Words By: Emma Hintz
Looking for something to do this weekend in Tampa? Look no further than Gasparilla Music Festival in beautiful Curtis Hixon Park. The 3-day festival features a perfect mix of artists spanning across every genre imaginable, and not to mention some great food, and fun experiences for the whole family. The mouthwatering food lineup includes some of the best spots in the Tampa Bay area, grab some great coffee or breakfast from Blind Tiger, or if you have a bit of a sweet tooth stop by Chill Bro’s ice cream to cool down, and if you’re in the mood for some GREAT bar food stop by the independent and get your munch on. The possibilities are endless at Gasparilla Music Festival! Alongside the great music and great food, there's also plenty of fun experiences to have at the festival, Head to the Silent Disco tent on Friday and Saturday from 6:30-9:30 to dance to the beat of your own drum, or head to the new “Photonic Vibrations”, an interactive environment composed of panels and sensors that respond to the viewer’s movement. Of course we can’t forget about the KILLER lineup, Grouplove, The Black Pumas, Neal Francis, The Aces, and more will be hitting the stages and we are so excited.
We talked to some of our favorite artists on the lineup, Camille Trust, Van Plating and Treis and Friends, and asked them some questions about what festival attendees can expect from their set, what songs they are most excited to play, and more! Read their answers below:
Camille Trust:
Emma Hintz: What can we expect from your set at Gasparilla Music Festival?
Camille Trust: High energy band including 2 back-up vocalists matched with passionate vocals. The set will include songs from my album NY to FL as well as some older material. By the end of my set, the audience will feel electric.
Emma Hintz: What song of yours are you most excited to perform?
Camille Trust: ooooo this is tough. Probably Florida, which is the title track off of my album and a love-letter to my home state.
Emma Hintz: Is this your first time playing a festival?
Camille Trust: It's my first time playing a festival with my original music. I've played Lollapalooza, Billboard Fest & Governor's Ball singing back-up to other artists and Outsidelands with Resistance Revival Chorus, but never with my own music.
Emma Hintz: What is your favorite thing about live music?
Camille Trust: Feeding off of the energy of the audience, it's the best feeling in the entire world. When I am performing, I experience a joy that is unmatched by anything else.
Emma Hintz: What songs have been on your "on repeat" lately?
Camille Trust: Hmmmm my music I like is truly all over the map, but lately I've been listening to "Rolling Stone" by JMSN, "If You Want Me To Stay" by Sly & The Family Stone and Free Nationals.
Emma Hintz: Lastly, how would you describe your sound to someone who has never listened to you before?
Camille Trust: A funkier and emotional mixture of Janis Joplin and Lauryn Hill.
Van Plating:
Emma Hintz: What can we expect from your set at Gasparilla Music Festival?
Van Plating: GMF is a rare opportunity for me to bring out my full band–which means instead of just me and a guitar, I’ll be playing violin, acoustic, electric, and keys–backed by some of my favorite musicians in the whole world: Reid Stains (drums), Taylor Ard (bass), Noan Partly (vocals, banjo, acoustic, keys) and Mario Perez (electric guitar). Because we’re doing full band, you’ll hear a cranked up, sweaty, vulnerable-but-very-rocknroll style Indie Americana set with lush arrangements and high energy. We are hyped to be playing Gasparilla this year. I’m so excited to bring the band.
Emma Hintz: What song of yours are you most excited to perform?
Van Plating: “Dirty Frame” from my newest record, “The Way Down” is one of my favorites to perform with the band. It has this Rolling Stones kind of groove to it in the main body of the song, mixed with very Florida/Petty-esque chords and melody. We do a half time break down at the end and it’s just a riotous wall of sound. I love it. I love the way my band plays that one.
Emma Hintz: Is this your first time playing a festival?
Van Plating: Not at all! Festivals are a favorite vibe of mine because it’s a great way to meet up with friends and make new ones. Most recently I performed at the premiere event in my genre, “Americanafest” in Nashville in this past September, and the day before GMF I’ll be playing a smaller festival in Gainesville put on by Heartwood Soundstage–they are one of the most beautiful, well curated and beloved-by-artists-and-fans-alike rooms in all of Florida. It’s their 6th anniversary and I’m honored to be a part of the event. And in a couple short weeks I'm flying to Austin to play a few shows during SXSW. May is Folk Alliance. So yeah–I’m festival obsessed.
Emma Hintz: What is your favorite thing about live music?
Van Plating: The interaction between audience and performer is my favorite aspect to live music. The moments shared during a live set between you and the folks in that room–those are moments that can’t be replicated anywhere else, ever again. The exchange exists once, with that particular set of people, circumstances, moods, sounds. It’s different every time, even if my set is the same group of songs. I’ve missed performing dearly throughout the pandemic and getting those moments back into my life is hugely healing.
Emma Hintz: What songs have been on your "on repeat" lately?
Van Plating: Truth be told– “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure” from Encanto are the most played in our house right now (We have 4 kids aged 5-11). Honestly though–they’re great songs. I dare you to listen and not hit repeat! Other than that I”m in a hardcore Tom Petty mood right now, prepping for my next record. I want it to be more grounded in the sounds and sights of my home. Clean, warm, analog, lush, complex without being overworked. That’s the direction.
Emma Hintz: Lastly, how would you describe your sound to someone who has never listened to you before?
Van Plating: I think I’ve got a unique mix of Americana/folky influences with more rock/indie sounds. My vocals have been compared to Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell and Neko Case. Very catchy songwriting but I keep it moody and colorful. Like Kacey Musgraves but more rock. Or Phoebe Bridgers but more catchy. Or Brandi Carlile but make it indie. I hope that helps!
Treis and Friends:
Emma Hintz: What can we expect from your set at Gasparilla Music Festival?
Treis and Friends: It's been weeks of excitement to play this set that has been building up for all three of us, so expect to see that translate to our performance on stage; being chosen to play on Friday night gives us this sense of responsibility to set the tone for the whole weekend, and we want to make our presence felt, and give a performance to remember.
Emma Hintz: What song of yours are you most excited to perform?
Treis and Friends: We’re actually debuting a new song which I think is particularly exciting for us. We don’t get the chance to play new things too often, so we figure this will be a bit of a highlight for us for the evening.
Emma Hintz: Is this your first time playing a festival?
Treis and Friends: Yes it is, and we’re super excited for this opportunity! Tampa is a special place for us as it's somewhat of our “hometown” as a musical act, and to be playing what is pretty much the premier music festival of this area is a whirlwind that has yet to really hit us I think.
Emma Hintz: What is your favorite thing about live music?
Treis and Friends: Every time we get the chance to be on stage, it really brings out this childish joy that’s hard to describe; like you’re trying to be cool - stay focus, hit the marks - but you can’t believe you’re doing something you always dreamed of doing, and with people there to support you and your art. Being able to share those moments with an audience is the best thing about live music, because all three of us are such avid consumers of music. We have been in the audience WAY more than we have been the performers. There’s a sort of unspoken realization that even though the lights and attention are on us, we aren’t much different from the people listening to us. That sense of community in a 30 to 45-minute snippet of time is amazing every time it happens.
Emma Hintz: What songs have been on your "on repeat" lately?
Treis and Friends: Between the three of us we’ve got a pretty diverse taste in music, but I think a commonality for sure is that we still have that new Silk Sonic Record spinning. The whole album is pretty incredible and definitely a bit of inspiration for us as a band.
Emma Hintz: Lastly, how would you describe your sound to someone who has never listened to you before?
Treis and Friends: We’ve pretty lovingly described ourselves as making “suburban funk” in the past, but we’re pretty eclectic with our sound. From bonafide pop-funk, to more cool tempered indie, the main goal of our music is to give this homey, familiar sort of feel, that tells stories that are both relatable in their content, but unique in their presentation, and explores the side of a story that usually isn’t apparent on the surface. The clash between what a character wants to say and what they actually say is front and center in the lyrics. We’re looking forward to taking ourselves less seriously with our future sound, but right now the music reflects an introspective era that is… suburbanly funky.
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