02 May Saturday Preview: Indie, Folk and Soul
If yesterday was as crazy for you SunFest-ers as it was for me, today should provide some relief.
It’s unofficial indie/folk/soul day at SunFest as of five minutes ago when I decided to call it that.
To prove my point, here are some opening acts throughout the day you should make a point to see:
Kehlani
With long, flowing hair and a trim body covered in tattoos, R&B/soul singer Kehlani is ready to take on the FPL stage today.
Citing influences such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, India Arie, Stever Wonder and Musiq Soul Child, her Facebook page describes the singer as “an old soul while adding her own youthful twist to classic sounds.”
Kehlani’s music is described as “feel good music with R&B/soul undertones” and she’s shared the stage with artists like Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx and Sheila E.
Listen To: “You Should Be Here” and “Alive”
Performance Time: Saturday, May 2 at 7:45 p.m. at the FPL Stage
Dew Pendleton Band
Dew Pendleton promises he’s not all country — and he says the same for his band.
Despite being born and raised on a farm in Alabama, he says “it is only a small part of the puzzle that creates his unique sound.” The Dew Pendleton Band is described as a mix of rock, country and gospel, and his fans are ok with that. Pendleton’s Youtube page is evidence of that, with comments ranging from “epic lyrics,” to “I’m going to break the replay button.”
See it for yourself today at the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage.
Listen To: “The Spectrum Part One: Red” full album
Performance Time: Saturday, May 2 at 6:00 p.m. at the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage
John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
The man, the legend. Known as “the man who made Eddie Cruise,” John Cafferty is an award-winning songwriter and recording artist who’s music soundtracked the 1983 film, Eddie and The Cruisers.
It’s almost like the script of a movie — the unsigned band decides to throw their music into an unreleased film, no other prospects, and it ends up exploding.
Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band’s “Tender Years” and “On the Dark Side” both ended up peaking high on the Billboard Charts and the rest, as they say, is history.
Listen To: “On the Dark Side” and “Hearts on Fire”
Performance Time: Saturday, May 2 at 2:15 p.m. at the Tire Kingdom Service Centers Stage
JOHNNYSWIM
A male/female duo from Nashville, Tennessee, JOHNNYSWIM describe themselves as a mix of soul, pop and folk.
This unsigned act started out in 2006 and have been called are a blend of indie, pop and folk and have been called “a mix of Lauryn Hill and John Mayer” by their local newspaper.
Their 33k Facebook fans and sold out shows prove that JOHNNYSWIM is a force to be reckoned with.
Listen To: “Take the World” and “Heart Beats”
Performance Time: Saturday, May 2 at 2:30 p.m. at the FPL Stage