Tortuga Music Festival 2013 Preview

While spring has only just sprung in much of the country, it’s nice & warm year-round down Florida. Take advantage of that by heading to Fort Lauderdale Beach for the inaugural Tortuga Music Festival, April 13th & 14th:

SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH

Kenny Chesney, 7:30 PM – 9:15 PM, Tortuga Stage Headlining the Tortuga Festival is massively acclaimed & successful Kenny Chesney. One of the top country artists out there today, he’s won awards not just from the likes of the Country Music Association & Academy of Country Music, but all Billboard & People’s Choice. He’s also had some of the top-selling tours across the country, currently on his ‘No Shoes Nation’ tour (with Eric Church & Eli Young Band – see below). Chesney comes to Tortuga in the run-up to the release of his latest, Life on a Rock, so expect new numbers to go with classics.

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Sunrise Stage It was a bit of a slow burn for Ben Harper (QRO photos at a festival), whose mixture of skilled guitar, vocals, and activism first hit it big in Europe (QRO photos in Europe) and especially Australia, before he really boomed in his native States (QRO photos in America). But boom he did, hitting the Billboard Top Ten with his band Relentless7 – not to mention appearing with Will Ferrell, ZZ Top, and Conan O’Brien on his last Tonight Show. He’s done other great team-ups, like with Joseph Arthur (QRO live review) & Dhani Harrison as Fistful of Mercy (QRO photos), or now with legendary bluesman Charlie Musselwhite (reportedly the inspiration for Dan Ackroyd’s Blues Brother character), on this year’s Get Up!.

Eli Young Band, 4:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Tortuga Stage Not a man but a band, Mike Eli, James Young, Jon Jones, and Chris Thompson formed the Eli Young Band while at University of North Texas in Denton, and since gone platinum with hit singles “Crazy Girl” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”. They come to Tortuga as part of the ‘No Shoes Nation’ tour with festival headliners Kenny Chesney (see above) and Eric Church (see below).

Donavon Frankenreiter, 4:30 PM – 5:45 PM, Sunset Stage Donavon Frankenreiter began as a professional surfer, but like Jason Lee going from professional skateboarding to Kevin Smith movies, he found a second calling when he followed good friend Jack Johnson into music. He comes to Tortuga behind last year’s Start Livin’ – and with the best ‘stache this side of Earl Hickey.

Michael Franti & Spearhead, 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM, Sunrise Stage The Bay Area’s multi-ethnic Michael Franti is a mixture, as he fuses hip-hop & jam-band with Spearhead. Also noted for his peace and social activism (including going barefoot since 2000), it hopefully won’t fly over the heads of his crowd at this more country festival.

G Love & Special Sauce, 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM, Tortuga Stage Since coming out of Philadelphia in the nineties, G. Love (real name: Garrett Dutton) & Special Sauce have become festival mainstays (QRO photos at a festival), thanks to their ‘Sloppy’ hip-hop/blues, which fits well with the laid-back festival crowd. They’ve also nicely balanced mainstream appeal, most recently with 2011’s Fixin’ To Die (QRO review), not to mention appearing in a Coca-Cola commercial, with their own version of “I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing” in 2005, and their own style.

Also: DangerMuffin, 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM, Sunset Stage Mac McAnally, 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM, Sunrise Stage Gloriana, 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM, Tortuga Stage Rayland Baxter, 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM, Sunset Stage

SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH

Eric Church, 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM, Tortuga Stage Headlining the second day of Tortuga is Saturday headliner Kenny Chesney’s partner on the ‘No Shoes Nation’ tour, Eric Church, for another massively successful country artist for Tortuga.

Gary Clark Jr., 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM, Sunrise Stage Austin’s Gary Clark Jr. (QRO photos at a festival in Austin) is the latest artist to be said to be ‘bringing blues back’ – when did it ever leave? And if it did, it’s surely come back many times since then (just look at Jack White…) – but Clark is certainly keeping it going, like on Austin City Limits (QRO live review on ACL).

Jake Owen, 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM, Tortuga Stage Florida’s own country star Jake Owen comes to Tortuga Festival.

Sister Hazel, 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM, Sunset Stage From the north side of Sunshine State in Gainesville, Sister Hazel mixes southern rock with alt-pop and even punk.

The Avett Brothers, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Sunrise Stage One of the bigger – and better – hits of today’s new Americana (QRO photos at a festival), The Avett Brothers (QRO photos) won a wide audience with 2009’s fine country of I and Love and You (QRO review), including playing on The Grammys with Bob Dylan, and now come to Tortuga, with last year’s follow-up The Carpenter (QRO review).

Lynyrd Skynyrd, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Tortuga Stage Do you really need to be told who Lynyrd Skynyrd (QRO photos) is? The band that made and spread the southern rock sound in the seventies, they suffered a massive loss in a plane crash at the height of the success in 1977 – but reunited ten years later with new lead singer Johnny Van Zant, the younger brother of late singer/founder Ronnie Van Zant, and kept on since. And while they’re best known for the best state song ever, “Sweet Home Alabama”, they’re actually from Florida – plus a chance to finally get your request for “Freebird” answered…

The Wailers, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Sunset Stage Bob Marley formed The Wailers and brought reggae to the world – and, as Michael said on Lost, “Who don’t like Bob Marley?” The Wailers have kept going strong (QRO live review) long after Marley’s death, so pass the dutchee to the left-hand side, mon…

Grace Potter, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Sunrise Stage While many jam bands on the festival circuit seem to have been playing forever, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (QRO photos outdoors) formed & broke out more recently (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), thanks to 2007’s This Is Somewhere, and opening for the likes of Gov’t Mule & Black Crowes (QRO photos). The funky blues-soul act (QRO photos at a festival) earned major praise for 2010’s self-titled release (QRO review) and last year’s The Lion The Beast The Beat, and have been getting bigger & bigger (QRO photos at a festival).

Kip Moore, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, Tortuga Stage Georgia’s country musician comes to Tortuga behind last year’s debut, Up All Night.

Old Man Luedecke, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM, Sunset Stage From the Great White North comes Chris Luedecke, a.k.a. Old Man Luedecke (QRO interview), who comes to Tortuga behind last year’s Tender Is the Night, his follow-up to 2010’s My Hands Are On Fire, And Other Love Songs (QRO review).

Bright Light Social Hour, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM, Sunrise Stage Recently on the scene is Austin’s Bright Light Social Hour, who swept the Austin Music Awards in 2011 at SXSW (QRO recap) and have just kept on going since.

Also: Brett Eldredge, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Tortuga Stage