STORY // BRI NG SCHWARTZ PHOTOS // MALLORY TURNER All Things Go returned to Forest Hills Stadium in Queens for its second year in New York. A stark contrast to last year’s rainy weekend, the sun was shining for three days of pride and community. LADYGUNN caught up with artists to talk new […] The post ALL THINGS GO NYC RETURNS TO QUEENS FOR WEEKEND-LONG LOVE FEST appeared first on LADYGUNN.
STORY // BRI NG SCHWARTZ
PHOTOS // MALLORY TURNER
All Things Go returned to Forest Hills Stadium in Queens for its second year in New York. A stark contrast to last year’s rainy weekend, the sun was shining for three days of pride and community. LADYGUNN caught up with artists to talk new releases, current and upcoming tours. We also got to enjoy sets from familiar faces and current favorites on the rise.
Day 1
Goldie Boutilier kicked off our weekend at Forest Hills. All Things Go marks the end of her festival run for the season, and that morning she was announced as the next opener on Katy Perry’s Lifetimes Tour. Her debut album, Goldie Montana, was released at the start of the month, and we got to learn more about her alter ego of the same name and her festival experience.
All Things Go marks the end of your festival run before you head out on the Lifetimes Tour. Have you learned anything about your stage presence and crowd work from the festivals?
I just love the challenge. The idea of someone walking by the stage and they weren’t going to listen, and I made them stay.
Could you share more about the creation of Goldie Montana?
The concept behind the album is an alter ego that I created when I was going through a difficult time. I just love the anti-hero, that person who breaks the rules in order to get their way to the top. And at some point I said “Why don’t I do that? Why am I just being so kind and bending over backwards? I need to take care of myself.” So I wrote an album from the perspective of Goldie Montana. Now I feel like I don’t know where Goldie Montana begins and Goldie Montana ends, in a good way.
The Aces brought their newest 70s inspired disco bops off of their new album Gold Star Baby to the stage. Cristal, McKenna, Alisa and Katie shared more about what went into making their first concept album, how personal this project feels, and what fans can expect on their upcoming world tour.
What do you think sets Gold Star Baby apart from your past work?
Cristal: The majority of the record was made by just the four of us. We had never done that before, so Katie produced half of it and we were really hands-on with her and the production. When we were writing together, we would just be writing lyrics and pushing ourselves to say things that we would say as friends, because we’ve known each other for so long. We preserved our humor through the lyricism in a way that I don’t think we’ve done before. We’re all very silly and goofy with each other.
McKenna: Gold Star Baby feels like a concept album. I feel like it’s really cohesive in a way that our other albums might not be as strongly a concept album.
The World Tour kicks off in November. What can fans expect from those shows?
Alisa: We’re going to try to make that show more immersive than ever before. Really just feel like you’re at a club listening to this music. And I think we’ll try to be more interactive in general.
Cristal: The festival is the commercial, and the headline show will be the full movie.
Maude Latour was a mid-day firecracker. Dressed head to toe in silver sequins with rainbow tinsel throughout her hair, her joy radiated on and off stage. All Things Go is a break for her in the midst of her supporting dates on Alex Warren’s tour, and this afternoon was celebratory in nature with the deluxe version of her album, Sugar Water, having come out that day.
Today marks the release of Sugar Water (Deluxe)! What can you tell us about it?
It’s the after party to Sugar Water. It includes songs that didn’t make it on the album and songs that I made right after the album. I went through a breakup right after the album, and the album was kind of anticipating that breakup, so it’s about some of the same themes of things ending, love ending and being in the midst of that. A little in-between chapter.
You just started your supporting dates for Alex Warren. Are there any stops you’re excited for along the way?
I’ve never played a show in Florida and we’re playing three Florida shows. They’re already the biggest shows I’ve ever played. I’m so happy that I get to meet all these new music fans. I get to convince them to listen to my music and have a party.
Rachel Chinouriri has come a long way from the fresh faced UK artist I saw make her US debut at Baby’s All Right back in March of 2024. After opening for Sabrina Carpenter on the UK leg of the Short n’ Sweet Tour, and headlining her first US tour this past Spring, Rachel has made her mark as one of the pop-rock princesses of the 2020s.
Joining her onstage for her recent hit “Can We Talk About Isaac” was Isaac himself, whom she revealed with on his first trip to the United States. Having become a fan of Rachel’s these past few years through her heartbreak hits like “The Hills” and “Never Need Me”, seeing her with her person warmed my heart.
Gigi Perez has had a stacked Summer, taking festivals like Lollapalooza by storm and opening for Hozier. She’ll make one last festival stop at Austin City Limits before continuing her momentum this Fall with her headline tour. We learned all about it leading up to her All Things Go debut.
I’m loving your new album, At the Beach, in Every Life. Can you talk more about how the beach and the ocean shows up as a source of inspiration for you?
I grew up in South Florida, and I grew up going to the beach. After moving away from home, there was always something that just kept me pulled towards the water. My homesickness gets very deep at times.
When I wrote the song “At the Beach, in Every Life” I had just found out I was being released from my first record deal, but I was also very in love. So there was this person in the middle of all of it that was just so supportive and loving that changed my perspective to realize the value of who we are and the love that we have for each other is that real intrinsic thing, and I connect that back to the ocean.
The Fall kickstarts your headlining tour. What can fans expect from these shows versus the festival and supporting sets?
We’re playing more intimate shows, which I’m so excited to get back to. With festivals and support, you have a limited amount of time, so I’m probably going to talk more and that’s going to be a lot of fun. At the beginning of the year when I was doing headlines, I was definitely chatting it up and we’re playing the whole album, so that’s going to be really exciting just to take the entire journey together.
Djo’s set at sunset proved that even though we’re not back in Chicago, we can still feel it: the dedicated fanbase, the contrasting and vibey soundscape. Lucy Dacus’s closing set broke my heart and put it back together again. Before her most recent Forever Is A Feeling tour, Lucy got ordained in hopes to marry however many fans across sexual and gender identities wished to on stage. She continued this tradition at the festival, with a handful of couples and Havana Rose Liu as the witness.
Lucy also brought out New York Democratic Mayoral elect Zohran Mamdani, who shared a short but heartfelt speech, stating that All Things Go is what New York should feel like. “Where Trans New Yorkers are cherished… where our Queer neighbors are celebrated.”
Day 2
Sunday (1994) kicked off the day, followed by friend of LADYGUNN, Alemeda, who we met last month at Lollapalooza. She had the early crowd riled up, and teased an upcoming collaboration with the evening’s headliner, the swamp princess herself, Doechii. Michelle’s set was both upbeat and bittersweet, as this performance was one of their final as a group. Their synchronized dances and quippy lyricism has only gotten stronger over the years, and this strong performance served as a celebratory send off.
Peach PRC came ready to impress with her signature electronic-pop joy and her pink pole in place for a mid-set dance routine. Having just kicked off her tour, along with the release of my new favorite song “Sweet n Low”, Peach PRC shared more about the song’s video and her favorite traits about her loyal fanbase.
I’ve had “Sweet n’ Low” on repeat and loved the video too. What was filming out in nature like?
There’s a Nature Reserve near my house, so we just walked around the corner and shot it there. It was so much fun. I go there all the time, so it was familiar, only I had massive heels on.
You’ve found really cool ways of connecting with your fans. On your website, you have the rejection hotline number that they can call into. There’s also a place to submit the diary submissions. How do you think your fans inspire your creativity?
They’re very creative themselves, so a lot of these ideas come from them. They have their own little community where they share merch ideas and other ways they want to interact with each other. They seem to be making friends.
Griff delighted audiences with her mid-day set, fresh off of supporting Gracie Abrams on The Secret of Us tour, where she replaced another LADYGUNN and All Things Go favorite Role Model. The crowd that showed up for her this weekend proves that she is one of our pop-girls on the rise.
The remainder of Saturday was tender, with Lola Young giving an emotionally loaded performance before ending her set early after fainting. Both of the following acts and headliners Remi Wolf and Doechii shared their love and admiration for Lola, highlighting the importance of prioritizing health and rest. Feeling reminiscent of Chappell Roan’s last minute dropping of the festival last year, All Things Go proves to be an environment that prioritizes the well being of artists and audiences alike.
Remi helped us get back into our bodies, walking us through some theater-kid-esque warm ups and body scans. She had us smiling ear to ear with hits like “Cinderella” and “Toro” dressed as a tennis player alongside her band to fit in with tennis players at the courts directly behind the stage. With a light drizzle coming down during Doechii’s set, Forest Hills became her swamp. Her and DJ Miss Milan had the crowd jumping for joy and leaving us full of energy at the end of the night.
Day 3
hey, nothing and Joy Oladokun put smiles on our faces with some easy listening to kick off our Sunday afternoon. G Flip, our favorite Aussie artist, electrified us with some 80s inspired tunes from their new album, Dream Ride, that came out at the start of September. They joined us before their set to talk about the album, 80s inspiration and tour life.
What do you think sets Dream Ride apart from your past work?
My first album was me learning how to sing and produce music in my bedroom, and the last album was all about drums, my first instrument. This album is more mature and me building a world and trying an 80s vibe. Eighties music is nostalgic, and it’s like you’re in a movie.
You’ve been going nonstop since June with shows and festivals. What have been some highlights from your Summer with all these performances?
The record coming out, just playing all these shows, and getting to travel. I love living on a tour bus. We’re on a tour right now. We are actually playing this festival, then playing another show at The Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. So two nights in New York. I can’t believe I get to do this for a living, and I can’t believe I get to do it so far from home on the other side of the globe.
Blondshell had us in our feelings with her emotional and relatable lyrics in the early afternoon, many from her sophomore album If You Asked For A Picture. Her set was followed by Paris Paloma, whose artist’s eye is like no other at this moment. Having released compelling visuals such as the music video for “Good Boy” and short film The Space Between Claps, we did a deeper dive into the creative process involved in creating projects like these.
Where do you think your cinematic eye comes from?
I’m very lucky to have met so many female creative visionaries. I think I come from visual culture. I did my BA in Fine Art and History of Art. I learned the phrase “weaponizing my BFA” today and I think I definitely do that.
The Space Between Claps is such a love letter to your fans. Did you feel inspired in new ways throughout that project?
My photographer, Phoebe Fox, has a routine when we play a show where she’ll go out, interview and shoot fans. It was my first time actually seeing it with my own two eyes and it made me cry. Just watching that space, the community that’s fostered between the fairies as we call them my fans, was something that I just could never have accounted for when I started doing this.
The Last Dinner Party’s set was a major highlight of the weekend, playing crowd favorites like “Sinner” and “Nothing Matters” alongside a few features from their highly anticipated upcoming album From The Pyre. Abigail, Georgia, Aurora, Emily and Lizzie played an intimate show at the East Village’s Lucinda’s leading up to their All Things Go debut, which we got to hear more about along with more about their pre-show rituals.
What was it like playing Lucinda’s, which is such a small room, compared to the massive festival crowds you’ve been playing these past few years?
Georgia: We love going back and doing the small, intimate shows. You can get in the crowd, you can see everyone. You know that every single person in there is singing along and it’s just so much fun to be in a really close place with 80 people. We started in small venues and it feels really good to come back and just put a spotlight on another one in a different city.
Your new album, From The Pyre, comes out in October and you’ll begin touring it shortly after. What are you most excited about and what can fans expect from the live shows?
Abigail: We’re just most excited to get on the road and start playing it. We’ve been rehearsing so much and it’s so wonderful to feel those songs start coming together. We’re wondering what will happen when we play them on stage, because obviously when you’re in the moment you do different things and see how the fan responds.
The Marías and Clairo closed out our weekend with their dream-like soundscapes and carefully curated production, pulling the largest crowds the weekend had seen. Their back-to-back sets sent the audience back into Queens in a state of euphoria, a high I will personally be chasing for weeks to come as I continue to bask in the aftershocks of this weekend.
All Things Go makes its Toronto debut this weekend, and I can’t wait to see the new lives this special festival takes on for years to come. I can’t think of a better way to close out the Summer.
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