Edgefest 2016

So I found this really cool site called do214.com do214.com is part of the 'Dostuff Network," which provides entertainment information and giveaways to multiple U.S. cities. Once I found the site, I entered some giveaways to events in my area. Among those events was Edgefest 2016 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. I received an e-mail stating that I won two tickets to Edgefest 2016. I'm bad about checking my 'Promotions' folder on gmail but the 'Promotions' tab showed I had new e-mails. Upon clicking the 'Promotions' tab, I saw the notification e-mail. I was pretty excited as this was the first time I ever won concert tickets. When radio stations gave away tickets I would call in but never won anything. The requirements: Show up at the event. Go to Will Call to claim your tickets. Show them your I.D. Done. Easy process with a minimal amount of effort on my part.
I like that the giveaway forms are quick to fill out. They just ask for your name and e-mail address. I used to hate entering drawings because the forms were so long and submitting multiple entries took time. But with this site, simply scroll down the giveaway pages, click "WIN" on what you want to register for, fill out the short form, and you're done!

So what is Edgefest? Edgefest is an annual music festival held by 102.1 The Edge radio station in Dallas, TX. The first Edgefest event was in 1992 in Dallas, TX at the Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre, now the Gexa Energy Pavilion, where these following bands played: Pearl Jam, The Origin, Sugar Cubes, Charlatans UK, Dramarama and Psychefunkapus. The line ups got even better over the years with such acts like INXS, Beck, Cake, Violent Femmes, Crash Test Dummies, Crowded House, Adam Ant, Collective Soul, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Veruca Salt and many others gracing the stage. The radio station used to be 94.5 The Edge, which I often turn to by mistake when searching for the station. It also doesn't help that I am just now listening to the radio after not doing so for an X number of years. Up until now, it has been me, my vinyl, and youtube. Radio stations make it possible to discover a range of artists and bands at the touch of a dial. And when they put on big music festivals, it gives listeners a chance to see a day's worth of bands at the price of seeing one artist or band in concert. Below is my Edgefest 2016 experience.

Edgefest 2016 line up: Cage the Elephant, The 1975, Bastille, Silversun Pickups, Chvrches, Foals, The Struts, The Joy Formidable, Good Charlotte, Blue October, X Ambassadors, Nothing But Thieves, The Strumbellas, Jr Jr, The Unlikely Candidates.

Bands I saw: The 1975, Bastille, Silversun Pickups, Good Charlotte, Blue October

The music festival started at 12:00 p.m., but it was very hot that day and the bands I wanted to see started in the evening. I got through the gates at about 5:25 p.m. and stayed until 9:35 p.m. that night. It didn't start to cool down until an hour after I arrived. The Silversun Pickups were the first band I saw. They kicked ass! Their hit song "Panic Switch" sounds ten times better live than the album version. I also enjoyed hearing "Lazy Eye" live.

Silversun Pickups live at Edgefest 2016:





Next band on stage was Blue October, who I was most happy to see. The energy picked up again when Blue October walked out and performed their first song of the evening, "Say It." Thought that was a good song to start with before mellowing everybody out with "Into the Ocean," from their 2006 Foiled album. From there they played "Home," the self-titled track from their new album followed by "Dirt Room" and "Hate Me." Other songs performed: "Light You Up," "Bleed Out," "Leave It in the Dressing Room (Shake It Up)," "Coal Makes Diamonds." Those are the songs I recall hearing. I've been looking for a complete setlist for this concert but have had no luck. Blue October put on a great show though. I dig Blue October's new sound! Their new album, Home, has been on constant rotation ever since I saw them.

Blue October live at Edgefest 2016





Next up were Bastille. I had only heard one or two songs by them before the show but they sounded good. They seem to be an electronic pop type band with a new wave, synth-driven style. Set list for Bastille: "Flaws," "Laura Palmer," "These Streets," "The Currents," "Things We Lost in the Fire," "Bad Blood," "Icarus," "Snakes," "Weight of Living, Pt. II," "Pompeii." I liked hearing Laura Palmer," "Things We Lost in the Fire," "The Currents," and "Pompeii."

Bastille live at Edgefest 2016:





Then came Good Charlotte. While I don't listen to them, I know some of their songs from late 90's-2000's radio and MTV. I thought they might play their radio hit, "Predictable," from 2004 but they didn't. They kicked off their set with their most popular song, "The Anthem." Then they played some of their older songs along with two new songs from their latest album, Youth Authority. They closed out their set with "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous."





One of the last bands that evening was The 1975. Frontman, Matthew Healy, was quite the character. He came out dancing and tossing his curly locks around to their danceable hit "Love Me." If this was just the start of the show, I could not wait for the rest!! He sipped wine from a wine glass and smoked throughout the show. You could tell, he and the rest of the boys were really enjoying themselves. "Love Me" is like a fusion of a super cool INXS song and David Bowie's "Fame." Makes me wonder what the band's musical influences are. The 1975's setlist: "Love Me," "UGH!" "Loving Someone," "A Change of Heart," "She's American," "Somebody Else," "If I Believe You," "Heart Out," "Robbers," "Girls," "Chocolate," "Sex." I was sad that they didn't play "The City" but the songs they performed made up for the one I didn't hear. I especially liked hearing "Love Me," "A Change of Heart," "Loving Someone," "If I Believe You," "Chocolate," "She's American," and "Girls." This band was fantastic!

The 1975 live at Edgefest 2016:





My only regret was not seeing Chvrches, even if it was the tail end of their show. Maybe next time. I just want to thank the Dostuff Network (do214.com) for the free tickets, and 102.1 The Edge for putting together such an amazing event! I had a lot of fun as did everyone else around me. I cannot wait to see what next year's Edgefest 27 holds. :)