April 2017 Vandala Magazine

a great rocking band the set was full of energy.

The Growlers brought their California jam rock sounds to a twilight set just as the trees in the forest were lit up for the evening. It was a magical moody set on the smaller Here stage. At the same time on the main Be stage, the New York City band The Bleachers formed by the musical genius Jack Antonoff, rocked for another large crowd. The animated Antonoff raced about the stage playing fierce guitar licks and seemingly making eye contact with nearly ever music fan in the audience. The singer songwriter has produced and written songs for some of the biggest pop stars in America. But he is also a consummate showman himself.

Anderson Paak and his new band The Free Nationals created a near frenzy in the huge crowd assembled in front of the now stage. The American singer, songwriter, rapper, drummer, and record producer from Oxnard, California worked the crowd racing about the stage and chatting up the adulate audience. It is hard to believe that Paak was homeless with his young son and wife after losing his job at a Santa Barbara marijuana farm less than six years ago. Now he is at the top of the food chain with tens of thousands of music fans screaming his name at Okeechobee.

Back across the dusty field with lights flashing in the night sky The Lumineers brought their Colorado brand of Americana music to another huge crowd at the Be stage.

Exhausted most fans swayed to their music and chanted the chorus to the bands biggest hit songs.

As Anderson Park finished his set on the Now stage many tired festivals goers collapsed in place. At the same time an army of ravers head towards the stage for what would be the most well attended set of the final day. While The Lumineers were over playing their Americana brand of Colorado music, another Colorado native was about to take the Now stage in a different direction. Derek Vincent Smith, better known by his stage name Pretty Lights lit up the night sky with his now famous light and laser show. The veteran festival performer brought several other keyboardists and a drummer with him to the show to produce a rich multi layered EDM soundtrack.

The huge crowd loved the music and the light show staying until the end.

The Nashville alternative rockers, Kings of Leon played the closing set to a smaller crowd. The band played their usual over the top hit laden set but for some unknown reason ended their set a half hour earlier than their scheduled set time. Most music fans who were watching the entire Pretty Lights set missed the final rock set by the Nashville rockers but didn't seem to mind.

A happy epilogue reported in a local newspaper, local prosecutor Ashley Albright poured over more than 60 drug arrests made at the Okeechobee Music Fest, and determined 40 of those had to be dropped.

Okeechobee Music Festival www.okeechobeefest.com www.twitter.comfokeechobeefest 72 VandalaMagazine.Com - April 2017