There are plenty of reasons to get excited about the New Year.
New beginnings.
Celebrating with friends and family.
Hell, you can even get down to the thought that we are one year closer to the end of Donald Trump's (hopefully) lame duck presidency.
But if you're a Tampa music fan, you're probably more excited about the jam-packed concert schedule for NYE weekend.
With acts like Slander, Slushii, and The Russ Liquid Test, to name a few, all set to perform for the holiday weekend, there seems to be a show for just about everyone.
For some of us however, the world is not enough, and if you were like me, then you just had to make the trek across the Everglades to catch Sacramento's Hippie Sabotage help ring in the 2017 New Year's Eve weekend in Fort Lauderdale.
The brother duo first caught our eye earlier this year at Imagine Music Festival, where its rendition of "Drifter" — despite technical difficulties at the Amazonia stage — left us pleading for more.
Fast forward three months, and the bearded duo of Kevin and Jeff Saurer hasn't lost any of that energy. If it did, Hippie Sabatoge certainly didn't show it Thursday night at Culture Room.
Being its second-to-last show of 2017, Hippie Sabotage made good on wringing out the last of the year's leftover energy. From the jump the duo showed how it has amassed such a cult following in the music community, interacting with just about every person in attendance.
Kevin, the more grizzly of the instrument-driven electronic duo, spent much of night at the lip of the stage or in the crowd. When he wasn't sampling from the procession of offered joints and vape pens, Kevin was barreling through the crowd, starting mosh pits and embracing near-hysterical fans grateful for the copious amount of interaction at such an intimate show. Kevin's galavanting hit a high note when he climbed the second floor balcony and jumped into the crowd.
Whereas Kevin served much of his time as hype man and leading on vocals, his brother Jeff spent a good amount of time dishing from behind the boards. When he did join the fun at the front of the stage, he was often sporting his guitar, which of course led to an equally magical performance of "Drifter" and other tunes like, "Devil Eyes."
@HippieSabotage you were fucking amazing man pic.twitter.com/l7lJ21lHLy
— ♍️ichhh (@Michellemariac) December 29, 2017
While the two may have flown under the mainstream radar in 2017, it's easy to see how 2018 could be a huge year for them.
Hippie Sabotage's unparalleled live energy matched with its budding musical potential make the band an easy sell for just about anyone whose ears perk up at the sound of music. Its sweaty construction of trip-hop and live instrumentation has forged a sound that is truly cheerful regardless of your musical preference.
With performances like Thursday night, the two gave fans just a glimpse of this spirited potential and we are itching at the opportunity to see them again.
While this contributor will be hitting the road to see the brothers play the Buku Music + Arts Project, Hippie Sabotage is also set to perform back at home that same weekend, where the Path of Righteousness tour rolls into Jannus March 9.
It's a show you won't want to miss, and securing your tickets to see this skilled brother collaboration should be at the top of your New Year's resolutions.
