Riptide Music Festival Continues to Deliver
It had to end: the third installment of Riptide Music Festival is finally in the books. The three-day festival that took over Fort Lauderdale Beach with over 30 music artists who brought their very best and put on memorable performances that left those attending wanting the music to go on and on.
The highly attended festival took place at the Fort Lauderdale Beach and brought artists such as Panic at the Disco, The Jacksons, 311, Sublime with Rome, Young the Giant, Third Eye Blind, and Collective Soul and even a few classics acts like The Sugar Hill Gang and Sheila E. joined the lineup.
Riptide Festival 2018
The warm South Florida temps were what many wanted in the first week of December while other parts of the nation experienced their first major snowstorms of the year. In addition to the music, those attending experienced 3-D photography and virtual reality demos. There were plenty of beverage stations that served both cocktails and brews and a few lounges to escape the sun in between acts.
Music festivals have become much more than just the music. The experiences are what becomes memorable long after the music has ended. The Ford Lounge was just that type of place. It’s a place to hang with your friends and meet some new ones. It offered a stage where there was plenty of music in an acoustic setting with plenty of places to sit, enjoy the music, and forget about life for awhile.
Friday at Riptide Fest
The festival kicked off Friday evening with plenty of performances by ’80s bands The Sugar Hill Gang, Baha Men, Lisa Lisa, Sheila E., and The Jacksons. Some came out to find out who let the dogs out while others wondered if the Jacksons still wanted us? The turnout Friday night was surprisingly light considering that the evening was nearly picture-perfect weather-wise. All the bands performed as expected, but the memorable performance that night was by the highly energetic Sheila E. True fans of the Jacksons were slightly disappointed because Jermaine Jackson was absent. Regardless, it was a night for fans of the Jacksons to reconnect with at three of the five original band members.
Alternative & Indie Rock Ruled Saturday
Saturday was entirely different. Thankfully, the music onstage was super high energy and mostly fun. The mostly younger crowd came out to see many pop and indie bands that are quickly making names for themselves. Although most of the bands were not headliners, many have current hits playing on the radio. Saturday saw Sublime with Rome, Young the Giant, Dirty Heads, and Robert Delong among other youngish indie bands all rock fans should know. The Dirty Heads’ performance stood out and thrilled the crowd with their enthusiastic energy and lyrics.
As Saturday wore on, the crowds began to swell. For those who didn’t arrive early, they had to make a stand somewhere towards the back of the beach as everyone anxiously waited for Panic at the Disco. One of the fun moments that night was before the headliner took the stage, as thousands upon thousands all sang in harmony to Toto’s mega-hit “Africa.” It was refreshing to hear the new generation singing a somewhat forgotten hit from the early eighties.
Panic at the Disco was the absolute showstopper on this breezy, cool evening, heating up the night with the sounds of Brendon Urie belting out nearly every one of their hit songs. Their set included their recent hit “High Hopes” and other fan favorites like “Miss Jackson” and “Death of a Bachelor.” They paid homage to Queen by covering the incredibly popular “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Day three, or rock Sunday, was quite different in terms of music and who was there. It was a day to chill on the beach and listen to staples of rock music along with some up-and-coming bands.
Sunday’s lineup brought together some well known early ’90s bands like Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind, 311 and Live. Supporting the day were performers like Matt and Kim, The Crystal Method, Everclear, Just Loud and a few others.
The crowd was considerably smaller, and there was plenty of space on the beach to spread a blanket and indulge in a beverage of choice. The somewhat older crowd was quite a contrast to the screaming twenty-somethings from the night before.
Sunday’s lineup was also smaller in terms of the number of bands performing that day. That, however, didn’t deter those who came for a rock show to get their fill from their favorite bands. The hands-down the best performance was delivered by Collective Soul, who kicked their set off by playing their biggest hit, “Shine.” Lead singer Ed Roland sounded strong lyrically while being supported by the other members of the band.
The debate among those in attendance was why Collective Soul was not the headliner. Sunday night’s headliner was 311, who earned quite a bit of praise from those who were there to witness their multi-genre style of music. 311 has maintained the same members for the majority of their existence. It was no coincidence that they are a headline act, and they delivered exactly what everyone came for.
The night’s biggest surprise was Live. The combination of Ed Kowalczyk‘s powerful voice and Chad Taylor‘s guitar licks made for an epic performance. Live’s musical style was just right for the Riptide rock crowd’s intense thirst for a solid rock performance. Live didn’t disappoint.
As the weekend came to a close, and the music festival came to an end; the vendors shut down their booths, and the bands’ tour buses moved on to their next stops, it was time to sit back and reflect on an amazing weekend that brought together a variety of people representing not only diversity in race, culture, and gender but a group that shared a passion for great music and a subculture that can only be described as united. Many are already looking forward to the first week in September, when next year’s Riptide Music Festival lineup is announced.
