On an unusually cold day in Tampa, Florida, a record crowd gathered for the ninth annual Gasparilla Music Festival. The event is part of a series of festivals and parades in the city, including the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in January and the Gasparilla Film Festival that begins March 17, all named after a mythical pirate who was said to have terrorized the waters of West Florida. The music festival is put on each year in downtown Tampa by the Gasparilla Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports music and education through scholarships, providing instruments to impoverished students through its Recycled Tunes program.
The festival took place in the midst of growing concern over COVID-19, the recent canceling of Austin’s iconic South By Southwest for public health reasons, and recommendations by some to avoid large gatherings. The uneasy situation was mentioned several times throughout Saturday, March 7th, but the show went on.
Gainesville artist Edan Archer kicked off the Ashley HomeStore Stage with a set of mostly mid-tempo outlaw country. Switching between an acoustic guitar and an electric dulcimer, Archer played a flavor of country music that had as much grit as twang. Songs like “Six Wing Angel” and rocker “Dopamine” showed off Archer’s strong voice while the ballads showed off her softer side. “I’m going to play some honky-tonk now, so don’t get scared,” she said before diving into a lively performance of “Younger Man’s Game.” When introducing “No-Good Johnny,” Archer said, “It’s our first time playing it, so it might go on our next album if you like it.” After a positive response to the song, she added, “Please don’t tell my friend that it’s about her boyfriend Johnny.”
Local band Visit Neptune, whose members are all still in high school, played an impressively assured set of hard rock bangers on the Replay Guitar Exchange Stage. Guitarist Riley Buchanan sang in a disaffected baritone over frenetic drums and heavy riffs on songs such as the thumping “Excuse Me Miss.” The band sounded like 90s alt-rock meets Humbug-era Arctic Monkeys, especially on the aggressive “Cocoon Games.”
Another Tampa band, The Black Honkeys, delivered a set of danceable groove rock on the Water Street Tampa Stage. Singer Brother Phil led the festival’s early arrivers in a dance party, as bassist Wil Harris, drummer Steven Tanner, and the rest of the rhythm section laid down hip-shaking beats, like the grooving “What’s the Price.” Through repetition, layering, and call-and-respond lyrics, the Black Honkeys entertained a crowd that was simultaneously shivering and getting scorched by the blinding sun.
Curtis Harding brought his unique soul-hybrid music down from Atlanta. Whether riffing on guitar or jamming on the tambourine, Harding led the band with a flair, playing soul music mixed with blues, classic rock, psychedelia, and other elements. He showed a folksy side on the acoustic ballad “Next Time.” The band’s funky cover of the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” was a highlight, Harding’s smooth vocals gliding across the propulsive beat. The band ended the set with the upbeat retro-soul song “Need Your Love,” setting the stage for the next dance-inducing act.
Brooklyn quintet St. Lucia brought an energetic set of dream-pop music to the main stage. The band struggled against equipment issues but still managed to engage the crowd in what was the most fun performance of the festival to that point. A couple songs into the set, the equipment problems were obvious, with frequent sound breakup and unwanted noise. After trying to play through it, the band then took a short break to test cables and instruments, and the problem got better but was never fully resolved. It’s a shame, because St. Lucia’s performance was outstanding, mixing dancefloor basslines and drum beats with folksy guitars and quirky melodies. Up-tempo shakers like “China Shop” and “Dancing On Glass” were highlights, as was a cover of Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” The band’s best moment was with “Walking Away,” an irresistibly catchy pop song propelled by Ross Clark’s infectious bass groove and singer Jean-Philip Grobler’s staccato guitar strumming.
The best performance of the day was by Long Beach hard rockers Rival Sons. From the initial riffs of opener “End of Forever” to the unintentional closer – because they ran out of time – “Face of Light,” the band tore through a blistering set of heavy riff rock. Scott Holiday’s massive guitar riffs, powerful and gritty, were matched in ferocity only by Jay Buchanan’s howling vocals. Buchanan owned the set with charisma and fire, at times careening across the stage while belting out a scream, at others singing softly and sensitively in his underappreciated croon. Slowing things down for ballad “Where I’ve Been,” Buchanan introduced the song by telling its narrative story, about two characters trying to forgive themselves and receive forgiveness from their lovers for the things they did in the past. Songs like “Feral Roots” and “Shooting Stars” showed the band’s knack for sing-along power ballads, but the band was at its best when flexing its muscles. The head-banging “Secret,” the deep crunch of “Do Your Worst,” and guitar-hero riffing of “Open My Eyes” showcased what Rival Sons do best, jackhammer riffs laying the foundation for Buchanan’s passionate, scorching vocals. When introducing the band, Buchanan modestly stated, “We’re Rival Sons and we play rock & roll music.” During her own set, Brandi Carlile finished the thought, saying, “I don’t think anyone plays rock music better than Rival Sons.”
It’s hard to follow Rival Sons, with their intensity, passion, and virtuosity. Brandi Carlile did as well as anyone could as she closed out the first day of the Gasparilla Music Festival. Opening with the thumping country song “Hold Out Your Hand,” Carlile played a lively set, mostly favoring rock-tinged numbers over softer fare. Songs like “The Story” and “Fulton County Jane Doe” had Carlile stomping, head-banging, and adding a bit of rock flavor to her twangy sound. When the band did soften it up, Carlile’s renowned voice became the focal point. Such was the case with her three-part harmony with brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth in “The Eye” and her cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.” Carlile explained that she had played the song for Mitchell recently and Mitchell, who is not one for compliments, “said it was beautiful so now I’m going to play this song at every show forever.”
The crowd-pleasing “The Joke” showed Carlile’s impressive range, going from soft crooning to soaring histrionics all while maintaining soul. Carlile told stories throughout the performance, giving hints to the tales behind the songs. She said of “The Joke,” “this song has changed my life.” When introducing “The Mother,” she got emotional, talking about the struggles and joys that go along with becoming a parent.
“Thanks for choosing music over fear tonight,” Carlile said, praising the crowd for joining together amid Coronavirus concerns. Carlile and the band ended the set with rocker “Pride and Joy,” they then returned for an encore, Carlile sitting at the piano for the ballad “Party of One.”
The first day of the Gasparilla Music Festival featured an eclectic mix of great music that was able to overcome the rough weather and one band’s equipment problems. It was a celebration of music from an organization trying to expose more youth to the art of music. With this group of artists, it would be hard to not be inspired.
