Downtown Tampa’s newly completed Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park played host to its first music event on Saturday, capping the 2010 Gasparilla Festival with a concert by alternative rock band Collective Soul. Thousands packed the park, as well as the surrounding streets and sidewalks, seemingly oblivious to a constant downpour which had soaked much of the day’s activities.
Taking the rain-soaked stage at approximately 8:10pm, lead singer Ed Roland apologized for the weather, which seemed to cue a slight reprieve as the rain diminished to a heavy drizzle. Only bassist Will Turpin seemed somewhat bothered by the rain, donning a baseball cap and hooded rain jacket. The rest of the band appeared unaffected, only occasionally shaking the water from their hair or reaching for a towel.
Kicking off the show with "Welcome All Again", Collective Soul worked through their extensive catalog showcasing hits such as "Shine", "The World I Know", "Gel" and "December". Even the occasional technical glitch (which band members jokingly blamed on the rain) or Gasparilla beads thrown from the crowd didn’t seem to slow down the band as they performed with the University of Tampa’s familiar silhouette as a backdrop. Although a bit on the wet-side, the city of Tampa and Gasparilla organizers can be proud of the new park’s inaugural concert.
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 2, 2010.
