To bring the world’s youngest heavy metal band on stage as the headline act at some music festivals may seem strange, but not at Restore the Music Festival.
The event will be in downtown Gainesville on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. to raise money for VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping music education in public schools.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the event.
This event is for the children, so having the heavy metal Heene Boyz headline is only fitting.
The Heene Boyz is made up of the three Heene brothers: 11-year-old Falcon, 13-year-old Ryo and 14-year-old Bradford.
Bradford Heene said the group started playing four years ago after being inspired by their mother’s guitar skills. Since then, they have performed at well-known events, including Daytona Bike Week and the Daytona 500.
The Heene Boyz are passionate about keeping music in schools.
“We want to see other kids rocking out, too,” Bradford said.
The youngest brother, Falcon, said his ultimate goal for the band is to one day get to tour with Metallica.
Event manager Richard Heene, the boys’ father, said the event should inspire growth and changes within the Gainesville music scene.
Richard Heene said festivalgoers can look forward to seeing unsigned artists from all genres.
“People will get to experience music they never have before,” he said. “There needs to be a place for unsigned artists to get exposure.”
Sawyer Hudson, a 19-year-old UF psychology sophomore, said he hopes the festival will do just that for him.
“It is a huge opportunity for me to get my music out to my fellow students at the University of Florida, as well as a fun chance to make many new friends in the unsigned music industry,” he wrote in an email.
He said Restore the Music Festival will be his biggest gig yet as a solo artist, as well as the debut performance of his band, Time of Calling.
He is also passionate about VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.
“I believe that every child has a right to have musical instruments available to him or her to be able to learn to play,” Hudson said. “Music is a wonderful, life-changing endeavor, and it’s meant to be shared.”
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 2/20/2014 under the headline “Downtown music festival restores rock"]
