Photos: Despite Chappell Roan absence, fans revel at All Things Go
The dark, rainy weather didn't deter the crowds of people who flocked to the All Things Go music festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia this weekend. Thousands of people showed up in their best outfits and favorite artist's merchandise and sang the weekend away with headliners Reneé Rapp, Hozier, Laufey, Bleachers and Janelle Monáe.
This year's festival marked 10 years of All Things Go and was celebrated with a packed lineup, as well as a new festival location for the first time. Performers traveled between Columbia and Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York, over the weekend.
At Merriweather, festivalgoers bopped between the Chrysalis stage and the main stage under the pavilion, picking up mud on their shoes as they trekked between the two. Seen among the crowds were sparkling outfits, flowing skirts and many, many pink cowboy hats — a nod to a star that was conspicuously absent from the concert.
While more than 30 artists performed, including Remi Wolf, Del Water Gap, Conan Gray and The Japanese House, the original lineup for the show also featured Chappell Roan , a pop star who quickly rose to stardom after performing at Coachella this spring. After the "Pink Pony Club" singer faced backlash for comments about the presidential election, she dropped out of the festival one day before it began.
Officials worked quickly to fill Roan's spot and had indie pop band MUNA take her hour-long time slot on Sunday.
The three-member band from Los Angeles headlined Saturday for the first day of the music festival in New York and traveled to Columbia for Sunday's lineup, where they played a cover of Roan's song "Good Luck, Babe!"
The day Roan was scheduled to perform, there were hundreds of people wearing the singer's merchandise and clad in themed outfits, including someone dressed as the Statue of Liberty — just like Roan was when she performed at Governors Ball in New York in June .
"Her not being here is a bummer obviously ... [but] still dressing up and supporting her not being here, it's an ode to her in a way."Megan Bosisio, attendee
At the numerous merchandise tents, Roan's items were up for sale, along with official All Things Go merch that seemed to nod at the star, such as a hat for sale that had "All Things Go Music Festival" in pink letters on top of camouflage print, similar to Roan's "Midwest Princess" hat .
Despite her absence, a good time still seemed to be had by all. By the end of day two, the seated section and the lawn section were packed to the brim to watch Hozier. The rain drizzled as the night came to a close, an official end to a decades' worth of fun at All Things Go.
