Live on the Green featuring Cage the Elephant, Delta Spirit, and JOHNNYSWIM
An unforgiving sun blasted Public Square Park on Thursday night but that didn’t keep the record-setting crowd from filling the lawn before 6 p.m. They came early to claim their spot but they hadn’t come to just listen to the music, they came to be a part of the show. For the first time in the festival’s history, Lightning 100’s Live On The Green was kicking off a three-day finale.
Opening with a soothing hum, Nashville’s JOHNNYSWIM eased into the evening like a snake into the water. Slick and fluid, their vocal acrobatics tied a knot of adoration for their craft. Husband and wife, Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano sang with passion and clever wit. They pulled the crowd together on inside jokes and poured themselves into every lyric.
“We will give you everything we’ve got and we hope you have as much fun as we do,” said Abner, flirting with the crowd. Then, moving over to his wife, he leaned in close to feel Amanda’s voice spill over the microphone. “We’re the diamonds, diamonds, rising about the dust,” they sang.
Amanda stared back at Abner, her smile half cocked and her eyes sparkling with mischief. They launched into a medley of “Home” wrapped around “Jackson” by Johnny and June. And what started with a whisper had now ended with a roar.
As Delta Spirit took the stage, the sun politely ducked behind the metro courthouse and lead vocalist and guitarist Matthew Vasquez greeted the crowd. “Thanks for inviting us to your block party,” he said, grinning.
From the overlook towers on the north side of the park, I could see just how grand this party had grown. By then, concertgoers had spilled over Union Street, across 3rd Avenue, and up Deaderick Street. Not bad for a steamy Thursday night that hadn’t yet come to a crescendo.
Ripping into their set, Delta Spirit delivered unexpected rhythmic explosions and challenged the surging mass of bodies to keep their hands in the air as Matthew and team tore through their brand of California rock and roll.
“Throw all of those glow sticks up here!” he howled, as the stage lights were cut to black. His request signaled a cosmic show and an assault of green glow sticks, courtesy of Regions’ Bank.
By now, the crowd’s energy had turned up to 11 – perfect timing for Lightning 100 DJs Wells Adams and Justin Hammel to announce the main event, Cage the Elephant.
Lead guitarist Nick Bockrath took the stage alone, teasing the rampant mass with a Latin guitar lick. But within moments, the rest of the band joined him, beckoning deafening cheers from the crowd. Draped in a black, mesh cape, lead singer Matt Shultz twisted his lean frame like a wire, bending and writhing with controlled chaos as he whipped his admirers into a manic frenzy.
“Come a little closer then you’ll see,” Shultz sang as he danced across the stage and the fans obeyed, pressing their bodies so tightly forward that they tested the strength of the metal barricades.
At one point, Shultz dove into the crowd to ride on a sea of hands, his microphone crackling with feedback as everyone begged for more. Security finally managed to pluck him back onto the stage, and Shultz paused for a moment to take it all in. “You guys never cease to amaze me” he said. “I’m stunned right now.”
And so were we, for this night set a new watermark. Lightning 100’s Live On The Green three-day finale was officially off and running and I, for one, can’t wait to see what comes next.
- Henry Pile for Live On The Green
WE HAVE TONS MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS NIGHT HERE!
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