Gator Growl just brought two headlining musical acts to Gainesville, but concert addicts can see even more this weekend at the Coral Skies Music Festival.
Organized by Live Nation Florida, Coral Skies will take place Saturday at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater in Tampa and Sunday at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach.
Cage The Elephant, Manchester Orchestra and Julian Casablancas (lead singer of The Strokes) and his backing band The Voidz will headline. Acts rounding out the bill include Bleachers, City and Colour and UF J-School alumnus Benjamin Booker.
“Our main goal was to give fans of the indie and alternative rock genres a chance to spend all day seeing awesome bands for a low ticket price,” said Live Nation Florida President Neil Jacobsen. “We feel the lineup has a great mix of acts. Everyone on the bill is going to put on a great show and we can’t wait.”
Along with the music lineup, Coral Skies boasts an impressive selection of food trucks, craft beer and local art.
“For the price of a normal concert at a club venue, you can see 12 acts with no overlap,” Jacobsen said. “Then there are the many food trucks, craft beers and local artists showcasing their work.”
The new festival’s name comes from the original name of the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach. Coral Skies also debuts a few months after Live Nation brought the Big Guava Music Festival to Tampa.
Jacobsen said he wishes to give attendees a great experience and create an annual festival for Florida music lovers to enjoy.
“The goal with any event is to give the fans an experience they’ll remember and cherish for a long time,” he said. “Hopefully doing that will allow us to grow but keep the value the same year in and year out.”
Tickets can be purchased on Live Nation’s website. Regular admission tickets are $40.50 after service fees, and pit access tickets are $70 after service fees. Although VIP tickets are sold out, Live Nation is offering a four-pack ticket deal with each ticket priced at $31.50. Parking is separate.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 10/23/2014]
Julian Casablancas + The Voidz will headline the Coral Skies Festival in Tampa and West Palm Beach this weekend. Tickets can be bought online on Live Nation’s website.
