Concerts of summer ‘23 in Florida were top-tier. Over the course of the last few miserably hot months, a solid handful of extremely popular and talented artists came down south to perform. This year, we got lucky because, for some reason (probably due to Florida’s geographic location or political stances), artists always seem to skip over us in Florida, but this summer, we got artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift (oh my god??). Music holds a prominent presence within our generation; seeing our favorite artists live is such a gift and truly creates unforgettable experiences. I talked to the students of St. Petersburg High School who had the privilege to go to some of these concerts to learn about the ones they attended and what they loved about the experience most.
First up is beloved ex-member of One Direction, Louis Tomlinson. On July 14th, he came to visit us Floridians at the Yuengling Center. For his newest album, Faith in the Future, he decided to hit the road for a world tour! The openers were a band called The Snuts, which is a Scottish band that formed in 2015. IB student Addie Santos says that “[she] was in the pit, and it was a surreal experience,” how lucky is she? The album is about the lessons that Louis learned throughout life from conflicts he has experienced. A serious concept can sometimes call for a more serious, hardcore concert, and 10th grader Cameron Blanco said that “it was a little overwhelming since it was mostly black, white, and red strobe lights.” He is a super-talented singer; try to catch him next time he comes around!
Next on the chopping board is Sun Room, an American surf-pop band. I had never heard of them before until they performed on May 1st in Ybor City! Sun Room is made up of four friends, Luke, Ashton, Gibby, and Max, who have been active since 2020. Some good songs of theirs are “Sol Del Sur”, “Clementine”, and “Crashed My Bike” (go give them a listen). Their music was in the Netflix show Outer Banks, which perfectly encapsulates the beachy vibe that the show goes for. IB student Gloria Privis said that “the concert was amazing, and the songs give a very summery and beach vibe,” perfect for Florida! I’m listening to their songs to immerse myself in what this concert might’ve been like, and I can tell it was great.
Last, and certainly not least, Taylor Alison Swift for the legendary Eras Tour. Myself and many others got to share a magical experience on April 14th, 2023. Taylor embarked on this tour after the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights, in 2022. The world went crazy, and so did Ticketmaster. The ticketing platform failed to work for a few days as soon as those tickets went up for presale. This monstrous 3-hour long concert caused a cultural reset. Junior Varsity Cheerleader Mckenzie Lyens said that Taylor “didn’t miss a beat” (as expected, of course). Those who look back on this night remember 180 minutes of going through every emotion possible in the most majestic, extraordinary way. Lyens claimed she was “screaming, crying, and throwing up.” Me too, girl, me too.
Florida has gotten extremely lucky this year with concerts. In the near future, we have SZA and Lana Del Rey making their way down to the Sunshine State! Secure your spots to make memories you’ll cherish forever.
