Evolution Festival kicks off in Forest Park with Billy Idol, Beck
Mud and puddle-filled festival grounds didn't stop festival-goers from attending Evolution Fest in Forest Park on Sept. 28.
Day 1 of the festival dodged the severe rain showers that hit St. Louis hard on Friday. Instead, guests trudged through thick fields of mud all day long to enjoy hours of rock-n-roll, folk music and funk. Nashville-based country-rock guitarist Sean Thompson's Weird Ears started the afternoon on the Beer Garden stage followed by local rock band the Nite Sprites on the Lindenwood stage.
Main stage festivities kicked off at 2:15 p.m. with folk singer Tre Burt hitting the stage to get things started. More guests rolled in as the afternoon progressed and the weather remained favorable as rock band Deeper took to the main stage at 3:25 p.m. About a third of Langenberg Field was full during the band's performance, with their drummer, Shiraz Bhatti, creating the perfect percussion rhythms to get the party going. Meanwhile, bands Chaparelle and the Asteroid No. 4 performed on the Lindenwood and Beer Garden stages.
Clad in all black with a black guitar with golden trim, singer and songwriter S.G. Goodman was a showstopper during her set on the Lindenwood stage. She sang about gas station delicacies and city lights during her song "Old Time Feeling." Toward the end of her performance, Goodman sang her song "Supertramp." She smoothly transitioned into a cover of "The Boys of Summer" by Don Henley, her raspy voice and emotion-filled vocals leaving a resonating impression on the audience.
The Billy Tibbals Band took over the Beer Garden stage next. Band front man Tibbals gave a charming and animated performance that merged new school alternative rock styles with a nostalgic, feel-good energy. Tibbals remained high energy throughout the performance as he thrust his mic stand into the air as he ran through the band's songs. Confident and daring in his demeanor, Tibbals looked as if he were going to attempt an on-stage stunt towards the end of the set by climbing atop the speaker. However, the singer gave up his attempt after the adjacent stage lights began to wobble.
Singer Pete Yorn gave an honest and strong performance on Day 1 of the festival as he set the tone for evening shows on the main stage. He was transparent throughout his performance, informing the audience that the festival was his fifth show this week and that he'd recently resumed touring after being sidelined by health issues. He also said this was his first time touring sober from alcohol in his career. Festival-goers were patient with Yorn's truths and the singer didn't disappoint as he performed mellow, smooth rock songs like "Someday, Someday," "Different Roads" and "Just Another." The crowd came alive during his song "Murray," many of them singing the lyrics word for word.
Blues and soul singer Robert Finley got down to boogie on the Lindenwood stage at 6:05 p.m. Finley's white cowboy hat stayed secure as he danced around the stage with his band and sang some of his fan's favorite records. Florida band Beachwood Sparks gave a standout performance as they closed out sets on the Beer Garden stage. The band had a unique flair that infused root music with southern soft rock with familiar, relatable lyrics.
Evolution Fest organizers staggered performance times well so festival-goers could catch pieces of every act if they chose to. The names got bigger as the night went on with British rock star Billy Idol hitting the main stage at 6:55 p.m. Idol's set filled up Langenberg Field with music lovers ready to chant the iconic musician's songs word for word. Bright, red light illuminated the sang as Idol kicked off his set with "Dancing with Myself." A crowned lightning bolt hung behind him on stage as he launched into "Cradle of Love," a silver chain dangling from his pants as he tugged at his black and yellow, plaid striped jacket.
Idol came out of his shirt to switch jackets before performing "Flesh or Fancy" bare-chested in front of the crowd. The rocker didn't miss a beat as he chanted the lyrics and thrust his fist into the air with the audience following his lead. He performed for over an hour, yelling out "(Expletive) the coronavirus" before launching into his 2022 song "Cage," which he wrote during quarantine in 2020. Idol had multiple wardrobe changes in between songs, with his guitarist Steve Stevens delivering a heartfelt guitar solo before Idol performed "Mony Mony." He also performed a cover of "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" by Rose Royce and Gen X song "Valley of the Dolls" before wrapping up his set with his hit record "Rebel Yell."
Evolution Fest raged on as Nile Rodgers and Chic performed as the last act of the evening on the Lindenwood stage. Rodgers flexed his musical chops as a vocalist, guitarist and overall connoisseur of rhythm as he performed his own hits as well as songs he's co-written and produced like "Cuff It" by Beyonce and "Material Girl" by Madonna. His band, Chic, shined just as vibrant as their front man. The background vocalists filled the park with their mind blowing voices as they sashayed across the stage in bright green dresses. The performance took the audience to what Chic's drummer described as "maximum funk-osity." The wind and clouds seemed to threaten rain at every moment during Rodgers' performance. However, the rain stayed at bay with light sprinkles occasionally falling from above.
Beck's headlining performance filled Langenberg Field with festival-goers ready to see one of America's greatest rockers. Many festival-goers wore rain boots or leather boots, anticipating intense muddy conditions. By Beck's performance, no one seemed to have a care in the world. Some took their shoes off and danced in the muddy puddles as Beck performed songs like the angsty anthem "The New Pollution," "Devils Haircut" and "Mixed Business."
The rocker's slim silhouette lit up the side projectors as Beck's high-pitched vocals rang into the night during his performance of "Debra." Blue and green lights illuminated the stage for him to perform "Chem Trails," a song he said he doesn't get to perform too often while on tour. His lively, animated movements kept the audience hypnotized as he strutted to and fro in his all-black fitted suit. Beck performed many of his songs "Dreams" and "Lost Cause" before wrapping up his set with his hit song "Loser," concluding a sure win of a first day for Evolution Fest 2024.
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