Hula for a Cause: A Winning Trifecta (with Four Bands)
If you are like many who plan to drive a day (or days) early for Suwannee Hulaween to enjoy the serenity before the madness begins, we’d like to sprinkle in just a little more music, because four full days of stages slammed with bands isn’t really quite enough, is it?
And that’s so very true when we’re talking about Hula for a Cause, the Wednesday event preceding Hulaween. This event has been held the past two years for hurricane relief. In 2017, the Suwannee area was slammed and flooded by Hurricane Irma. Last year, the event was for the benefit of victims of Hurricane Michael, especially in Mexico Beach.
This year, Hula for a Cause will benefit the local community! Hulaween has partnered with Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp and the Live Oak Music & Arts Foundation, Inc., two local programs that help fund free music camps for children here at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.
Cost of attendance is a $20 cash donation at the door of the Music Hall. Doors at 6:00 p.m. Music starts at 6:30 p.m. The lineup brings together four Southeastern powerhouse bands for a great night of music to get your weekend kickstarted properly.
VOODOO VISIONARY
Voodoo Visionary are no strangers to the spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. Most recently, they blew out a massive set at the inaugural Suwannee Rising Music Festival in April:
That crushing set by The Fritz was followed by another from Atlanta funkateers Voodoo Visionary. They too jumped on the opportunity, coming out to “Testify” (by the light of the moon!). Scottie MacDonald is an engaging front man, cheerleading and singing all the while. Drummer Mac Schmitz kept his foot on the gas, driving the band through a tremendous set, including “Off the Ground” and “True Colors.”
Their set on the Porch stage became incendiary first when they delivered a fine Prince medley: “I Wanna Be Your Lover > Controversy.” And the last dozen minutes or so might be the best performance I’ve ever heard from the quintet: a simply fabulous take on “The Heathen” from their first album, Spirit of the Groove. Bassist Trent Gilson blew it up first, followed by Mike Wilson on guitar in George Benson mode. Then Marcus White threw down a dynamite keyboard solo, and Wilson came back for a straight-up Frank Zappa solo. DAMN!
DR. BACON
Those wild men from North Carolina, Dr. Bacon, are celebrating The Smokedown at this very moment but will also be part of the pre-pre-party. Charles “Bones” Frank reported this for us at The BIG What?:
Oh, Dr. Bacon! How I love thee. No strangers to this stage, having been staples not only at The BIG What? for several years but also at other Shakori Hills festivals, Dr. Bacon burned nighttime air with a career-spanning set that hit every nail on every head. This band is high-energy, high-reward, and I was so happy to see several Bacon first-timers amongst the ranks of the hefty crowd. Dr. Bacon showed up and showed out, and for listeners new and old the Appalachian gypsy jam pioneers demonstrated why they will not be ignored as they continue to rise in people’s hearts and in their attendance.
AJEVA
Ajeva will release their new self-titled album next week at Dunedin Brewery’s OktoBEERfest. This outstanding band from Gulfport (St. Petersburg) have grown even stronger through several personnel changes and are perfect additions for this great night. We caught up with them again in May:
When last we saw Ajeva, at Hometeam New Year’s Rally, the band played a wonderful set. We were all caught off guard when guitarist Skyler Golden announced that he was leaving the band due to physical problems with his hand or arm. At the time, they introduced Elliot Dickinson, whom we already knew, and Mike Nivens, whom many of us did not know, as the band’s new guitarists.
Fast forward five months. This was the first unveiling of this edition of Ajeva, perhaps Ajeva 3.0 or something. And this set was simply mid-blowing. It was, in large part, a brand new setlist, and vocalist Reed Skahill says they are working toward a new album with this new material.
They opened with the funk favorite “Do You Wanna Get Down?”, then “Simulation Portrait” and “745.” Nivens and Dickinson were killing on guitars. And the rhythm section of Ajeva is absolutely rock-solid, with Taylor Gilchrist on bass and Travis ‘Too Tall’ Young on drums. Skahill was styling with a great white jacket as they band romped through “Motown Money.” Mark Mayea danced over his keyboards: synths, organ, electric piano, and clavinet.
Dickinson is a fine vocalist, and he sang “To Welcome You,” followed by another great new tune, “Childhood” with Skahill back on vocal. “New Shiznit” is also indeed new, and it was also excellent, the guitar pyrotechnics really exploding, Nivens first, then Dickinson. The deep groove jam out of “Waves” took us to “Funky Green Men,” always a fan favorite. MC Nook came up for a rap, followed by solos from Nivens and then Mayea on synths. Perfection.
HIGH TEST
Last — but distinctly not least — are High Test from Tallahassee. They had a great set at Orange Blossom Jamboree in May:
My first encounter with High Test was at 3 in the morning at Funktoberfest 2018, when they shot a grand-slam touchdown. This set was even better. Paxton St. John (guitar), Butch Gonzalez (bass), and Brett Crook (drums) were joined by Kalen Mercer (EWI). And artist-at-large Carl Schmidt and violin were back; he played the entire set with High Test, and it was about as high-test as you can get. St. John got some great sounds playing his guitar through a Leslie cabinet. Michael Nivens sat in on “Superstition,” Gonzalez soloing first, then Mercer, Nivens, and Schmidt. Brilliant.
Great cause. Great music. Great reason to get to the park early. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a winning trifecta!
HULA FOR A CAUSE
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