Fiona Apple And Beck Close Governor's Ball With A Bang

Beck's nostalgic set was one of the highlights of the closing day of this year's Governor's Ball (June 24, 2012), according to Rolling Stone. Now something of an elder statesman of the alternative music scene, Beck treated the crowds to a set that was half-filled with songs from what many consider to be his 'heyday' (i.e. from the Odelay album through to Sea Change). He was the headlining act on a day in which very few of the acts (barring Fiona Apple) had albums to promote, meaning the atmosphere was relaxed and bands were happy to churn out the crowd pleasers.

The Governor's Ball had moved from Governor's Island to Randall's Island and the second day of the event featured sets from Modest Mouse, Built To Spill and Explosions in the Sky. Beck and Modest Mouse both provided sets for the largely 20 and 30-something crowds to sing along to, whereas Fiona Apple delivered some early evening intensity with her set.

Her performance was acclaimed by Rolling Stone, building on the praise that she received for her SXSW set earlier in the year. "She's a rare and remarkable vocalist, both in raw technical terms and in her talent for adjusting the nuance of her phrasing to express her emotion in that very moment. Apple is fully present in every syllable; no two renditions of any of her songs are quite the same."