I spent the weekend after my 44th birthday surrounded by twenty-somethings for an eclectic mix of music at the 2017 Okeechobee Music + Arts Festival.
At one point I posted on Facebook that I was probably the 5th oldest person there. That was before I spotted and elderly couple dressed as pandas. So maybe 7th, really.
Having sold out in advance in its first two seasons, this eclectic pop, hip-hop and electronic dominated festival is poised to become on of the hottest destinations on the festival scene.
Solange was an absolute goddess in white as she performed most of her release A Seat at the Table, her 2012 hit “Losing You,” and Selena's “I Could Fall in Love”.
Usher joined The Roots for a collaboration of hits like “Let It Burn,” “Confessions Pt. 2,” “You Got It Bad,” and "OMG". His tradeoffs with The Roots front man Black Thought were seemingly effortless and something that needs to happen again. I get the feeling that fans will be talking about this funky summit for quite some time.
And Sturgill Simpson. Wow. The lone twang in a night full of beats and lasers, this dude was f#@*in' on fire. Fresh off his first major-label release, "A Sailor's Guide to Earth," that won him him Best Country Album honors at the 59th Grammy Awards, he proved himself not in need of the typical Nashville studio magic with some blisteringly impressive guitar work and a rock solid band. If he is the future of country music, bring it.
Rae Sremmurd's performance was frantic, heavy and smokin'. I was pretty much only familiar with "Black Beatles" but the throng of thousands seemingly new every word and every beat all the way to the back. These guys from Tupelo, Mississippi are the real deal with thousands of boots on the ground to back them up.
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