01 May Fitz and the Tantrums Class It Up

Headlining the JetBlue Stage Saturday night was Los Angeles’s own Fitz and the Tantrums.

This was not my first time seeing the MoneyGrabber-group. Their spunky festival performances, and chart-topping singles, won over my heart and ears long ago. The vocal leaders of the group are Michael Fitzpatrick and the unstoppable Noelle Scaggs. Together, with their band of brilliant musicians, Fitz and the Tantrums encouraged the crowd to savor the moment.

Photo by Chris Salata for Sunfest |Copyright 2016

After opening with “More Than Just A Dream” and “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” it really appeared as though the loyal crowd took the task to heart. The set had the least amount of cell phones of the weekend.

Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the blue glow of a screen and truly watch what’s before you.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Fitz and the Tantrums before, let me share a few glowing words. If I had to pick one word to describe this band it would be classy. This group seemed to find the hole in our melting music genres, just eight years ago, and fill our need for loud, ageless dance music. On stage, Fitzpatrick, Scaggs, and their band have more fun than the crowd, which is always the most refreshing scene. They love their music, wholeheartedly. They love their fans, which they stopped to thank often. They just appear so sound (pun intended) in their direction with their music and scene. It’s impossible not to be impressed.

Photo by Chris Salata for Sunfest | Copyright 2016

And everything they do is effortless. I swear Fitzpatrick and Scaggs just open their mouths a few centimeters and this power just pours out. Can they even turn it off? When they order a meal from a menu does the waiter just get blown away by their coolness?

I don’t know, but what I do know beyond certainty is they put on one of the best shows of the weekend.

On June 10, Fitz and the Tantrums will release their self-titled studio album, containing the smash hit “HandClap.” But before closing with that gem, they teased new music to the crowd.

“Get out your phones,” Fitzpatrick joked, teasing the song “Complicated” to come.

“No phone, no phone!” fired Scaggs. “I want them to party.”

And party, we did. “Complicated” is a sexy, sassy kiss off that I can already hear smothered all over our favorite radio stations and commercials. The band also teased “Roll Up,” which is another impossible-to-ignore hit.

The group also played their hits “MoneyGrabber,” “Out of My League,” and “The Walker.”

“Thank you for being real people, real music lovers,” Fitzpatrick told the crowd. “The most sincere and heartfelt thank you for making our dreams come true.”

Fitz and the Tantrums will be embarking on a giant tour this year, SunFest is one of their very first stops! Be sure to catch them again if you can!