This Saturday, thousands of rock and metal fans gathered at the Central Florida Fairgrounds to celebrate the 30th Earthday Birthday music festival. The annual event, curated by Orlando’s beloved rock station 101.1 WJRR, featured thirteen bands on two outdoor main stages, a wide range of food and drink vendors, a vape shop and medical marijuana tent, and many local vendors offering unique creations such as jewelry, apparel, and body painting. WJRR was also kind enough to include an air conditioned acoustic room for those who needed a break from the blistering heat and heavy music, which was greatly appreciated considering it felt more like July than April. However, the weather did not stop festival attendees from bringing their top tier energy to the Byrd and Turn It Up Stages throughout the day.
After grabbing my media credentials, the first band I was able to catch was Products of Rage. I typically am not a huge fan of cover bands but was pleasantly surprised by the energy these guys delivered in kicking off the Byrd Stage, especially when they performed Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of.” The stages were set up pretty far away, but close enough that you could enjoy the end of each set while making your way over to the Turn It Up Stage for the next act. Dropout Kings were up next, and another band that I was unfamiliar with but really enjoyed. With a blend of rap and metal, they got the crowd hyped up with singer Adam Ramey immediately making his way over the barricade to perform surrounded by his audience. After enjoying their set, I headed back to the other stage for Fame On Fire, one of the bands I was looking forward to seeing the most. The guys were all smiles while they interacted with their fans and played hits like “Welcome to the Chaos” and “Plastic Heart” from their most recent album released via Hopeless Records.
Due to a medical emergency, I had to spend the next couple of hours sitting in the air conditioning and rehydrating. Fortunately, after awhile, we were all blessed with some cloud cover and the occasional breeze, allowing me to head back out and catch Dorothy. I had heard incredible things about this band, and they most certainly lived up to the hype! The entire band is bursting with energy and frontwoman, Dorothy Martin, absolutely crushed her vocals and charmed fans with her charisma. Coming from Los Angeles, they were understandably caught off guard by the humidity, and Martin even joked about wearing clothes being a “huge mistake.”
Bad Wolves were set to take the main stage next to deliver some epic heavy metal. Despite the many signs warning that crowd surfing was prohibited, security was kept very busy with all the bodies flying over the barricade. The guitarists, Doc Coyle and Max Karon, kept things extra interesting for those of us in the photo pit by posing for the camera and making us all feel appreciated as members of the media. Sevendust did the same shortly after over on the Turn It Up Stage, and it was clear that they have amassed quite the fanbase in Orlando as everyone chanted the band’s name minutes before they even took the stage. In addition to executing a flawless performance, the band proved to be class acts, stopping the set due to an injury and ensuring that everyone cleared the way for the appropriate medical attention.
Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, the hardcore band Beartooth followed up with my favorite set of the day. In addition to offering thoughtful and relatable lyrics backed by catchy riffs and melodies, the group deserves admiration for vocalist Caleb Shomo’s transparency with fans regarding his inspiring journey recovering from substance abuse. In addition to the massively popular “Disease” and “In Between,” the brand new track “Sunshine!” was featured in the setlist and well received by the crowd.
Sadly, Falling In Reverse had to drop out at the last minute due to illness, so The Pretty Reckless provided direct support to this year’s headliner. Fronted by Taylor Momsen, the rock band from New York City kept everyone moving as the sun finally started to bid farewell and offer some reprieve to a tired and sweaty audience. I knew walking in that I would be blown away by Momsen’s pipes, but I was even more impressed with the band behind her and the guitarist’s ability to shred and turn every solo into a new experience. Instrumentalists with such a captivating vocalist are often overshadowed, but this group manages to highlight all talents equally while they deliver their unique brand of rock.
The closing band requires no introduction. Breaking Benjamin has been one of the biggest names in rock since their 2002 debut album, Saturate. They have succeeded in remaining relevant in an overpopulated genre and still have over 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify after over two decades. Needless to say, the audience was incredibly fired up, even after many hours in the heat and humidity. “Blow Me Away,” a song written for the Halo 2 soundtrack, was the first track of their set. It was followed up by a generous mix of songs from their discography, and of course included fan favorites like “So Cold,” “I Will Not Bow,” and concluded with “The Diary of Jane.” Overall, the event was a tremendous success, and I hope it continues for many more decades. Kudos to WJRR and the entire staff and crew for cultivating a solid rock and roll community in Central Florida and providing a truly enjoyable experience!
All photos by Ali Brant Photography
