Shaq, Leon Bridges play to Friday Summerfest crowds
For the first Friday of Summerfest 2021, festgoers could hear some of music’s biggest voices — and see music’s biggest DJ in action. (Unfortunately, one of the biggest voices on Friday’s bill, English singer-songwriter Yola, had to cancel her appearance after testing positive for COVID-19, just a few hours before she was scheduled to take the stage.)
DJ Diesel
If you’re anything like me, you had no idea who DJ Diesel was. He is in fact four-time NBA champion and commentator Shaquille O’Neal. (He used one of his old monikers as a DJ name.)
He entered the Miller Lite Oasis stage to the Superman theme and the madness began immediately. That’s right: Shaq spins EDM music. He plays EDM with such heavy bass that it hurts to stand near a speaker. Occasionally, he cut the monotony with a current trap song or some Drake, but then it was back to the insane drum riffs, weird remixes and chopped-up vocal samples. It was so loud.
From a DJ perspective, he didn’t do anything amazing. It was more of a push-button situation. Occasionally, a member of his entourage would pop up to turn a knob for him.
I can’t say Diesel would be much of a DJ if he wasn’t Shaquille O’Neal, but that didn’t matter. The audience loved it. It was so loud.
— Damon Joy, Special to the Journal Sentinel
Leon Bridges
Leon Bridges with full band in tow graced the BMO Harris Pavilion with the style and elegance of a band that’s been performing together for a lifetime.
The sultry blend of neo soul and ’50s and ’60s soul is what Bridges is known for, and he gave a full demonstration of his range Friday night. Whether hitting falsettos with ease or dancing like a choreographer, he didn’t miss a beat.
Nor did his band.
Bridges flowed brilliantly from his early masterpiece “Coming Home” landing to his newest effort, “Gold-Diggers,” proving that he is where he belongs.
— Damon Joy
Chris Janson
Hailing from Nashville, Chris Janson is one of today’s most fun-loving and likable pop-country artists, with three full-length albums and a 2021 EP, “Stripped Down Acoustics,” to his credit. The congenial, shaggyhaired and bearded singer/guitarist (and Grand Ole Opry member) shared the simple pleasures of rural living through his songs Friday night at Summerfest’s UScellular Connection Stage.
Donning a tan cowboy hat, plain black T-shrt, and jeans, and backed by a full band, Janson kicked off his set with raucous anthem “Redneck Life,” in which he started wailing on a harmonica, followed by the upbeat “Everybody” and party jams “Fix a Drink” and “Power of Positive Drinkin’.”
Janson seemed completely at home on stage, smiling, laughing and showing appreciation towards his band.
At one point, he smiled at the audience and said, “I just want to tell you, this is the most fun I’ve had, playing with my band so far.” His enthusiasm definitely rubbed off on his largely younger audience.
— Catherine Jozwik, Special to the Journal Sentinel
Night Ranger
It was beginning to look and feel a lot more like Summerfest for Night Ranger Friday.
The first two days of the festival, stages have been largely empty across the grounds for the late afternoon and early evening headliners. But for Night Ranger, Uline Warehouse was pretty packed, with just enough space on the periphery for people to rock out, socialdistance style.
And the ’80s hard rockers played like they were center stage of a packed football stadium, blessed by a pair of double threats: founding members Jack Blades (on bass) and Kelly Keagy (on drums) taking turns with blast-the-rafter vocals; and original guitarist Brad Gillis and younger gun Keri Kelli going wild with squealing, note-stuffed riffs.
Blades also made sure to thank Milwaukee for being one of the crucial first markets to launch the band’s career. Based on the large number of teens in the crowd, those Milwaukee fans clearly passed their love of Night Ranger down to their kids.
For reviews of more of Friday’s performances at Summerfest, go to jsonline.com/summerfest.