We headed over early to the Warehouse Stage and, due to the crowd waiting for Fitz and the Tantrums, grabbed seats on a sloped grassy section in the back. Initially, we thought our spot was great. Despite sitting in the back out of the crowd we were able to see the stage clearly. The thought process was even if people stood up instead of staying seated on the bleachers, we would still be able to view the performance.
The problem is when “Fitz and the Tantrums” walked on stage the crowd stood on top of the bleachers. A scenario we were unprepared for. Our great view was suddenly a bit obstructed.
It didn’t matter in the end though. Their energetic dance music moved the crowd and got the party started. It turned out they had played Summerfest several times before so the experience with the awkward seating arrangement probably helped. Jake and I had a blast as we danced in the back by ourselves.
With roots in soul, this larger band includes songs with a variety of instruments. The music has a fuller complex sound. The prominence of the Saxophone, in particular, stood out to me as setting the band apart from most of their indie rock contemporaries.
“Livin’ for the Weekend” stood out to me as such a fun party song. The crowd and the band both were having a great time. It felt as if everyone was moving to the tune! With that being said the band didn’t seem to miss the party vibe on any of their songs.
Ahead of the Crowd
What a great way to end the night! We snuck out a few songs before the end, ironically walking past a band called “Bleachers” and catching their final few songs.
Out we walked into a run escaping the madness of fest traffic. We were one of the first out in that wave, which was nice because we still had a bit of a way to go home!
Overall, the band delivered a set and energy that made it impossible not to dance along. No matter whether they were blasting out a deep cut like “OCD” or a chart-topping hit like “Out of My League” Fitz and the Tantrums were able to keep the crowd jamming and engaged. No easy task for any band. To me this makes Fitz a must-catch live band that truly lives up to their radio fame.
To join in on the party you can catch Fitz and the Tantrums opening for the Goo Goo Dolls on September 24th in Decatur, IL, or at Rock the Ruins in Indianapolis, IN on July 21st.
