Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival: Thursday & Friday Recap
It’s not uncommon for a festival to strive to be the “best festival.” Most swing for the fences right off the bat and end off either falling short of expectations or dumping all their resources into talent and production and are left in the red due to low ticket sales or poor organization. They are lucky to see a second or third year, and in many cases some of our most beloved festivals have had to take hiatuses to regroup. It even took Bonnaroo 15 years to get where it is now.
This has not been the case with Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival. Buzz for the “Bonnaroo-style” festival began years ago when they first pulled the permits to hold it on a failed housing development in south Florida. But with two years of careful planning by industry veterans, you would never know this was a first-year festival. Sold out in year one. Happy campers. Beautiful grounds. A stellar lineup. Production value that rivals its much larger and well-established inspirations. Where did this thing come from?!
I struggle to even know where to begin, so let’s start with the basics:
Camping – If you have ever been to any other large-scale camping fest, this is really no different. You park; you camp next to you car. Okeechobee was generous in their space allotment, with one car easily having enough space for two canopies and several tents. There is also a large, shaded tent-only camping section. Where fests like Bonnaroo have all the action on one side of the land (which can make for a lengthy walk), Okeechobee put the goods in the middle, with camping spreading out in all directions from there. To say they make the best use of their space is an understatement. And if you get tired, just grab a peddle cab. I like the one that is decorated like a pirate ship.
Grounds – It’s tough to know what you’re getting into with a festival’s first run. We knew there would be lots of trees and a beach. They definitely have those things. There’s plenty of natural shade. And a small beach. But it’s the enclaves of awesome BEHIND the trees that have blown people’s minds. The tall Florida pines create barriers between the different sections of the festival, and at night they come alive with lights. Existing infrastructure makes getting around easy, and there’s lots of cool stuff to check out 24 hours a day. You certainly can’t beat that.
Music – Thursday was the “unofficial” first day for those who got four-day upgrades or paid extra for the additional day. The Grove, the main venue, wasn’t open yet. It gave people ample time to explore, and there was certainly no lack of music. Aquachobee Beach kicked things off right with the likes of Spam Allstars, followed by a jam of all things funky and good with what was dubbed Okeechobee Allstars. Big Wild had everyone dancing before it came time for the late-night Jungle 51 stage to kick off. Not to mention all the other things going on, like an open jam, fire displays, and so much more.
Friday wasted no time in arriving; the tunes started early and just didn’t stop. Okeechobee is a highly digestible festival. The stages, especially in the main venue, are very close together, and there isn’t a ton of overlap. So once you’re in there, you’re in there. Be. Here. Now. Those are the names of the three main stages for a reason.
Sunbears! Kicked things off, and so it went from there. Moon Hooch provided us with intense dueling saxophones. The Oh Hellos have ridiculous energy, with members jumping into the crowd. Twiddle, a jam band from Vermont, was the perfect midday stopping point to dance for a bit and enjoy the beautiful weather. Other sets from Grace Potter, X Ambassadors, Marian Hill, and Nahko and Medicine for the People all filled the air. We were also treated to an unexpected treat during Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters – a SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral dancing across the dusk sky.
Then things got crazy. Okeechobee wasted no time is stacking the late-night lineup. After Hall and Oates, Hundred Waters split the crowd. At one point they mistakenly thought someone holding a State of Florida flag was a confederate flag, publicly scorning the poor guy. She was quick to apologize, however, and brought him up on stage while she sang an acoustic version of “Show Me Love” to him. RL Grime got the late nights kicked off just right (have I mentioned the sound quality at this place yet? It’s amazing.).
It’s also no secret that Bassnectar brings a rowdy crowd, and they got what they came for. I have always been skeptical of DJs on main stages, but he pulls it off. We didn’t make it over to Portugal. The Man. There was no getting out of the Bassnectar crowd once you were in there. But the energy was palpable. You didn’t really want to move. And what’s there to do after Bassnectar? Dance your way over to some funk salad with Lettuce with special guest Kamasi Washington (who had his own amazing set earlier in the evening)!
See also: fire spinners until 5:30 am, and all-night DJ sets in the Jungle and even more music at the Moksha stage. Did I mention it’s only FRIDAY? Where did this festival come from?