Okeechobee Music Festival wows with high-profile lineup
By Zach Schlein | Mar. 9, 2016On paper, there was no reason to expect Okeechobee Music Festival would be the resounding success it turned out to be: Although Florida has long played host to music festivals catering to niche markets, such as the electronic hedonists of Miami’s Ultra Music Festival or the crusty punks of Gainesville’s very own The Fest, Florida had yet to host an outdoor festival of the size, scale and broad appeal of Okeechobee. Would Floridians who were accustomed to the pulsating synths, lights and overpriced hotels of Ultra warm up to more esoteric musical ventures like the psychedelic jazz offered by Kamasi Washington, or even sleeping in a sticky, sweaty tent for four nights? Was there a possibility that acts not named RL Grime or Bassnectar would actually draw large, substantial crowds? The answer to all of the aforementioned questions was a firm yes.
