I need to take to buy drinks? I don't want to take my passport and lose it so would a UK drivers license/passport scan be accepted?

• Is there anything you'd recommend doing in NYC aside from the more obvious tourist attractions?

Cost of food will depend on what you get (lobster rolls vs burger) but we try to keep prices reasonable. They'll be cheaper than what you'd see at a sporting event at MSG, for example.
Cost of beer last year was around $7-$8. Again, we try to keep it reasonable considering the cost of a beer in NYC. You'll need whatever ID proves you're above 21. This is obviously a very strict rule. A valid UK drivers license will work. Regarding recs for NYC - we work with partners like Cultivora to put together city guides. Keep your eyes peeled for that in the future. -YR

June 6th is my girlfriends prom & I already bought my Gov Ball ticket. What do you guys think I should do?

Friday's lineup is very, very strong. Not sure how strong the Prom band/dj is, but we guarantee you will dance harder at Gov Ball than prom. We are a little biased however...-T

What date do you estimate that 3-day GA tickets will sell out by?

Edit: spelling

Last year 3-day tix sold out in early April. Sales are stronger than last year, and we anticipate being sold out in early spring. - T

What's it like working with Julian Casablancas and The Strokes? Also, would you tell them I said hello?

I'll tell em you say what up. Jules and The Strokes are awesome. They are beautiful New Yorkers, through and through. Just like us ;) -JW

How were you able to convince The Strokes to play their first show in almost 3 years at your festival?

I answered this below. But basically we've said from Day 1 that if we could book one band for Gov Ball...it'd be The Strokes. They knew Gov Ball was the right place to stage their grand comeback! -JW

I answered this below. But basically we've said from Day 1 that if we could book one band for Gov Ball...it'd be The Strokes. They knew Gov Ball was the right place to stage their grand comeback! -JW

Would you guys be interested in having a festival blog? I'd love to help contribute, and help get people pumped for the festival.

Email us at [email protected]. Would love to hear more about what you're thinking...

Back in 2012, you posted a picture of Phish during their New Years Eve run on Instagram. I haven't given up hope that one day you will have them booked. They've played Roo, ACL, and OSL since their 2009 return, and I hope to see them at Gov Ball one day!!

One day...-T

We're workin on it dude! -JW

When will you announce settimes and single day lineups?

in the coming weeks

If it's not too personal, would you mind me asking how you guys got into this business? I just graduated with a sport/entertainment management degree and am having difficulty getting off the ground and into a similar line of work. Any advice would be appreciated!

Each of the three partners got into the music business by starting as interns at various different companies. One of us was an intern at Superfly Productions, who do Bonnaroo & Outside Lands, and he ended up getting a full time job there at the conclusion of his internship. Another was an intern at Atlantic Records and then get a job at Paradigm, a major booking agency. The third partner worked at various festivals around the country and then went to business school. Each of us had different areas of expertise (one was operations & production, another was booking, and the last was marketing & sponsorship). We learned as much as we could from our respective jobs and then once we hit our ceilings we decided it was time to start our own shop. - T

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We are! Email [email protected]. - T

Any after-shows?

TONS! And they're gonna rule. Info coming soon! -JW

So, Ive been the last 2 years, and one of my biggest complaints is the beer selection. Basically choosing between Miller (boring) Fosters(gross) or Summer Shandy(feminine). Any chance of getting some good craft beer this year?

MillerCoors is our beer partner / sponsor, so we try to offer a variety of their product line. As a craft beer fan myself (I personally love Bell's Hopslam and everything Creature Comforts in Athens does), I'm working with the good folks at Miller to see what's possible. Although sometimes on a nice sunny day a High Life really hits the spot. It is the champagne of beers, after all. -YR

Will there be overlapping sets?

It'll be just like last year. 4 stages and two acts performing at any one time. So you'll always have two choices. We do our best to counterprogram as well. -YR

yes

My friend was convinced that you were going to have Phish play last year in the final spot before you announced Guns N' Roses. Was Phish ever a legitimate option and may we still see them in the future?

Phish will be at Gov Ball at some point. For sure. -JW

I don't have a question, but I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Governor's Ball last year was my first musical festival and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I will be sure to return this year and as many years after that you guys keep conducting such a fabulous time. Thank you again and I look forward to seeing you in June!

Thanks so much for your support. We love you long time. - T

Do you ever have bands contact you saying they want to play or do only you do the contacting? How do you choose bands?

Some artists submit themselves and ask to play the festival. Some we reach out to and we ask. As the festival has grown in stature and popularity, we certainly get more and more artists asking to play. Choosing the artists is basically a combination of art and science. You want to book acts with a proven track record of selling tickets in the market. You want to book acts that haven't played the market in a while, and people are drooling to see them again. You book acts that have a new record coming out, and thus will have their own marketing push behind them. You also want to book some young, lesser known acts that you believe in, and think will become bigger come festival time. And sometimes I just book an artist because I love them and I think they are awesome :)

Any ideas on how long Interpol's set would be? I'm traveling all the way from LA for this, and dont want them getting shafted with a 40 minute set or something :/ Give the hometown heroes at least an hour, pretty please?

they are closing their stage, and playing an approx 75 minute set. holler. -JW

Last year, you guys had the clearly defined three headliners in GnR, Pretty Lights and Kanye. This year, looks like you more or less have 4 (Outkast, Strokes, Vampire Weekend and Jack White). How do you plan on balancing that, or will two of them end up playing around the same time?

It's a delicate balancing act. But luckily, none of those 4 artists will overlap their sets. -JW

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It's a huge, constantly moving puzzle. On the artist side of things, it's putting together a lineup that is unique and awesome enough to get people to commit to a full weekend festival. On the operations end, it's dealing with city gov't officials. There's tons more too! -J

Any details on what VIP for the weekend will get us?

You can see the info on our tickets page, but: - VIP viewing areas located at each stage that will provide a comfortable, close, and rockin' viewing experience. - VIP lounges at each stage will provide fans with access to an exclusive, shaded area, and limited comfortable seating. - A cash bar (credit cards can also be used), offering not only beer and wine, but also spirits. Whereas GA ticket holders can only buy spirits at the liquor lounge. - The VIP lounges will also provide special and much more comfortable air conditioned restroom facilities. -YR

What made you choose Eventbrite for your ticketing? How does a ticketing service help/hurt the Festival?

We chose EventBrite because of the people who work there and the strength of their technology and ticketing platform. Their on-site operations person is an old friend of ours and incredibly smart and we knew we could trust ticketing on-site if it was in her hands. Additionally their sales guy was also an old friend of ours and he bent over backwards to get us a deal we thought was most fair. Lastly, and arguable most importantly, their technology/ticketing system and the data you can pull from ticket purchases was unsurpassed by any other ticketing company we talked with. If you have good people you can trust, you're in good shape, and if you have a platform that can get you data that can help understand your consumers, you're in fantastic shape. - T

Have you guys established a time period rule, where a band can't play the festival if they played in the last year or two? For example, I was totally expecting Phantogram to be there this year (with their new album, new hype, connection to Big Boi) but then I realized they played in 2012.

No established rules, per se. We just like to keep things fresh over here, you know? Empire of the Sun played the first Gov Ball back in 2011. They're back this year. Just depends... -JW

What act is each of you most excited to see this year?

DIARRHEA PLANET!! -JW

The Strokes. - T

I've tried looking up more info than what is available on the website in regard to VIP. My main concerns are where are the viewing areas located? Thanks, you guys ROCK.

The viewing areas are close to the stage, slightly just off to the side. We'll provide a map as soon as we can, but try googling gov ball 2013 map for reference - they won't be much different than last year. -YR

Hey - just bought my tickets! I studied music & business in college and am currently in the application process to go to NYU for their music business graduate degree. While I work full time in fashion, what can you recommend to get my foot in the door with music industry companies (specifically those relating to live music, as it's been my passion since I can remember).

Thanks for doing the AMA - looking forward to the festival!

Get an internship. In fact get a few. Work for companies that you think you may have an interest in, get a feel for that side of the industry, see which one you like the most, and then get aggresive in that space. Be the first one in, the last one out, prove your value/worth, and people will see it. -T

Did you guys talk to Julian Casablancas? How is he? They're so misterious as a band..

Jules is doing great. Just got into yoga and badminton. -JW

What day will Damon Albarn be playing?

friday!

What's your favorite US festival, outside of the ones you promote/produce?

Bonnaroo, or Outside Lands -JW

Bonnaroo and Jazzfest. - T

How far in advance do you begin booking acts? Have you already started booking for 2015?

I'm already booked 2016, my friend. It never stops! -JW

After last year's torrential downpour, how will the island be equipped now to combat potential flooding and mud? Will there be shade for those waiting for ferries?

Who was the artist who was hardest to get this year?

We added a drainage line to the west side of the park which will allow for much better drainage in the event of heavy rainfall. Additionally, we have worked with the parks department to repair the grass so that it is stronger and better equipped for patron traffic and the outside elements. And toughest artists to get was definitely The Strokes. - T

I'm currently completing a combined degree in electrical engineering, computer science, music industry, recording techniques and production at my university and am looking for internships and jobs. Do you guys have a need for engineers to intern/work at all or is it strictly business oriented? Also how does it look out there for an engineer who's looking to work in the industry?

Our interns are really geared more toward the business side of things rather than technical stuff. Regarding working in the industry as an engineer, we suggest you reach out to companies where you would like to work (i.e. If you are into sound engineering, reach out to a company like 8th Day Sound), and see what they have available. - T

I'm very interested in attending, but it's a 3-day thing and that commitment is big. Is there any way to find out which acts are playing when, so I could schedule it accordingly. On the same note, if it turns out all of the bands I'm interested in are playing on one day, is there any way to get a one day ticket, rather than the $230 3-day ticket? Thanks!

We'll be releasing single day tix in the coming weeks, yes. We'll release the by-day lineup a couple days before then as well, to allow you to plan and decide whether you want to go all 3 days or just one, etc. -YR

When you booked Kanye West for last years headliner, did he have any ridiculous demands that he required in order to play?

also any chance you could please give me free tickets for this years festival? pleeaassseeeee????

Kanye was a true gentlemen. He was a pleasure to deal with, through and through.

With four headliners and only three days, which two acts will be playing at the same time?

None will be playing at the same time. One will be playing directly before one other though...if that makes sense? -JW

Have you guys tried to book Rage Against the Machine?

We have inquired about their availability before but have not made an offer...

What are some artists that you guys absolutely wanted to play at Gov Ball but couldn't due to logistics or otherwise?

Pearl Jam Drake Eminem The Beatles.

-JW

Less Than Jake for me, but i just love me some old school punk & ska. - T

Hey there just wanna say keep up the good work at Governors Ball, you guys are killing Coachella.

I'm an photographer from NYC, lived here my whole life. One my ambitions is to one day photograph a large scale concert such as Governors Ball. Basically who do I have to know to pursue an opportunity to do that or where can I apply?

Thanks for your kind words! For photo stuff, email [email protected] with a link to your work/portfolio. - T

first off, thank you SO much for booking the strokes! my overall favorite band ever. that billing was enough for me to buy a three day pass on the spot. (as well as the rest of the lineup, but really...) just a couple questions:

1. when do day by day lineups come out? i have a friend visiting from out of town who can only take one day off work to visit, so she wants to know which day she should come ASAP (she's leaning towards whenever disclosure is playing) also, any idea how much they'll cost?

2. will julian be playing his solo set the same day as the strokes?

thank you so much for making an affordable festival with a solid lineup! can't wait.

We love you too.

Jules and The STrokes will be on different days. -JW

when will the volunteer program be active? the website's "in the coming weeks" is killing me.

Sorry. We're currently still putting this volunteer program together and "in the coming weeks" is the best I can give you right now. Hang tight though and thanks for your interest. -YR

ANY CHANCE OF U2 EVER PLAYING GOVBALL?!?!?!

never say never....

Was it difficult dealing with the crazy flooding and all the turf that got ripped up on the island last year? You guys mentioned that you had put some new infrastructure in place to prevent it from happening again; care to elaborate? Despite the weather I had a great time last year, thanks for all your hard work!

It was incredibly difficult! The island and park has a lot of requirements in terms of what we can and can't do to protect and repair the grounds, so we had to work within a bunch of parameters. Additionally, there was SO MUCH rain on Friday of 2013, that it pretty much negated all of the work we did to prepare the grounds from the rainfall. During the renovation, we worked with the city and parks department to repair the grounds in such a way that the grounds could better handle heavy rainfall. This includes putting in an additional drainage line on the west side of the field, which had the most flooding. Thanks for coming last year and braving the storm with us. Like Jersey, we are STRONGER THAN THE STORM! - T

Thank you for doing this AMA. Two logistical questions: I am unfamiliar with NYC but got a place in Harlem for this event. Will I be able to take a bus or subway into Randall's Island Park or should I purchase one of the ferry tickets? Second question: Are there any unannounced bands you plan to add to the line up?

You're welcome! Here's your best bet - http://governorsballmusicfestival.com/getting-there/ But from Harlem you can either walk over the bridge (depending on how close your are the to east side) or take the MTA bus from 125th St on the east side. You can always take a cab as well. There are no unannounced bands, no. -YR

What would you say is the biggest misconception people have about booking acts for a festival? How does this change when working with big acts verse small acts?

One of the bigger misconceptions is that people tend to think booking a band for the fest is similar to inviting someone to your birthday party. There is a TON more to it than that. NYC is a very important market to 10 out of 10 artists, and they need to choose their play very carefully. Timing, slot, billing, money, etc all come into play. -JW

How did the mud last year affect things? Business wise and for the fans.

We spent high 6 figures repairing the park from all the mud last year. During the repair we made some capital improvements to the park to help better deal with heavy rainfall, so the park is better prepared to deal with extreme weather. Obviously with the massive amounts of mud we had last year, many folks didn't have the best time. Unfortunately weather/rain/mud is the nature of the beast when it comes to music festivals and we all have to embrace it to a certain degree. On our end, as the producers, we will continue to improve our responsiveness to cases of extreme weather so fans can have the best time possible, no matter what the conditions are. - T

• Should we expect any surprise appearances / other additions?
• Whatever happened to Death From Above 1979? Is there a chance of them playing the festival again?
• Will there be whiskey at the festival?
• Also, not a question, but a request - please, please, pleeeeeasssseeee don't put Jack White and The Strokes on at the same time. That would be considered torture for the high school version of me.

Can't wait for the festival!

-YES -They had to cancel last year due to an album delay -Yes -Strokes and Jack might be sharing the same stage... -JW

Which act are you most excited for this year?

I'd say Deafheaven and Diarrhea Planet... -JW

Do you enter into 'booking season' with a certain idea on the numbers of acts you want in each genre? Or is the focus on getting specific acts? For example, do you guys take the approach of "we want one rock and one edm headliners" or "we want Jack White"?

We wanted Jack White - JW

How do you guys go about scheduling all the acts? Over 80 acts is a lot to handle. I would imagine the bigger acts get the later time slot than the smaller acts, but how do you figure out who goes where and when they perform and if it's during another similar act that people will be upset to miss? Is it all in your hands or do the artists have any say in the matter?

And with that said, when can we expect to see the full daily schedule?

Also thank you for holding and growing this festival over the years for the east coast. This is going to be my first music festival since Warped Tour 2007 and I'm assuming a lot has changed since then, but I'm very excited.

It's a constantly moving puzzle...and it can get stressful as all hell to solidify. Acts will scratch and claw to get the best possible slot. Ultimately, I decide what i think is the best way to present the artists. I also try to counter program. I don't want Tyler the Creator and Earl playing at the same time. That makes no sense. But perhaps having Janelle Monae and Kurt Vile on at the same time will make more sense for the fans. Also, a lot of it comes down to 'the bigger the act, the later in the day they'll play' -JW

I know the website says no "professional" cameras are allowed, but what about just...standard DSLR cameras? I use a Canon Digital Rebel with the accessories it came with in the box. No giant zoom lenses or anything, but I'd hate to have it taken away. I just wanted to know what constituted a "professional" camera. Thanks!

You will be fine. We put that on our website to discourage folks from bringing in nice cameras, but we tell our security to allow them in. - T

I've honestly never heard of Governor's ball before, but why should I attend your event contrary to some other big names like Coachella or ACL? I'm nowhere near any of them :)

Interesting question. Frankly I'd say the lineup is probably the answer. Otherwise Gov Ball is set in NYC, so you have the opportunity to explore all the other wonderful things this amazing city has to offer. -YR

What is the daily "capacity" you've set for the venue?

Currently set at 45,000/day. We work with many different agencies to make sure the capacity we set is safe and also provides for a comfortable experience. We also are aiming to expand the grounds and take on more space than we did last year. -YR

What was the single biggest finding/learning from the 2013 festival?

In the words of OutKast "You can't predict the weather." -T

Just want to say thanks for putting on an amazing festival last year, despite the rain. You guys really made the best out of a bad situation, and I'll never forget all the amazing performances. 2014 is going to be even crazier!

Thanks so much for the support! We really appreciate it. It's fans like you with your positive attitude who help us create the music festival that NYC deserves. -YR

What act at the bottom of the card are you most attached to and hope that we all go to see? And why.

Half Moon Run for me. Because I love their music. You should see them. -YR

Diarrhea Planet, Haerts, Ratking, Deafheaven...actually....all of them. I book the festival and i love every band playing :) -JW

Any specific act you were really gunning for this year for couldn't fit in?

Pearl Jam. They already had plans to be in Europe for their summer tour. Next time!! Also, Jagwar Ma. They're an awesome up and coming young act. They already had plans to be in europe as well. They rule. - JW

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Watching people have the f*cking time of their lives... -JW

Who's been your favorite artist to work with thus far?

Turf War : )