All the Bells and Whistles with Aranda

with Travis Failey

Gabe and Dameon Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

For many years now, I have been going to concerts at the usual locations: small clubs, arenas, and stadiums to name a few. A new venue would be checked off my concert resume as Aranda performed a full length set to close out the Florida State Fair on Monday night. The Aranda brothers, Gabe and Dameon, took to the Sleep Number Stage promptly at 7:00 pm. The stage was nestled between food vendors, a Ferris wheel, and a helicopter ride, which resulted in sensory overload. There’s nothing quite like listening to one of your favorite rock bands perform, with the air smelling like funnel cakes, feeling the wind produced by a helicopter that swoops overhead every 5 minutes, and watching the rides sail through the dark sky behind the stage.

Dameon Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Upon arrival, I noticed that the crowd was pretty light. But I knew this was due to the underexposure of Aranda’s music, not because of the quality of Aranda’s music. And as it were, the small crowd didn’t last long, as several passerbys stopped and listened to Aranda’s extended set. The set included songs spanning from Aranda’s 2008 debut self-titled album, to their latest and third release, Not The Same. Also included were two covers, Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” and Free’s “All Right Now”, which got the whole crowd moving.

Gabe Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Aranda opened their set with the hit, “Stand” then kept the energy and tempo up when they played two songs from their new album: “We are the Enemy” and “Dead Man Running”. Dameon took over the lead vocal track on their biggest hit to date in “Satisfied.” There were numerous times in the night when Aranda set themselves apart from other rock bands with their versatility and their performance of “Satisfied” and aforementioned “Black Magic Women” were examples of this.

B.Webb (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Aranda transitions from heavy rock to blues and to soul and back without a hiccup and the back line of Mike Walker on drums and bassist B. Webb help to achieve this. They followed up “Satisfied” by going old school Aranda with tracks from their first album, “It Ain’t Easy” “Hooked on You” and “Punish Me.”

Mike Walker (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

The boys from Oklahoma City would conclude their “Night at the Fair” with three charting singles in “Don’t Wake Me”, “Undone” and “One More Lie”. Aranda would bust out their favorite prop, Dameon’s boot, during his guitar solo. I’ve seen videos of the “boot pick” before and the guys pull it off well. Shenanigans were afoot as a fan pulled a fast one when she gave Dameon her boot to play with. He obliged with the disclaimer that her boot had more tread on it.

Dameon Aranda, Gabe Aranda and B.Webb (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Aranda closed out the show with “Why You Wanna” and made new fans along the way. Even though the stands weren’t packed, Aranda played liked they were and they also realize that sometimes helicopters and roller coasters are all about being a great American rock n roll band. Tonight at the Florida State Fair, Aranda was just that….Great.

For more information and tour dates:

http://www.arandamusic.com/

More Pictures by Travis Failey

Gabe Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Bat Copter Anyone?? (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Dameon Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Gabe Aranda and B.Webb (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

(Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)

Dameon Aranda (Photo-Travis Failey RSEN 2016)