Whether you are a dedicated concert attendee or just looking to have a fun day enjoying live music with some friends, Tampa’s music festival season is here to suit your needs. A handful of festivals featuring an eclectic group of artists and genres from classic rock to soul music to indie rock and house music will be gracing the Tampa Bay area with their presence.
Tampa’s music festivals are obviously much smaller than famous ones such as Chicago’s Lollapalooza or Tennessee’s Bonnaroo, but that does not mean the quality of the performers isn’t up to par with them. Many of the same artists and more will be attending this year’s music festivals in Tampa, ready to provide summertime entertainment to fans both young and old.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize how many music festivals come to Tampa,” said William Klingbeil, a senior biology major at UT. “I went to a couple different ones last year and had a really great time. I discovered some new artists that I ended up getting hooked on. I would definitely suggest checking out at least one of the festivals.”
Coming up later this month on Friday, April 25, Tampa’s rock radio station, 98 Rock, will be putting on their annual 98ROCKFEST at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. A variety of rock bands will be performing such as Avenged Sevenfold, Volbeat, Chevelle, Black Stone Cherry, Saigon Kick, The Pretty Reckless, Trivium, Lacuna Coil, Fozzy and many more. Many of the tickets have already sold out, but there
are still some available with prices ranging from $19 to $59.
If you’re a fan of indie rock music, roller coasters, beer and food, then the Big Guava Music Festival is calling your name. This is a three-day festival happening May 2 to May 4 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa featuring indie rock and pop bands such as Foster the People, Tegan and Sara, Slightly Stoopid, Outkast, Girl Talk and more. Amusement park rides, beer and food trucks will also be present at the event. Daily tickets range from $65 to $148.50 and a three-day pass can be purchased for $499.
“I’m a huge fan of Foster the People and Tegan and Sara, so I was really excited when I found out they were both performing at Big Guava Music Festival,” said Emma Hanley, a junior management and marketing major at UT. “I love going to festivals because you get to see so many different artists perform rather than just one band–– I think spending that extra money is definitely worth it.”
The Taste of Pinellas music festival happening at Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg from May 9 to May 10 offers a variety of oldies rock and pop bands for anyone looking for an ‘80s and ‘90s flashback. Pat Benatar, The Blues Brothers and KC & The Sunshine Band are just a few of the bands that will be performing. Tickets range from $22.50 to $75 for a VIP ticket.
If you like variety in your music and want to be exposed to new and unique artists, then you should attend the 33rd annual Tropical Heatwave festival in Ybor, also happening May 9 to May 10. Many different genres such as blues, reggae, soul and African dance music will be performed by a very diverse group of bands: Shoeless Soul, Katchafire and Amandia Tunesmith to name some. A weekend pass to this event costs $40 in advance and $50 at the gate.
Sunset Music Festival is a more well-known electronic dance music (EDM) festival happening at Raymond James Stadium from May 24 to May 25. This two-day event features over
40 EDM artists such as Benny Benassi, Zedd, Hardwell and Krewella. A normal two-day pass is $114 and a VIP pass is $199.
“Sunset is going to be awesome,” Klingbeil said. “I know a ton of people who are staying in Tampa after school ends so that they can go. It’s going to be a big event.”
Sonny Billotte can be reached at sonny.billotte@spartans.ut.edu