All Things Must Go Music Festival

Maya Pitch 

On the weekend of Sep. 30, Merriweather Post Pavilion hosted its annual music festival, All Things Go. The two-stage venue allows a capacity of 27,000 viewers, so seats and lawns were packed as audiences crowded in to watch their favorite artists. The concert consisted of 32 acts, an overwhelming majority of which were female, non-binary, and queer, an exciting change in pace for audiences as music festivals are a historically male-dominated industry. 

As the sun set on both days, the acts got bigger and the audiences louder. At midday on Saturday at the main pavilion, lesbian icon Fletcher excited the crowds not only with her impressive vocals, but also her calling of the festival as “All Things Gay.” Although a small, light-hearted comment, it also served as a heart-warming reminder of the festival’s dedication to the LGBTQ+ community. Lizzy McAlpine, rising star in the indie-pop world, then stunned fans at the secondary stage, the Chrysalis. Carly Rae Jepsen followed, with thousands jumping up and down to her performance of the timeless hit, “Call Me Maybe.” To close out day one was Maggie Rogers, a pioneer in the creation of All Things Go, which began in 2014 at a significantly smaller venue, Union Market, able to hold just 1,000 people. 

The following afternoon, the festival started up again, ready for a fresh set of concertgoers, musical acts, chaos, and pleasure. Day two held arguably more exciting headliners, definitely larger ones. As day turned to night, Boygenius, the supergroup trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, amazed the amphitheater for 90 minutes with a combination of heavenly harmonies, superb instrumentals, and gut-wrenching lyrics. Then MUNA, an 80’s-esque pop band known for its spearheading role in the queer music industry, took the stage at the Chrysalis. Finally, arrived by far the biggest act of the weekend: Lana Del Rey. To attract a musician at the level of global sensation is a testament to the rapid growth and success of All Things Go. Her stage a cinematic scene, her voice the beautiful script, Del Rey enchanted both those who had never heard a song of hers, and those who had camped all afternoon just for her hour and a half long set. 

As Sunday came to a close, people flocked out onto the streets, leaving behind the 48 hours of magic Merriweather had provided to attendees and musicians alike. While the food was expectedly debt-inducing, and the water lines over two hours long, fans found it to be worth it as they witnessed the annual joy that is All Things Go. With this year’s concert not only providing the largest act in its history, but also marking the first two-day event, supporters excitedly look to next fall, wondering how the grandeur of 2023’s festival can be followed up upon.