The name: 97X Spring Break Freebie Weebie (bit bizarre, sorta silly, but the thing's free so we're not complaining). Big-ass props to 97X, by the way, which might have a short play list, but the station makes up for it with all its cool free events of late. This particular hootenanny begins at noon Sunday, April 1, at Coachman Park. The players: The Hazies, Clearwater's own alternative pop/rock band gets the gig started. Gainesville's Big Sky, a seven-piece college-rock band, is up next. While not having the luxury of regular radio play, Big Sky has nonetheless managed to attract a strong circle of loyal fans throughout the Southeast over the last five years, garnering capacity crowds at most venues. American Hi-Fi, fronted by Stacy Jones (formerly of Letters to Cleo, Aimee Mann and Veruca Salt), is this festival's middle child. The Boston, Mass., band produces pure pop melodies, but dense guitar and drums put the group in a heavier rock category. Their Flavor of the Weak has been getting heavy rotation on MTV; they're taking a short break from the station's Campus Invasion Tour to drop by this little soiree.
With nary a pause for rest, Dexter Freebish (named after an immensely popular, now-defunct roller coaster in Houston) takes the stage around 3:30 p.m. Signed to Capitol in 1999, DF's single Leaving Town has received plenty of airplay from 97X (the song also beat out 27,000 entrants to win 1999's Song of the Year in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest). Post-grunge Toronto rockers Our Lady Peace put Freebie Weebie to bed, but not before engaging the crowd in a rockin' pillow-fight. Named after a poem by Mark van Doren, OLP has gained a solid fan base through non-stop touring with everyone from Plant and Page to Alanis Morissette to The Ramones.
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2001.
