The Re:SET Concert Series closed its New York run at Forest Hills Stadium this past Sunday, June 18th. The brand-new summer festival welcomed LCD Soundsystem and Boygenius on Days 1 and 2, respectively, and will continue to travel to many major cities across the US. Featuring alternative R&B artists like Fousheé, Toro y Moi, James Blake, and Grammy-winner Steve Lacy, Day 3 of Re:SET was not a show to miss. While some people celebrated their Father’s Day at home, at restaurants, or with family, others attended Sunday’s concert (with their dads) for a day full of dancing, singing, and an overall great time.
Thousands of eager fans lined up hours before doors to secure their spots at the front of the barricade, clearly ready to see their favorite artists. Bright colors flooded the entire venue, as concertgoers interwove the rainbow into their carefully-picked outfits, glittery makeup, and fun hair accessories. Fousheé successfully opened the show with unparalleled energy, exciting her crowd of almost 13,000. Her unique voice goes both ways—sweet and angry. During her performance of “stupid bitch,” she asked the crowd to repeat the lyrics, “I’ll blow your brains out, you stupid bitch” at the start of the song. Screaming into the mic and hitting impressive whistle notes during her other tracks truly wowed her audience—who gave her a well-deserving round of screams and applause at the end of her set.
Next up was Toro y Moi, wearing a bright orange jacket, blue shades, and lime-green nails. His chill, lofi set included songs like “Rose Quartz,” “Laws of the Universe,” and “Magazine.” Perfectly matching his vibe was a montage of cat videos on the large stage screen. Concertgoers were seen dancing, swaying, and twirling to his fresh beats on the tennis court floor and even in the seated sections of the venue.
Toro y Moi is the definition of cool, as he scaled the stage with his swift, nimble movements. Knowing exactly how to keep his crowd engaged, he pointed to the audience members and encouraged them to move their hands up and down in sync. During his and Lacy’s set, Fousheé was even spotted in the general admission section dancing and spinning to the music.
The last opener of the evening was James Blake, who upon entering was greeted with a large roar of applause. The 34-year-old musician from England blew up on TikTok in 2020 for his Frank Ocean cover of “Godspeed.” During his somber and deeply emotional rendition of this song, fans watched in complete awe—certainly mesmerized by his warm vocals and buttery vibratos.
During one particular song, he realized his keyboard was out of tune. While a stagehand replaced his keyboard, James continued on to his next scheduled song on a different instrument. Although his solo vocals are beautiful to listen to with eyes closed, James Blake is also an extremely talented electronic and experimental artist. He blended a variety of different elements into his performances of tracks, “CMYK,” “Hummingbird,” and “Say What You Will.”
The energy before Steve Lacy’s entrance was unmatched. Fans in the seated sections stood on their tippy-toes while those on the floor squished up against one another to get as close to the stage as possible. The buzz of excitement could be felt by anyone, as fans waited eagerly in anticipation for him to come out. A plume of smoke. Deafening screams. A flashing of lights. Another uproar. And finally, his entrance to the stage, wearing his iconic cyberpunk glasses—this time in navy blue. Fans jumped up and down, unable to contain their excitement.
Steve Lacy opened his set with iconic songs like “Buttons,” “Cody Freestyle,” and “Helmet”—all of which are from his latest album Gemini Rights. He vibed to the music, moving his body to the beat as his band and backup singers accompanied him. During “Amber,” he told the crowd to take out their phone flashlights, leading to a beautiful and dreamlike scene as thousands of lights flooded the venue. Lacy is a very talented guitarist, and during many of his tracks, he performed his own guitar solos for the crowd to watch in amazement.
The alternative R&B artist brought out Fousheé during the performance of their song “Sunshine.” The two blended incredibly together on stage, and the crowd reacted accordingly. Before singing his hit songs, “Static,” “Bad Habit,” and “Dark Red,” Lacy said, “Pride month is almost over. It’s time to come out. Look to your neighbor, say, ‘Neighbor, you gay.’” The bisexual artist is proud of his sexuality and serves as a role model for many members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Steve Lacy put his all into Sunday’s performance. Fans sporting his iconic glasses waved and screamed as he made his bittersweet goodbyes. Finishing the night on a glorious note with his performance of “Dark Red,” fans were clearly satisfied by the show’s end.
Coverage of Re:SET Day 1 and Day 2 can be found through these links. Day 1 featured an incredible performance by New York’s beloved LCD Soundsystem, while Day 2 welcomed the iconic girl band called Boygenius. Below is a gallery from Steve Lacy’s closing night—be sure to check it out!
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