There’s nothing like music to bring people together, especially at concerts. For many years, the Merriweather Pavilion has hosted the infamous All Things Go festival. This year some big-name artists were featured, such as Lana Del Rey and Boygenius. 

This festival typically lasts two days. Guests can either purchase a ticket for one day or both, depending on who they want to see. On the first day, Saturday, artists such as Suki Waterhouse and Carly Rae Jepson performed, while some other artists, including Alex G and Arlopark, performed on Sunday. 

The festival had multiple stands for fans to purchase merchandise as well as lots of food options available, ranging from chicken tenders to falafel. The set-up consisted of two different stages where the artists would perform. So while one band may have been performing on the Pavilion Stage, another would have been scheduled to perform on the Chrysalis stage right after or a few minutes into the end of the other band’s show. This meant a lot of fans had to book it to make it there on time.

Senior Alexis Rowe was one of the few students from Oakdale to attend the festival. Compared to other concerts that she has attended in the past, she said, “It was super hot, so I was pretty uncomfortable in the beginning. I’m not used to concerts that are outdoors, and we weren’t as close to the stage, but I was so happy once I saw Lana. It felt surreal to see her in person.” Considering she is such a big fan of Del Rey, seeing her perform was definitely the highlight of Rowe’s experience. 

Rowe elaborated on her experience: “I went with my two friends; it wouldn’t have been as cool without other people I knew being there.” It seems even music is more enjoyable when surrounded by friends. 

Another student from Oakdale who attended was Senior Rori Timmins, one of the friends that accompanied Rowe. Similarly, Timmins seems to also be a huge fan of Del Rey, but she also seemed excited about the member of boy genius Phoebe Bridgers. She adds, “It was worth it to get to see Phoebe and Lana; I got so emotional. But I didn’t like how hot it was and it was very crowded on the grass in front of the stage, so I was uncomfortable at times. But it was worth it.” 

It seems that the heat was a major factor in the enjoyment of the concerts. Timmins stated that she heard about this concert through Rowe and one of her other friends: “I heard about it from my friends when they told me they had gotten tickets. I wanted to go so badly, so when there ended up being a spare, I was so excited to go with them.” If only everyone could get so lucky. 

Overall this festival made people laugh, cry, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Despite the weather conditions, the intensity of seeing an artist you’re a huge fan of is an incredible experience.