Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! Holy crap! What a Saturday! Yes, Earth Day Birthday passed and all I have to say is that me and Gondras can finally say that we finally went to one and that happened to be this year’s event! For years I wanted to go to this and so did he and we finally did with this year’s line up. Even though we didn’t get the media passes we did get the tickets with our money and it was worth the $65 for each and WJRR knows how to put on a great event and that is why I am also revewing it, which I disclaim with this, whatever I say in this review is based on opinions please and thank you!

We didn’t stay for the entire line up since we were about to collapse towards the end but at least we got to stick out to as long as we did. The event started at 11:25 with a special rocking version of the “Star Spangled Banner” and it led into the first act of the day, which was of course the major reason why we were brought to the event in the first place, Soul Switch! They did a pretty good set despite the microphone that was handed to Tom was bad but he did get one that worked and they did their old set with music from “As It Seems.” I wished they did some stuff from “Regenerate” but seeing the time limit they were given, especially being on the Bud Light main stage, they had to stick with the old set. At least we can see them again at House of Blues and the Haven. I did forget to mention that not only the Bud Light stage was there, there were two other stages and they were the Full Sail stage which featured acts like Trapt, Saving Abel, and many others, there was also the Acoustic stage where some bands did acoustic performances and Flyleaf was one of them. Now onto who we did catch and what I thought:

Soul Switch: Since I did mention them up first, they were an awesome choice to be on the main stage for this year from Orlando. They did their old set which is still awesome no matter what, I wouldn’t have minded to hear “Hang On” but them doing “Change,” “Saving Me,” and of course both of their non EP tracks, “Over Again” and “Walk Alone,” they did an awesome job!

Flyleaf: We managed to catch them on the main stage and didn’t catch them on the acoustic one, but they still soung good as the same if we were to see the acoustic set. I have to say, I do like the new lead singer, which I read in the liner notes for their latest album that their old one left and was replaced. I liked how she did the old stuff like “Red Sam” and my all time fave, “All Around Me,” she did pretty much brought a better sound to them and of course revitalized the band’s sound with their newer stuff, including “Set Me on Fire.” I guess I have to pick up one of their newer albums.

Saving Abel: I got into these guys back during ORock was still around and no matter how much they changed they still sound as they did back around 2008/2009ish! They sound even more amazing live if you get to see these guys!

Buck Cherry: We kind of heard them from where we stood in front of the Full Sail stage, which of course Full Sail University was a sponsor, waiting for Trapt, we couldn’t help but overhear these guys. I did have a headbreaking moment when I didn’t know. If you guys know that song called “I Don’t Care” by that girl duo? Apparently they covered that song and I was like, “They Sing What Now!?” I heard it on WJRR and didn’t put my paws on the band until I found it was Buck Cherry! And of course, if wondering, they did close their set with “Crazy Bitch.”

Trapt: I only really heard of these guys with one song and that was “Headstrong” and was glad to see these guys live. We didn’t know they were that good of a band until we heard some of their other songs performed and including a new one, “Passenger.” I think I may have to pick up an album.

All That Remains: Gondras thought I was drawn to these guys all because they came from my place of birth and that’s Massachusetts, which in all honesty I didn’t know they were from there until they said it! Yes, I came from Boston, random fact is that Boston Cream Pie is my fave dessert and did have the Coldstone Creation on one of my birthdays with the Buy One Get One Free coupon. Back to my review, I do like these guys, they do have the metal sound they proclaim but to me it’s more of alternative in my kitty ears, especially with the song “If I was Nothing,” which I do like the most by them. The rest of the set was good overall and wish they come around more. They did say they have performed at Earth Day Birthdays in the past and that was at the time I didn’t get into them due to how O-Rock didn’t play them as much and after switching to WJRR when O-Rock closed down, glad I really got into them.

Sevendust:  As you know, I announced on here that Bush cancelled due to reasons and Sevendust replaced them and we heard the real story behind it on their end. Sevendust hasn’t been around lately due to being in the studio recording a new album and when they got the call at the studio, they said yes! You know I can’t wait for that album to drop! I will even check my Rewards Zone for gift certificates to pick it up! My thoughts on the set is that this was a better set than the Carnival of Madness one back in 2010. Back then they performed songs I didn’t recognize until the final song they did the final song on the Seasons album “Face to Face,” which was kind of disappointing  since they had awesome songs from many other albums that could’ve been performed. What about now? They performed songs I knew and love! One of them happened to be the very first song I heard by them and got me into them and that was “Denial” and that made me a very happy kitty despite the drink I had earlier that day. They did end their set with “Enemy” which made it better and they did “Face to Face” as well which I did sing along.

Slash and the Conspirators: Oh yes, a little old school and that is Slash from Guns and Roses with his own band and man it was a great set! He did the classic Guns and Roses stuff from when he was in the band and one of them was “Sweet Child of Mine.” Gondras went on a ride, which that was a part of admission to this thing that you get to ride carnival rides and he got everyone singing along and while me, since I wasn’t with him, almost cried since he sang that song to me one time. ::insert “Awwwwww” here:: The set did end with “Paradise City” which we did sing along with.

Rise Against: The band that we left after and waited for the most all day. We did weant to stay for Five Finger Death Punch but we had to listen to our bodies. At least we got to stay for our all time fave punk band from Chicago! They did start their set with “Don’t Want to Be Hear Anymore” except they changed it to “Don’t Want to Leave Here Anymore” which I can see why they did that because of how much Orlando loved these guys! I didn’t even know their first start was here in Orlando at the Social! I did remember hearing of them when they had their song “Like the Angel” on a CD sampler with my copy of “Sticks and Stones” by New Found Glory back in around 2002. How did the guys do? Amazing as they did back at UCF! They did do songs from their many other best hits like “Savior,” “Ready to Fall,” and one that we didn’t expect and Gondras was surprised and that was the first track off the “Sufferer and the Witness,” “Chanber the Cartridge” and it sounded really good live. All in all, it was a really good set for doing it for almost an hour!

Is It Worth It? Now the question is that is EDBD worth the time and money to go to? The Answer is yes! After going to my first one, it is a definite yes despite seeing the stoners and drunks but still worth paying the $65, especially going to one with a lot of your fave bands! Hell, wasn’t expecting Sevendust replace Bush since they are Florida boys themselves. You also get to ride carnival rides while waiting for your fave band or during sets! You rarely get that at Warped Tour! I think the only thing that kept us busy during that was Guitar Hero in some of the tents. Still, this is worth it and even more worth Red Hot and Boom over at Cranes Roost since that event has been focused on pop acts that don’t really interest me even though I kind of edged back to it. This was better and glad to see Sevendust and Rise Against for a second time and seeing Soul Switch being a main stage act! I am proud of you guys. Will we go next year? Not sure since we did almost got de-hydrated and did get sunburned, which I have a big bottle of Aloe Vera on standby. Still, it was worth it!

What is next? Well, my faves for March and April 2015!