Dark rain clouds hovered in the sky on May 3, but that didn’t stop thousands of music lovers from pouring into the Florida State Fairgrounds for a weekend of bands, food and rides at Big Guava Music Festival. As one of the only festivals of this caliber in Florida, the event garnered high expectations before the weekend even started.
The line-up was jam-packed with the likes of Outkast, Vampire Weekend and Foster The People as headliners. The smaller bands didn’t disappoint either, with on-the-rise acts such as HAIM and American Authors performing exhilarating sets.
If you wanted a break from enjoying the music, there were plenty of other activities such as classic carnival rides, ranging from a speeding roller coaster to the exciting yet nausea-inducing Gravitron. In fact, there were almost too many rides for most festival-goers to enjoy them all in the three days of the event.
If rides weren’t your speed, there was plenty of fun to be had strolling among the many food trucks and artsy vendors, which sold everything from unique paintings to recycled vintage clothing.
The whole point of the weekend was to experience great music that isn’t often found in such a high abundance in Florida, and Big Guava surpassed even the highest expectations. If you missed out on the fun this year, don’t worry because next year’s festival is already in the works, and you definitely don’t want to miss it.
Outkast
The reunion of Andre 3000 and Big Boi Patton, collectively Outkast, brought an explosive performance to the Big Guava Stage on the festival’s opening night. The curtain opened to the unmoving pair, before they launched into action with a contagious energy that didn’t stop for the entire show. The fact that they hadn’t performed in Florida in over a decade only made the audience more excited as they performed hit songs from their entire career. The pair performed to a rowdy pit with a crazily deafening volume. They were able to connect with an audience who was clearly happy to see them after they had been away for so long. Collectively, the duo executed a vigorous and electric performance, which hopefully marked Outkast’s return to the music scene for good.
American Authors
American Authors had a stellar performance to kick off the day on Saturday. The band, which is relatively new to the scene, performed to an ecstatic crowd who eagerly shouted back song lyrics. They had a great set, with hit songs such as “Believer” and “Hit It,” and the audience’s familiarity with them clearly proved the band’s popularity. Lead singer Zac Barnett informed the crowd that they were about to provide some “country for the South” before launching into their own rendition of the well-loved “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line. Overall, the band had an electric set and demonstrated that its spot on the top of the charts was indeed well-deserved.
Haim
Haim was the highlight of the entire festival experience. It’s been so long since there’s been a such a well-respected female rock ‘n’ roll band, and Haim fills that gap seamlessly. Hitting the stage with un-fussy outfits and perfectly dishevelled hair, the three Haim sisters pulled off the “not-trying-but-trying” look effortlessly. If there was one word to describe them, it would be cool—their individuality oozed into the audience who lapped it up like parched dogs in the sun. Oldest sister Este held frequent conversations with the crowd and brought a family vibe to the set. The girls proved their musical chops with an impromptu “family jam sesh,” with Danielle expertly pulling off extremely complicated guitar riffs. Baby sister Alana rounded out the trio, perfectly balancing the older two’s antics with an aura of cool. Haim is definitely a must-see for any music lover, and this family is here to stay.
Slightly Stoopid
Slightly Stoopid offered a laid-back set to festival-goers who needed a little bit of a break. They emitted feel-good vibes in the form of their well-loved reggae-hip-hop-funk-blues sound. The audience was swaying to the music and just having a genuinely good time. Slightly Stoopid has a knack for emitting a laid-back energy that earns it the reputation as a must-see touring act.
Terraplane Sun
Terraplane Sun was arguably the most underrated band of the festival. That being said, they completely shattered everyone’s expectations and soared to the top, drawing in hundreds of awestruck fans by the end of their set. A man in the audience perfectly described the moment while practically sprinting to the Big Guava Stage for Vampire Weekend following the set: “That’s why schedules at festivals get thrown off—good bands like that.” The highlight of the set was definitely the closing song, “Get Me Golden,” with fans shouting the lyrics back to the band. Terraplane Sun definitely gained a large new following after its infectious performance. Make sure to check out our pre-set interview with the band, which can be found under The Bite at thetrinityvoice.com.
Vampire Weekend
Expectations were high for Saturday’s headliner, and alt-rock band Vampire Weekend certainly didn’t disappoint. The audience was sent into a state of ecstatic chaos when the band took to the stage with hit songs like “Diane Young” and “Campus,” which the audience collectively shouted back to the stage. The girls were out in full force and screaming for lead singer Ezra Koenig as he delivered impeccable vocals while maintaining an untouchably cool aura. Even for people who weren’t as familiar with the band, it was impossible not to bounce around to the infectious beats. Vampire Weekend lived up to the challenge of being one of the most looked-forward-to acts of the festival and passed with flying colors.
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience is, without a doubt, one of the most unique acts out there in the music world right now. After the legendary Led Zeppelin broke up following the death of Jason Bonham’s father, John Bonham, many Zeppelin fans were left heartbroken after realizing they would never get to see their favorite band live. Times have changed, and Jason Bonham is giving them that chance with his Led Zeppelin Experience. Led Zeppelin songs are infamously challenging to play, but the musicians in the Experience are second-to-none. They played Zeppelin music live the way it was originally recorded, and that should be enough reason alone to catch the band next time it comes to town. They provided Big Guava with a truly touching and incredible performance that won’t be forgotten for a long time coming.
