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It's a bold promoter who chooses mid-August in Florida to book an all-day, outdoor music festival. Planning any type of outside activity is always a roll of the dice during the summer months here in our home state. And, judging from the onslaught of wet weather we've been hit hard with recently, the promoters of Unity Fest at the new Madeira Beach Waterfront Park had to have been checking weather reports steadily and performing their own brand of anti-rain dances leading up to the big day. [Words by Gabe, photos by Tracy]
A full lineup featuring bands and artists most closely associated with the 1980's attracted a wide and varied crowd; everyone from the 40-somethings who grew up on the sounds down to the 20-somethings who view the decade with a wide-eyed sense of nostalgia.
It surely didn't hurt that the festival boasted one of the decade's most consistent and well-loved hit-making outfits as its headliner: securing a newly reformed Culture Club featuring all four original members was a massive coup for the creators of the festival. When it comes to revered and renowned bands from the decade of decadence, it doesn't get a whole lot bigger than the Club, whose lead singer, Boy George is one of the most recognizable and photographed pop stars of the era.
But it would be a long day (and night) before George and company graced us with their own brand of reggae-influenced blue-eyed soul. Mother Nature had her say and made an indelible mark on the day's proceedings.
Starting with blue skies, beaming sunshine and a gorgeous waterside view, the festival got off to a rousing start (albeit a little off the scheduled launch time) with a set from Philadelphia synth/dance outfit Book of Love. The one-time quartet is now functioning as a duo with two of its original members, Susan Ottaviano and Ted Ottaviano (no relation), handling all keyboard and synth duties. Treating fans to a set that included dance club hits "Boy,""I Touch Roses" and "You Make Me Feel So Good," Book of Love set the tone for what promised to be a day of fun and music.
Scheduling conflicts and some unforeseeable snafus led to some quick thinking and juggling of time slots.The day's first hurdle was overcome easily with a flip-flop of the two next artists on the bill.
So, instead of 1990's dance group C+C Music Factory taking the stage, industrial/dance act My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, another group with tunes that have done plenty to fill dance floors since their late '80s emergence, was up. Delivering a short, tight set, TKK, as they're affectionately referred to by fans, did plenty to keep the slowly building audience on their feet and engaged with lead singer Groovie Mann performing in his typical, charismatic style.
As the time for their newly rescheduled set drew closer, C+C ended up having to wait patiently while the elements took center stage and put a huge damper on the event. As the sky opened and a massive downpour erupted, crews worked diligently to cover onstage equipment and ensure no damage would occur. Meanwhile, thousand of fans who'd shown up and filled a variety of differently designated areas ranging from top level VIP enclosures to a general admission field section ran for cover from the unrelenting rain. A sea of ponchos, raincoats and umbrellas were visible across the sections belonging to those who'd remained planted in their seats while the weather raged on. Some attendees assumed the rest of the event would wind up being cancelled and vacated the premises all together.
But, lo and behold, and in true testament to our bizarre weather patterns, the rain stopped several hours later and a steady, balmy breeze blew into the park. The hardworking crews again acted fast and furiously to get the event back on track and clear and dry the main stage.
Now late into the evening (and nearly four hours after their originally-scheduled slot), C+C had their chance to give the reconvened crowd a reason to groove. Now boasting a young female singer, a female DJ and original rapper/vocalist Freedom Williams, the trio delivered a short, energetic set that wasted no time in plowing through some of their best known worldwide dance hits, culminating with their signature song, the massively popular "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." A loud ovation roared from the crowd in reaction to the program getting back on track and for Williams and the current lineup of C+C doing their part to make everyone sweat ... and forget about the rain.
In the blink of an eye, former Soft Cell lead singer Marc Almond was called onto the stage to keep the show going. Without aid from a backing band, Almond sang along to pre-recorded tracks and delivered a brief set. Still boasting his distinctive, rich vocal style, Almond drew the loudest ovation from the mega hit that put him and his former duo Soft Cell on the map. "Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go" became a massive sing-along for the crowd that had waited around patiently for the fest to continue and was ready to make the most of the night.
As a compromise and much to the dismay of many in attendance, synthpop hitmaker Howard Jones was unfortunately bumped completely from the lineup. In order to accommodate headliners Culture Club as a fast approaching neighborhood curfew loomed, Jones made his way centerstage to profusely apologize for the unfortunate scheduling casualty, then led the crowd through an impromptu singalong of one of his biggest hits, "Things Can Only Get Better," promising to return to the area soon to play for those who'd counted on seeing him but were denied the experience.
To make up for the truncated lineup, organizers alerted the faithful who' stuck around that the alcohol stands would be staying open later than expected and the strict curfew that had been established due to the venue being adjacent to a residential neighborhood had been lifted. Not sure how the locals felt about that but the fans who packed the venue sure were elated about the news.
At 11 p.m., the time that the entire event was set to end, Culture Club took the stage. Augmented by three horn players, three dapper female backup singers, percussionists, and a keyboard player, it was obvious this updated version of the Club had expanded. The original lineup of drummer Jon Moss, bassist Mikey Craig and guitarist Roy Hay were posted at their respective spots and appeared only slightly aged from the days of their constant appearances on MTV during their heyday. And, in a flash, the Boy of the hour emerged. Dressed in feathered top hat, an ornate black tailcoat over vibrant pink frock and sparkly sneakers, George looked downright dazzling. Sporting a small cropped beard and a full face of elegantly applied makeup, his presence was still as electrifying as it's always been.
"God bless you for your stamina! And your patience!" George said gleefully before getting right down to business. Opening with one of the Club's biggest hits, "It's A Miracle," the full band made the boisterous crowd forget all about the extended rain delay almost instantly. Craig's funky, booming bass sounded particularly crisp and served as the perfect foundation for the show's opener. George's disbelief that the day was stuck so hard by the torrential downpour was clear. "This is not London! This is Florida!" he laughed.
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya," another of the band's mega hits from 1983, took on a calypso vibe and found most of the band members engaging in a mock conga line. If there's any act capable of effortlessly transforming a dismal situation to a fun-filled dance party, it's Boy George and Culture Club.
Unleashing hit after hit, including a few of Boy's solo charters (including his reggae-soaked cover of Bread's early 1970s soft rock ode, "Everything I Own"), the band also treated fans to some newer material from their forthcoming album, Tribes. Spanning genres and styles, George introduced songs that were influenced by artists as diverse as Sly Stone and Johnny Cash ("one of my personal heroes" as Boy George referred to the Man in Black in his introduction to the country-tinged hoedown, "Runaway Train").
The biggest ovation of the delayed 80-minute set, of course, came when the band launched into it's signature tune, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?". As thousands who'd braved the elements belted along and George's still soulful, yet deeper and raspier vocals filled the breezy night beach air magnificently, all was forgiven.
Wrapping up with another monster hit, "Karma Chameleon" along with an unexpectedly pumping cover of the T.Rex glam rock classic, "Get It On (Bang A Gong)," Boy George and Culture Club made the very best of what could have turned into an ugly, disastrous washout, sprinkled plenty of glitter and good vibes on it, and gave those who toughed it out a night they most certainly won't forget for a long time to come.
Clik here to view.
It's a bold promoter who chooses mid-August in Florida to book an all-day, outdoor music festival. Planning any type of outside activity is always a roll of the dice during the summer months here in our home state. And, judging from the onslaught of wet weather we've been hit hard with recently, the promoters of Unity Fest at the new Madeira Beach Waterfront Park had to have been checking weather reports steadily and performing their own brand of anti-rain dances leading up to the big day. [Words by Gabe, photos by Tracy]
A full lineup featuring bands and artists most closely associated with the 1980's attracted a wide and varied crowd; everyone from the 40-somethings who grew up on the sounds down to the 20-somethings who view the decade with a wide-eyed sense of nostalgia.
It surely didn't hurt that the festival boasted one of the decade's most consistent and well-loved hit-making outfits as its headliner: securing a newly reformed Culture Club featuring all four original members was a massive coup for the creators of the festival. When it comes to revered and renowned bands from the decade of decadence, it doesn't get a whole lot bigger than the Club, whose lead singer, Boy George is one of the most recognizable and photographed pop stars of the era.
But it would be a long day (and night) before George and company graced us with their own brand of reggae-influenced blue-eyed soul. Mother Nature had her say and made an indelible mark on the day's proceedings.
Starting with blue skies, beaming sunshine and a gorgeous waterside view, the festival got off to a rousing start (albeit a little off the scheduled launch time) with a set from Philadelphia synth/dance outfit Book of Love. The one-time quartet is now functioning as a duo with two of its original members, Susan Ottaviano and Ted Ottaviano (no relation), handling all keyboard and synth duties. Treating fans to a set that included dance club hits "Boy,""I Touch Roses" and "You Make Me Feel So Good," Book of Love set the tone for what promised to be a day of fun and music.
Scheduling conflicts and some unforeseeable snafus led to some quick thinking and juggling of time slots.The day's first hurdle was overcome easily with a flip-flop of the two next artists on the bill.
So, instead of 1990's dance group C+C Music Factory taking the stage, industrial/dance act My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, another group with tunes that have done plenty to fill dance floors since their late '80s emergence, was up. Delivering a short, tight set, TKK, as they're affectionately referred to by fans, did plenty to keep the slowly building audience on their feet and engaged with lead singer Groovie Mann performing in his typical, charismatic style.
As the time for their newly rescheduled set drew closer, C+C ended up having to wait patiently while the elements took center stage and put a huge damper on the event. As the sky opened and a massive downpour erupted, crews worked diligently to cover onstage equipment and ensure no damage would occur. Meanwhile, thousand of fans who'd shown up and filled a variety of differently designated areas ranging from top level VIP enclosures to a general admission field section ran for cover from the unrelenting rain. A sea of ponchos, raincoats and umbrellas were visible across the sections belonging to those who'd remained planted in their seats while the weather raged on. Some attendees assumed the rest of the event would wind up being cancelled and vacated the premises all together.
But, lo and behold, and in true testament to our bizarre weather patterns, the rain stopped several hours later and a steady, balmy breeze blew into the park. The hardworking crews again acted fast and furiously to get the event back on track and clear and dry the main stage.
Now late into the evening (and nearly four hours after their originally-scheduled slot), C+C had their chance to give the reconvened crowd a reason to groove. Now boasting a young female singer, a female DJ and original rapper/vocalist Freedom Williams, the trio delivered a short, energetic set that wasted no time in plowing through some of their best known worldwide dance hits, culminating with their signature song, the massively popular "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." A loud ovation roared from the crowd in reaction to the program getting back on track and for Williams and the current lineup of C+C doing their part to make everyone sweat ... and forget about the rain.
In the blink of an eye, former Soft Cell lead singer Marc Almond was called onto the stage to keep the show going. Without aid from a backing band, Almond sang along to pre-recorded tracks and delivered a brief set. Still boasting his distinctive, rich vocal style, Almond drew the loudest ovation from the mega hit that put him and his former duo Soft Cell on the map. "Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go" became a massive sing-along for the crowd that had waited around patiently for the fest to continue and was ready to make the most of the night.
As a compromise and much to the dismay of many in attendance, synthpop hitmaker Howard Jones was unfortunately bumped completely from the lineup. In order to accommodate headliners Culture Club as a fast approaching neighborhood curfew loomed, Jones made his way centerstage to profusely apologize for the unfortunate scheduling casualty, then led the crowd through an impromptu singalong of one of his biggest hits, "Things Can Only Get Better," promising to return to the area soon to play for those who'd counted on seeing him but were denied the experience.
To make up for the truncated lineup, organizers alerted the faithful who' stuck around that the alcohol stands would be staying open later than expected and the strict curfew that had been established due to the venue being adjacent to a residential neighborhood had been lifted. Not sure how the locals felt about that but the fans who packed the venue sure were elated about the news.
At 11 p.m., the time that the entire event was set to end, Culture Club took the stage. Augmented by three horn players, three dapper female backup singers, percussionists, and a keyboard player, it was obvious this updated version of the Club had expanded. The original lineup of drummer Jon Moss, bassist Mikey Craig and guitarist Roy Hay were posted at their respective spots and appeared only slightly aged from the days of their constant appearances on MTV during their heyday. And, in a flash, the Boy of the hour emerged. Dressed in feathered top hat, an ornate black tailcoat over vibrant pink frock and sparkly sneakers, George looked downright dazzling. Sporting a small cropped beard and a full face of elegantly applied makeup, his presence was still as electrifying as it's always been.
"God bless you for your stamina! And your patience!" George said gleefully before getting right down to business. Opening with one of the Club's biggest hits, "It's A Miracle," the full band made the boisterous crowd forget all about the extended rain delay almost instantly. Craig's funky, booming bass sounded particularly crisp and served as the perfect foundation for the show's opener. George's disbelief that the day was stuck so hard by the torrential downpour was clear. "This is not London! This is Florida!" he laughed.
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya," another of the band's mega hits from 1983, took on a calypso vibe and found most of the band members engaging in a mock conga line. If there's any act capable of effortlessly transforming a dismal situation to a fun-filled dance party, it's Boy George and Culture Club.
Unleashing hit after hit, including a few of Boy's solo charters (including his reggae-soaked cover of Bread's early 1970s soft rock ode, "Everything I Own"), the band also treated fans to some newer material from their forthcoming album, Tribes. Spanning genres and styles, George introduced songs that were influenced by artists as diverse as Sly Stone and Johnny Cash ("one of my personal heroes" as Boy George referred to the Man in Black in his introduction to the country-tinged hoedown, "Runaway Train").
The biggest ovation of the delayed 80-minute set, of course, came when the band launched into it's signature tune, "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?". As thousands who'd braved the elements belted along and George's still soulful, yet deeper and raspier vocals filled the breezy night beach air magnificently, all was forgiven.
Wrapping up with another monster hit, "Karma Chameleon" along with an unexpectedly pumping cover of the T.Rex glam rock classic, "Get It On (Bang A Gong)," Boy George and Culture Club made the very best of what could have turned into an ugly, disastrous washout, sprinkled plenty of glitter and good vibes on it, and gave those who toughed it out a night they most certainly won't forget for a long time to come.