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  • 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.”

  • Imagination runs wild at UCF (review)

    Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons on Sept. 23, 2013 at CFE Arena in Orlando, Fla (OBK STAFF)

    By OBK

    ORLANDO — Kick off your shoes and socks, then gather around — anything negative on your brain is no longer important — any presumptions or prejudice you held before reading this is void, for you are about to experience something everlasting.

    Fans of all ages gathered to watch Imagine Dragons Monday, some as young as 6-years-old, whose parents are obliviously cooler than mine was growing up, allowing their child to stay out late on a school night – perform a 15-song set.
    A chill that could be felt in the upper seating section of CFE filled the arena during the band’s instrumental intro, as fans arose and scream.

    Lead by frontman and vocalist Dan Reynolds: bassist Ben McKee, guitarist Wayne Sermon, drummer Dan Platzman and keyboardist Ryan Walker took the stage, owning it as if they had something to prove.

    Between pounding the drums and providing the main source of vocals — Reynolds would take small breaks to thank the crowd for showing up and to express how thrilled he was to be on the stage — when just five-years ago when the band formed he was sleeping on peoples couches and floors.

    At one point during the show Mckee approached the side of the stage to get the crowd going — it’s as if he knew I was their to review the concert — after briefly ripping on his bass, Mckee stopped, looked up, and directed a huge smile to my direction.

    The energy-filled performance was packed of highlights. At one moment during Imagine Dragons’ set, big balloon balls filled with confetti surfaced into the audience. As the balloons made their ways through the stage floor – the band provided a Karate Kid-like themed instrumental ambiance in the background – and as the balloon would pop, all members of the group would cheer in cohesive with the crowd.

    While songs like high-energy platinum single “Radioactive” proved the group could keep a crowd “jumping”, more intimate song “It’s Time” proved Reynolds could hold a harmony, moving flawlessly through the verses.

    Taking a break from original music, Imagine Dragon’s payed homage to music greats, covering Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me” and Cold War Kids “Hang Me Up to Dry”.

    As the group made their way back to the stage for an encore – following fans stomping on the seat stands and screaming “Imagine Dragons” – earlier departures began running back into the arena to see them perform one final song.

    Monday night at CFE Arena will be something worth remembering forever — like when Mufasa takes Simba to the top of Pride Rock, and explains to him one day the entire kingdom would be his — all thanks to Imagine Dragons.

    Photos from the night

  • Photos: Imagine Dragons at CFE Arena

  • CFE Arena came out for fun, period (review)

    CFE Arena came out for fun, period (review)

    ORLANDO — Most nights aren’t usually this bright. Most nights aren’t usually this loud. Most nights aren’t usually this interesting. Most nights usually don’t involve Fun..

    A name that certainly fits the trio; Nate Ruess – vocals, Jack Antonoff – guitar, and Andrew Dost – multi-instrumentalist, are everything but boring and proved that Thursday night, during their electrifying 90-minute set at the CFE Arena.

    On the tail end of their headlining “Most Night Summer Tour”, Fun. showed no hint of fatigue that would give any viewer the impression that they have been touring since early January of last year, following the release of their album.

    From the little boy watching the show sitting on his father’s neck — to the college kids pre gaming before they go downtown — to the nice older couple who could not stop dancing in their seats, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

    ”You wanna be louder than Boca Raton, don’t you?,” screamed frontman Ruess as he waved the microphone stand high in the air. Up for the challenge, the nearly sold-out venue conquered Ruess challenge, leaving him wondering “Boca Raton who”.

    Fun.’s pop meets Grease meets rock blend – provides the perfect night for sing-alongs – making it nearly impossible not to be loud. Whether you were right in front of the stage or high up in the stands — the performance involved everyone — involving a cannon full of paper confetti, which rained over the entire stage floor.

    While Ruess controls most of the vocal duties, bandmates Antonoff and Dost make sure their work and contribution to the band is not overlooked — in an attempt to “raise the dead” Antonoff showed off his shredding skills as he lead the crowd in “Rock and Roll” getting everyone to scream “Hey”.

    A performance for the big stage — besides an overhead projector which displayed the band playing live behind the colorful light show — Fun. focused on winning the crowd over with their performance skills and not special effects, as members of the audience danced with complete strangers to popular song “We Are Young” — nodding their heads from side-to-side in unison during songs “Carry On” and “Baralights”, which Ruess dedicated to the crowd.

    From their set opening of a cabaret version of “Some Nights” decked out in matching tuxedos, all the way to their final song Fun. kept their promise of making Thursday night, the best weekday ever. Following their performance — I almost can’t stand how awesome these guys are.

    Canadian twin-sister duo Tegan and Sara opened the show, and performed for just under an hour. The duo let it be known early, that no matter how poorly the crowd would respond to them they were going to rock out and have a good time since it was their birthday. The crowd caught on to their 80’s pop music early and seemed interested in everything they had to say — even when they stopped singing and told stories including their run in with a monkey backstage.

    Photos from the night

    By OBK

  • Photos: Most Night Summer Tour CFE Arena

    Photos: Most Night Summer Tour CFE Arena

  • Photos: Fun. presents the ‘Most Nights Summer Tour”

  • Photos: Matisyahu presents ‘The Good Vibes Summer Tour 2013’

    By OBK STAFF

  • CFE Arena set for Fun. (preview)

    Courtesy

    By OBK

    Who better to perform in the same city as “The Happiest Place On Earth” than up-and-coming group Fun..

    Best known for their Grammy award winning single, “We are young” featuring Janelle Monae, the trio out of New York – has been touring North America since early July – and bring their “Most Nights Sunmer Tour” to the CFE Arena on Thursday, Sept. 19.

    Fun. formed in 2008 following lead singer Nate Russ departure of The Format – due to group disbandment – leading to him hooking up with Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff.

    The group’s latest album Some Nights helped the band to garner a mainstream colletive — winning two awards at the 2013 gramiea – beating other popular artist Frank Ocean and The Lumineers.

    Tickets for the “Most Nights Summer Tour” are $43.35 and are still available via Ticketmaster — each Ticket purchase includes a $1 donation to The Ally Coalition. Doors open up at 7 p.m. with the show starting promptly at 8 p.m.

    All shows are expected to sale out so the sooner you buy your ticket the better.

    Canadian sister-duo Tegan and Sara will open the show.

    For the most updated information regarding the “Most Nights Summer Tour” please visit Fun.’s Fun. or follow the group on Twitter:

  • John Witherspoon to play Orlando Improv this weekend (review)

    Courtesy of John Witherspoon

    If laughter is universal than the cosmos were one on Friday night. Watching John Witherspoon’s stand-up was the closest I’ve ever come to a religious experience — a packed room, the lights dim, and teeth shining everywhere.

    Witherspoon is funny — not just “Friday” funny — not just “The Boondocks” funny, John Witherspoon is funny on his own.

    It’s a hard thing to be funny on your own; to stand on a stage and not only expect the audience to laugh, but command that the audience laugh.

    Witherspoon has a developed act — the astute observer will see no seams within the comedy force that is within him.

    He releases his material into the audience like a well oiled machine – never pausing for too long or getting tongue tied and forgetting what to say.

    It’s beautiful, when he laughs, it’s the laugh of a man who knows he has you exactly where he needs you.

    I’ll be the first to admit I went into the Orlando Improv with preconceived notions.

    Interestingly, Witherspoon knows who you think he is and what you’ve come to see, so he begins his show by delivering just that.

    There’s nothing more perfect than hearing “Bang, Bang, Bang!” in person.  All these years, that character we’ve grown to love, on screens both big and small, was just Witherspoon being himself.

    It should not be legal for a man to be this funny. At a certain point, laughter can become deadly — just imagine – a laughter so hard breathing is next to impossible, however it’s all that you can do so you attempt to wind it down and hope not to explode.

    That is the sort of talent that should be illegal and Witherspoon possesses it in spades.

    A comic’s comic to the fullest. There were points when one would look around and see other professional comics doubled over in laughter — their faces so red you’d think blood vessels were bursting in mass.

    Contrary to popular belief, this is a normal occurrence when dealing with true comic genius. Comedy may be truth in its purest form; able to both arm and disarm at the same time. Generally, people laugh at the same things because, at the end of the day, the human experience is shared by all of us. Friday night in that room, dozens of people became one.

    For a moment, we all became John Witherspoon.

    John Witherspoon will be performing live at the Orlando Improv this entire weekend. You can catch him live on Saturday, Aug. 7th at 7:30 PM and 10:15 p.m. and then again on Sunday, Aug. 8th at 7:30 PM.

    Tickets are $22 and seats are on a first come first serve basis. All guest must be 21 or older

    By OBK Staff

  • Icona Pop hits Florida with K.Flay and Sirah (preview)

    Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop, who brought us electro hit “I Love it” will host the party, making the “Iconic Tour” the band’s first U.S. headlining tour.

    As the summer wraps up, and college campuses across the state prepare for the upcoming semester, the all girl “Iconic Tour” stops in Florida for one last ragefest.

    They will not be alone– female producer rapper K.Flay and Grammy award winning rapper Sirah, have tidied up their tour bus and will travel as supporting acts.

    With her EP Inhale available now, Sirah enjoys every minute traveling alongside her Atlantic record label mates Icona Pop.

    The “Iconic Tour” makes its way to the House of Blues this Friday, Aug. 16. Doors open up at 7 p.m. with the show starting promptly at 8 p.m. Tickets are $27 and are still available via Ticketmaster. Tickets will be sold at the venue the day of the event with a price inflation.

    All tickets are general admission standing room only– there are no seats.

    This show is presented by TIGI Bed Head, who will provide pop-up dry-styling stations to allow fans to glam up before the show.

    For the most updated information regarding the “Iconic Tour” please visit Icona Pop official website or follow the duo on Twitter.

    You can also follow K.Flay and Sirah on Twitter as they will be performing some stops without Icona Pop.

    Other Florida dates:

    Saturday, Aug. 17 | Miami, Fla. at Grand Central

    Sunday, Aug 17 | Tampa, Fla. at The Ritz

    By OBK STAFF