OBK CHANNEL

Category: Music

  • Concert review: Orlando welcomes back Justin Timberlake with open arms

    Justin Timberlake performs at the “20/20 Experience World Tour” at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. (OBK STAFF)

    By OBK STAFF

    The 20/20 Experience World Tour’s stop at the Amway Center Thursday night reminded Justin Timberlake of time he’d spent living here as a teenager.

    In between songs, the star raved about the many wonderful memories that he’d had while living here after accepting a role on the “The Mickey Mouse Club.” He mentioned that he along with group ‘N Sync put Orlando on the map, adding that he had endless love for the city.

    The show opened with Timberlake and his band emerging from below the stage. He was immediately greeted by thunderous cheer from the sold out crowd.

    After a brief introduction, Timberlake didn’t waste time getting down to business. He gave fans just what they came for.

    His sleek, slicked back hair and dapper suit complimented his perfectly pitched voice as it rang out over the arena. His sharp dance moves kept in sync with every beat and drop of the bass.

    The audience swayed and sang along to the opening song “Pusher Love Girl,” from his latest album “The 20/20 Experience,” but they really went wild when he performed the older hits.

    Fan favorites like “Rock Your Body,” “Like I Love You,” and “My Love,” kept audience members on their feet.

    On a less familiar song, some of the audience decided to take a break from standing during the three hour show. Their break was cut short by Timberlake who encouraged them to turn up their energy levels and teased that they could sit down at work the following day.

    During slow romance songs like “Until the End of Time,” fans kissed, cuddled and slow danced in the aisles with their significant others.

    Just when the audience got into the groove of a string of familiar sounding songs, Timberlake switched things up creating suspense holding the crowd’s attention.

    He incorporated a few unexpected covers from rock and r&b legends including Elvis Pressley, Michael Jackson and New Edition.

    After the medley of oldies, fans got treated with the hit they’d been waiting for.

    “Suit and Tie,” had every fan in the building cutting a step and belting the lyrics to one of the biggest hits of the year.

    Most fans were sweating due to the combination of being packed closely in a crowded place and wild dancing but that didn’t stop one of Timberlake’s fans from donning his suit jacket when the song came on.

    Although fans love all of Timberlake’s songs, none quite stole the the show like one of his most famous songs, “SexyBack.”

    After bringing sexy back, the show closed with the hit “Mirrors.”

    Timberlake ended the showing by telling the crowd that this was the most amazing homecoming.

    Photos from the night

  • Photos: John Mayer, Phillips Phillips play Amway Center in Orlando

  • Concert review: Charli XCX, Kitten play Social

    Wait, was that a Twerk

    Charli XCX performs at The Social in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. (OBK STAFF)

    By OBK

    All age shows are always interesting and full of unique people. This was no different Wednesday night at The Social for English-diva Charli XCX and indie-rock band Kitten.

    While the doors did not open until 7 p.m., there was already a pretty decent line formed at 5:30 p.m. when I arrived to interview Chloe Chaidez of Kitten before the show. Some fans so early that they beat both artist to the venue and stated that they watched them arrive in their “normal clothes.”

    In the front of the stage, teens kept their “X” marked hands waving from side to side for the entire show, as their chaperones and miscellaneous older-couples drank and danced away by the bar.

    Decked out in all black, headliner Charli XCX approached her blue LED mic stand — backed by a band made up of schoolgirls band — and the already energetic crowd excitement quickly escalated even more.

    Charli opened up her 70-minute set with rap song “What I Like,” and gave those who never heard her major-label debut, a chance to enjoy “True Romance” in it’s entirety, as she ran through almost every song on the tracklist. While her performance to Icona Pop’s popular single “I Love it” — which she featured on and co-wrote — got the crowd jumping, it was her original material that got them to shake the club.

    Her latest single and fan favorite of the night “Super Love” went over well with the audience as the singer gyrated, giving her best 2000 Britney Spears’ reenactment. If Charli was not at the microphone stand she was out interacting with the crowd, showing she could also be a hardcore-rocker. During “You (Ha Ha Ha)” the singer thrased around the small stage, and during “Take My Hand” she encouraged members of the audience to do just that, as they pulled her into the crowd during the upbeat party anthem.

    Before ending her set with hard-hitting synth-pop jam “Grins,” Charli invited Chaidez on stage to join her in covering Bow Wow Wow’s “I Want Candy.”

    Kitten opens up for Charli XCX at The Social in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013. (OBK STAFF)

    Kitten did not let Charli XCX have all the fun, as the band kicked the show off. Lead by Chaidez, who performed the entire set shoeless, the band got into the thrasing early.

    From their lead singer down to their keyboardist, the band packs a ton of energy. Shows always go well when the crowd is familiar with the opening act, and doesn’t mind showing up early to see everyone perform.

    The band is a group one must witness live to fully enjoy. While their recordings are very clean and polished, the group provides more of a raw feel when on stage.

    It’s no surprise that Chaidez favorite song to perform is “Like A Stranger.” The album-titled track mixes an 80’s pop-funk vibe with a new wave synth sound, that someone of any age could enjoy and dance to.

    Chaidez lioness-like personality really transcended into the groups set. Not only does she provide excellent vocals, but the chick can dance. If she was not shaking her tail feather alongside her backing vocalist Fiona Grey, you could catch her on stop of the speakers raging, or mounted on the back of an audience member’s neck. With so much movement and so much hair, at times one could think Cousin Itt performing.

    She even took the time to honor a few fans of hers who tweeted her earlier in the day, letting her know they would be sporting homemade tutus.

    Both acts provided a very interesting sound, transitioning their recorded material into a live set that gave old songs new feels. It was cool to see them interact with everyone at the merchandise table following the show, providing that true fan experience.

    (Photos from the night)

  • Photos: Charli XCX at Social

    By OBK STAFF

  • Concert review: Every seats a good seat for Josh Groban and Judith Hill

    Concert review: Every seats a good seat for Josh Groban and Judith Hill

    Josh Groban melted the hearts of thousands of fans with his smooth baritone voice and handsome good looks during a performance for his “In The Round” tour Saturday night.

    During a set change, Groban was spotted by fans as he stood peering into the crowd in an area of empty space next to the bleachers. Fans began to shout and take pictures but nothing prepared them for what happened next.

    The crowd erupted in frenzy with many fans screaming out his name and crying as Groban sauntered through the crowd from one side of the Amway Center Arena to the other. Fans on the floor level were rewarded with up close glimpses of hair flips of the star’s signature wavy hair and flashes of his gorgeous smile.

    The arena exploded with loud cheer as the lights dimmed and Groban made his way to the stage to begin the show.

    He opened the show with “Brave”, the first single from his sixth studio album, “All That Echoes,” released in February. He followed up with another song from the album, “False Alarms.”

    In between songs he entertained the crowd with small talk about the weather and chatted about being thrilled to be in a city that he considers amusement park heaven. He also held a short question and answer session, randomly selecting questions previously submitted to him by fans.

    The audience laughed as Groban impersonated the voice of cartoon character Stewie from the show, “Family Guy.”

    After the moments of fun and laughter had ended, Groban got back down to business and softened the mood with an older fan favorite “February Song,” and several other songs that he performed in Spanish and Italian.

    The mood got even softer and more romantic as Groban was joined by opening act Judith Hill for a few duet songs including his song, “Remember When it Rained.”

    Hill is a very talented singer best known for her time spent as a contestant on the NBC television show “The Voice” where she was voted off after making it to the top eight in the competition.

    She was also chosen as a duet partner for Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” tour and rehearsed with him for months leading up to his death. She has recently signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment and plans to release an album in the near future.

    Groban intended to close the show with his ultimate hit “You Raise Me Up,” but the rowdy crowd continued to cheer when he finished the song and began to make his way off the stage.

    He gave in and performed one last song by Charlie Chaplin called “Smile.” After that, the fans seemed satisfied, smiling as the made their way out of the arena.

    By OBK STAFF

  • Indie-band The Mowgli’s influences random acts of kindness (interview)

    To have people sing-a-long to your music is one thing, to be influential on their life is another.

    Take Colin Louis Dieden, vocalist of The Mowgli’s. On top of providing a great dance party at their shows, he looks to fill an open void in peoples heart.

    “I originally wanted to be a writer and write books, and then I realized I don’t have near much of an attention span to do that,” said Dieden, who started writing when he was 11-years-old.

    “So I turned to songs and found out I could tell the stories I wanted to tell in three- minutes and 20-seconds. I am able to get out what I need to get out and portray the messages that I feel is important.”

    The Mowgli’s are an eight-piece alternative rock-based band out of Southern California. They are named after a former band member’s dog Mowgli, itself named after a character from Rudyard Kipling’s novel “The Jungle Book.”

    Dieden is originally from Kansas City, Missouri and hooked up with group-mate Michael Vincze when he moved to Los Angeles and started writing music.

    Out of the eight-members in total, five of the members are from the Calabasas area of Northern Los Angeles.

    The group is best known for their single “San Francisco,” which reached No. 11 on Billboard’s alternative chart.

    The single was inspired by Dieden ‘s and Vinczen’s “wild adventure in the city. The song has been included on all three of the groups projects, including their major label debut “Waiting for the Dawn.”

    “Every single show their are more-and-more kids that are singing the words to every song on the record, its a wild thing,” he said.

    “Before when we first looked out into the audience, we seen kids singing the lyrics to ‘San Francisco’ and that was a trip. But now they’re singing the words to every song and it’s one of the most beautiful and humbling things I’ve ever experienced.”

    The Mowgli’s previously toured with Walk Off The Earth, and are currently headlining “The Random Acts of Kindness Tour.”

    “What we try to do is have people leave our shows happier than they came in,” said Dieden.

    They will also be performing on both dates at the Coastline Festival in Tampa and Jacksonville.

    By OBK

  • Q&A: St. Lucia excited for his Florida return

    South African born musician Jean-Philip Grobler, who goes by St. Lucia is set to perform at the first ever Coastline Festival presented by Live Nation.

    Only Black Kid Channel editor caught up with St. Lucia to discuss his newest album “When the night,” touring with Two Doors Cinema Club and performing at outdoor festivals.

    OBK: How and where did the name St. Lucia come about?

    St. Lucia: One day, out of frustration, I took a map of South Africa and a pen,closed my eyes, put the pen down on the map a few times, and the fifth try was St. Lucia. In that moment, everything made sense to me about the project.

    The South African St. Lucia, similar to the Caribbean St. Lucia, is a sub-tropical coastal area, and I used to vacation there as a child. The fact that the music I was developing has this hazy, nostalgic, melancholy feeling to it, and most of my memories of St. Lucia were the same made everything fall into place for me.

    OBK: You grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and then moved around to Liverpool and Brooklyn. How has your times in different parts of the world influenced your music?

    SL: I think that being fortunate to not only visit but to actually live in all of these different places has afforded me a fairly unique perspective on the world of music, and to not beholden to one scene or style.

    All of the places I’ve lived have contributed amazing things to the world of music, but I noticed that often people who were a part of those scenes, or who had only ever experienced that one scene had a fairly narrow view of what music could or should be. Sometimes that approach turns out really well, but I’ve always been attracted to broader musical horizons.

    OBK: What type of reception have you been hearing on of your newest album “When the Night?”

    SL: From what I’ve read the reception has been good, but I try not to put too much credence into what other people think about my work. That being said, I’m fully aware that without other people liking my music I wouldn’t really be able to make it, so, of course I’m happy that people are enjoying what I’m doing and that I’m able to continue doing what I do.

    One of the things that keeps coming up is that people seem to think that the album seems to get better with each listen. I’m glad that it has that effect because my favorite albums are ones that grow and reveal themselves over time, as well as being satisfying on the first listen.

    OBK: Is there anything on “When the Night?” that you wish you could go back and change, and how will you incorporate that into your next project?

    SL: The fact that the album was made over such a long period of time means that there are inherently things that I would have done differently if I’d recorded all the songs at the same time.

    That’s not for better or worse, it’s just that my tastes have shifted slightly and my knowledge of certain instruments has grown over that time period. I do think that the songs being recorded over such a long time serves the album because it gives it a broader sonic palette.

    OBK: Your touring with Two Doors Cinema Club, how has that been? Any stops you remember most?

    SL: It’s been great! These kinds of tours are always whirlwinds for us because we have such long distances to drive each day, and so we can’t stay up or out too late each night. It’s kind of like getting a little sampler of each city that you’re in, but to me that’s better than not seeing the cities at all.

    I think that one of my favorite parts of the tour was driving from Calgary to Vancouver through the Canadian Rockies. Probably the most dramatically beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen on tour.

    OBK: Have you ever toured in Florida, and what do you expect coming in?

    SL: We played in Miami and Orlando on our tour with Ellie Goulding, and both stops were a lot of fun. I always love getting to the South because of the weather and how good it smells. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to go to the beach as well.

    OBK: Which do you prefer, indoor shows or outdoor festivals?

    SL: Both types of venues can be great. However, there is something to be said for an outdoor stage in front of a sea of people in the perfect weather as the night is rolling in.

    By OBK STAFF

  • 3OH!3 needs your energy (interview)

    As the “Journeys Noise Tour” looks to get over the halfway mark, electronic-rock duo 3OH!3 makes their way to Orlando.

    3OH!3 is made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte — natives of Boulder, Colo. — the band is named after the city’s 303 area code.

    Best known for their 2008 single “Don’t Trust Me,” which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group’s commercial success has garnered them song placements on “The Real World: Cancun” and the opportunity to write an anthem for MLB’s Colorado Rockies.

    “In the end of it we are not trying to ride the trend wave; we are just trying to write music we like, that has a lot of energy,” said Foreman in a recent interview with the Voice.

    “Hopefully it’s a good song at the end of the day and you can listen to it five- years from now and not just be like ‘oh that’s just some dubstep song’ but instead be like ‘oh that’s a 3OH!3.’”

    3OH!3 released their fourth studio album “Omens” this year under Atlantic Records imprint Photo Finish Records.

    The “Journeys Noise Tour” is the first opportunity the duo has had to tour the album.

    “We play a handful of songs off the album and people know the words so that’s always a good test,” he says.

    “I think for us it’s all about the energy of the show and having a good time. I think that happens when we perform stuff all the new album as well as the old.

    The duo is at the half way mark of the tour and not looking to slow down. They makes their way to House of Blues on Thursday, Nov. 7 and can not wait to perform in Orlando.

    “We’re just kind of got over the half way mark, and still feeling good. We’re having a good time but we’re just excited to get back down to Florida.”

    30h!3 will be supported by some of their favorite bands; The Summer Set, Wallpaper and New Beat Fund.

    “The worst thing about a band that you like is that they suck live. These bands are all incredible performs; so if you haven’t heard any songs from these guys, when you come to the show you are going to be wanting more,” he added noting 30H!3 personally selected the groups to tour with them.

    All acts have recently collaborated on a track entitled “Turn the Night On.”

    “It’s something about our fans that are great. They are always the fans that show up and check out all the other bands,” said Foreman who saw Wallpaper perform at Warped Tour and got stopped and his track because they put on that good of a show.

    Tickets are still available for $27 via Live Nation and the House of Blues Box Office.

    3OH!3 will be posting updates throughout the tour on their Facebook and Twitter social media sites.

    By OBK

  • Concert Review: Sensual, racy and emotional; The Weeknd seduces sold out Hard Rock

    Concert Review: Sensual, racy and emotional; The Weeknd seduces sold out Hard Rock

    ORLANDO — Sex, drugs and more sex — “Warning this show contains mature content,” guest are advised as they entered the Hard Rock Live, Friday night for the sold out “Kiss Land Fall Tour”.

    From the parking lot to the venue, everything belonged to Abel Tesfaye (who goes by The Weeknd). The music Gods provided a perfect setting for night — hipster chicks dressed in mom shorts, band tees and winter skully hats — natural herbal- substance aroma filled room, while a dark foggy overcast served as a welcoming background outside, mirroring the mood that would take place inside.

    Serving as the perfect composer, Tesfaye added to the ambiance providing free condoms at his merchandise table, along with a video display of two girls fornicating with each other on his stage backdrop.

    “How many of you have heard my new album ‘Kiss Land’?” asked the 23-year old singer out of Toronto Canada to the sold out crowd. “For those who didn’t I wanted you to experience the new songs like this, with the fans singing along and weed smoke being blown in the air.”

    Who is The Weeknd and how did he get so popular? How has a guy who has made it his duty to stay out of the tabloids become such a fan favorite, hosting his second consecutive sold out show in Orlando not even a year apart.

    The human nature of Prince with vocal abilities resembling a paranoid Michael Jackson, The Weeknd and his new age R&B style has taken over Generation Y.

    Performing almost every song of his new “Kiss Land” album, which debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200 list — The Weeknd transited over the Japanese themes to his performance, quick infomercials of Japanese hotlines and hentai characters served as transition pieces as he moved from one song to another.

    About as mysterious as they come, Tesfaye opened up his set with “Adaptation” behind a sheer curtain, forcing fans to enjoy his singing skills and not dwell on his personal presence (much like how his career has been).

    While it was the “Kiss Land Fall Tour”, The Weeknd made sure to perform “the fucking classics.” Paying homage to his first piece of work, Tesfaye performed songs of off his mixtape “House of Balloons”: “The Zone,”  “The Morning,” “Wicked Games” and a few more. But he did not venture off into his other two projects “Echoes of Silence” and “Thursday” during his sensual 90-minute performance which fans sang along to every time.

    At one point during the show you could tell that Tesfaye was caught off guard that he had such a loyal following, as the crowd managed to overpower him being so loud.

    A good performance can truly increase an artist stock and take an individual song to the next level. During “Pretty” we got to see just how egotistic and heartbroken Tesfaye was. With all eyes on him, the video monitors switched from playing videos to a close up of Tesfaye performing live, where fans were able to see the agony this relationship has put on him.

    Beauty, Banks, opened the show and served as a perfect compliant to The Weeknd. If there were a girl on the other end responding to his lyrics it would be her. Afraid to let her talent show at times, the dark themed artist comes off as the cutie that didn’t realize she was hot until way late. Taking a break from performing songs off her latest EP “London,” Banks true talents were displayed during her cover of Lauryn Hill – “Ex Factor.”

  • Photos: Imagine Dragons at CFE Arena