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Some people prefer to wrap up their weekend with a cold one on the couch, watching some TV show as you lick your metaphorical hangover wounds in preparation for the work week to start.
Others don't want the party to end, and it just so happens that a big party on the beach pops off Sunday night at Shephard's, where they host Beach House Sundays. The past two weekends were highlighted by emphatic performances from EDX and Borgeous, so the arguably bigger and more popular act Key N Krates, who headlined this past Sunday, had some work to do.
The extra hype for their show, which was a live set performance, led to a noticeably bigger crowd out on Shephard's pool deck.
At times, it was easy to forget that you were at a concert and not a Baywatch audition, as the crowd was littered with beautiful women in scantily adorned bathing suits twerking in the crowd, on the railing or on one of the dozens of dudes eager to show off their six-packs.
But that's what Shepherd's Beach House Sundays are all about; Clearwater's hottest and fanciest making it down to our own "South Beach" to see premier electronic acts while enjoying our unique Tampa Bay area nightlife.
On Sunday, Shepherd's seemed notably hotter and more crazed. The opening house DJ had the crowd already buzzing by the time the sun had dipped below the Gulf. What began as a breezy, iridescent evening quickly turned into a raucous, high-energy night. The crowd contained people shuffling, twerking and jumping all before the headliner even took the stage.
Key N Krates made their way to the Tiki stage a little after 9 p.m., and it quickly became evident that this was going to be a different show than the Sundays that proceeded it.
For those not familiar with the EDM scene, a 'live set' show, for which Key N' Krates are known for, is essentially live band elements coinciding with a DJ on stage. The three members of Key N Krates, who are based out Toronto, Canada, are one of the more exciting small stages electronic acts out there today. With heavy use of recycled hip-hop beats and acapella loops curated by member Jr. Flo, keyboardist David Matisse and drummer Adam Tune proceed to jam out in front of the mixing tables. The show focused less on the erratic laser lights displays used in previous shows and instead let loose an array of strobe lights that were tied in with the live drums and looping beats.
The live set aspect made the show enjoyable not just for the hundreds of people in their 20s who packed the pool deck, but also for the older crowd who still enjoy watching people play instruments.
As we continue through the Beach House Sundays summer schedule, each party seems to get bigger and better. So next time you wake up late on a Sunday and you're trying to decide how to end your weekend, choose wisely.
This article appears in Jun 22-29, 2017.