My review is officially up on the 99X website. Check it out and the pics I took too!
http://www.99x.com/common/more.php?m=15&r=1&item_id=72
Here is the full review since it won't be on the 99X site much longer. However, you can still check out the photos I took here.
Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn decided Orlando needed a music festival and felt the Citrus Bowl was the perfect place to do it. The Citrus Bowl housed the main stage with 4 smaller stages spread outside the west and south side of the stadium. The festival wanted to remain green, so they conveniently set up the line-up schedule next to the Heineken tent, rather than pass out glossy printouts. For a festival in its infancy, Festival Republic’s Orlando Calling experiment was organized and efficient for the most part regarding information, travel, bathrooms (real bathrooms instead of just porta potties); combine that with a stacked line-up and great weather, and I can see the festival returning next year. However, don’t expect the festival to turn into a Bonnaroo--think more Music Midtown.
Saturday offered a line-up for the younger crowd with favorites like Kid Cudi, The Avett Brothers, The Raconteurs, and The Killers. Freecreditscore.com had their own stage and to push the sponsorship even more, The American Secrets band responsible for the company’s catchy commercials made an appearance at noon. South African band Civil Twilight enraptured the crowd with single “Letters from The Sky” at the tented stage, and brother/guitarist Andrew McKellan joined the talented of those, (festival performers David Mayfield and Buddy Guy) who can play upside down. Iron and Wine just coming from Atlanta’s concert from Friday night appeared refreshed and ready to perform songs like “Freedom Hangs Like Heaven,” a bluesy, catchy tune and endearing “Tree By The River.”
I moved over to the Main Stage during the end of Kid Cudi’s act with song “Pursuit of Happiness,” a slow and quiet, but no less memorable “rap” about living life to the fullest in any circumstance. The Avett Brothers took the stage next with Seth Avett’s notorious beard shaven since I last saw them in Atlanta. The band usually likes to get the crowd going early and they were no different this time around with “And It Spread” and “Go to Sleep,” getting the crowd to clap and “lala” along. The brothers surprised the audience with a traditional gospel song, but perhaps not so surprising since religion is buried into many of their songs. However, don’t put the Avetts on a pedestal yet, a couple songs later they sang fast-paced “Wanted Man,” which Seth explains is “about killing your girlfriend’s boyfriend.” The Pixies next on the bill received a cheer from the crowd as they announced their performance would consist of the whole 1989 Doolittle album. One fan gushed, “The bass player is adorable! I like girls that can rock out,” when talking about the quirky Kim Deal. The album’s off-the-wall numbers like “La La Love You” and “Monkey Goes to Heaven” kept in theme with the different videos playing behind the band, such as psychedelic purple tunnels and walking cartoon hearts. After the finale, the band played about four more songs, such as “Nimrod’s Son” and “Gigantic” for encore; they were the first act to come back on stage of the night. Next were The Raconteurs, and I was interested in seeing Jack White perform with his project band, since the last time I saw him was for a White Stripes concert at 99X’s “On The Rocks” back in 2003. White pairs well with fellow singer/guitarist Brendan Benson, both giving thrilling shrills of the electrical guitar for “Level” and “Broken Boy Soldier.” White asked the crowd, “Do you guys feel good? Well, so do I damn it! Let’s do it!” before leading into the dark jam of “Blue Veins” before encore and leaving the crowd in awe of the band’s unmistakable talent. Fan Jon Staples declared the intricate guitar sounds of the song reminded him of Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You,” unable to suppress his admiration for his first Raconteurs show. The crowd called for more naturally, and The Raconteurs returned to grace us with a vengeful “Salute Your Solution,” and a free style rendition of “Steady, As She Goes.”
With an hour between sets until The Killers, many of us in the front camped down after five hours of stellar music to rest our knees and backs, trying to push through the next two hours without food or bathroom breaks. The Killers made a special appearance for some lucky fans that waited hours for a last-minute free private performance at The Beacham in downtown Orlando on Friday night (Nov. 11). A double performance was what die-hards needed, considering The Killers have been touring in Europe the past couple of years. The band took to the stage starting with “Spaceman” and “Somebody Told Me” while singer Brandon Flowers constantly moved across the stage jumping onto speakers casting a black silhouette against the colorful backdrop of lights and video screen. A bright bulbed “K” keyboard was set up for Flowers’ disposal during songs like “All These Things I’ve Done,” with the final number ending in an explosion of white confetti that looked like snow falling down onto the crowd. Drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. got his solos at the end and threw out not one, but several drumsticks after the main set and encore. Encore included “This Is Your Life,” “Jenny Was A Friend of Mine,” and “When You Were Young,” while fiery desert sunsets played in the background and real fire sparkles rained down on the band.
Day two brought out the rocker fans of the sixties and seventies decked out in rocker cowboy attire for well-established musicians Buddy Guy, Del McCoury, The Warren Haynes Band, Kid Rock, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, and Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. It was all about the complex guitar playing and saxophones for Sunday. I started the day off with 99X’s “Unplugged In The Park” alum the David Mayfield Parade at the freecreditscore.com stage, excited to see David Mayfield’s peculiar and humorous stage persona just as much as his guitar techniques. The band did not disappoint, and I think converted many passer-bys who were unaware of the talent that claimed the stage. Mayfield and his band seduced the crowd with fluttery lashes, mock arrogance, and trance-like, get-down-on-the-floor playing for songs like “Human Cannonball” and “Rye Whiskey.” Mayfield introduced his ability to play guitar upside down rapidly, claiming “That’s really difficult to do,” and tune his strings to a coherent beat while surprisingly not breaking a string.
The Warren Haynes Band performed on the main stage and performed for a sizeable enough audience really starting off the day for classic rock fans. Kentucky boys Ben Sollee (cellist/singer) and percussionist Jordon Ellis brought us something different and intimate on the Festival Republic stage, crooning slow and prettily with traditional cello for “Prettiest Tree on The Mountain” and entering the jazzy folk sound for “I Want to Be Close to You.” One of the unforgettable acts to see was legendary Buddy Guy at the Authentic stage whose youthful personality and good-natured, if somewhat dirty, humor kept the crowd begging for more. True blues and jazz man Guy introduced his track “74 Years Young” from his latest album Living Proof as “I’m going to play something so funky you can smell it!” He certainly didn’t run out of ways to play his guitar…against his silk shirt, with a towel, behind him, with his teeth, and even one handed. Commenting on legends that taught him what he knows today, bits of John Lee Hooker and Jimi Hendrix appeared from the grave in Guy’s fingers. Those who caught one of the several picks he threw out to the crowd were lucky to now own a piece of Rolling Stones magazine’s thirtieth out of a 100 declared “Greatest Guitarist of All Time.” Blake Shelton was the next main stage act and the only modern country-pop act, since Kid Rock is more of a combination of hard rock and country. Shelton’s good looks and sweet lyrics of “Arizona” and new single “Honeybee” certainly kept the women in good spirits. Kid Rock’s performance created frenzy, however, electrifying the audience. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” paused at “Just a city boy. Born and raised in south Detroit,” for Kid Rock to come out full force with his ready-to-party and rock and roll attitude and led into “Devil Without A Cause.” Kid Rock approached the DJ table to spin with his elbow, while drinking and smoking, and even with his feet for “Fuckin’ Forty,” his tribute song to him getting older. There were crowd pleasers like fireballs for “You’re So Hot” and sing-alongs “Feels Good To Me” and “Cat Scratch Fever.”
Just missing the end of The Drive-by Truckers, I wandered to the Festival Republic stage to see what the band there had to offer while waiting for Bob Seger’s performance. I seemed to have stumbled on a golden nugget of the festival that had me dancing to reggae punkish vibes. For Sublime fans, local Florida band The Supervillians is one to watch out for, dreadlocks and all. Singer and drummer Dominic “Dom” Maresco’s magnetic personality and the band's dynamic performance pumped up the crowd with songs like“Car Sex (Get It On)” and “Johnny Too Bad.”
Back at the main stage, Bob Seger headlined the last day of the Orlando Calling festival and rocked out to songs like “Going Back to Birmingham” and “Sunspot Baby.” Across the stadium fans sang along to “Turn The Page,” the saxophonist showcasing his melancholy notes for the crowd. Seger didn’t disappoint, tapping into those true rock and roll concerts where there are back-up singers, and at least ten people playing an instrument on stage ready to prolong any song for an intense jam out session. Kid Rock, not quite done with Orlando yet, returned to the stage during Seger’s performance for “Real Mean Bottle.” A fitting duet since Kid Rock inducted Bob Seger into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2004.
It is unknown yet if Festival Republic will return Orlando Calling for 2012, but if it pulls out another impressive line-up I think the festival will survive because who can really turn down a chance to see legendary artists all in one place in sunshine weather?
Check out some of the videos here:
The Avett Brothers
Iron and Wine
The Raconteurs
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