Rib Fest band line-up: Spandex to Starship

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

Starship, plus five local acts, will perform at Rock ’n’ Rib Fest Saturday, April 9.

For those about to rock in Town Center, we salute you. Palm Coast’s second-annual Rock ’n’ Rib Fest will be loud. From noon to 9 p.m., and closing out with a fireworks finale, six local bands and the legendary Starship will take the stage for more than nine hours of live music.

In addition to the day’s festivities, a three-plane tribute will be held at 5:30 p.m. in honor of pilot “Wild” Bill Walker, who was killed in a crash March 26, at Wings Over Flagler. A Yak-52 Russian Cold War trainer, the warbird Walker flew at the event, will be displayed.

OLD HAW CREEK (12:30 p.m.)
All-acoustic Flagler County rockers, Old Haw Creek is truly a band that tries to have its cake and eat it, too. The band covers groups as diverse as Sublime and Alice in Chains.

SHARON RESNIKOFF (1:45 p.m.)
Sharon Resnikoff has worked with musicians from bands Peter and Gordon, Three Dog Night and Steam. Resnikoff has worked in film, TV and radio. Her music is a mix of folk, country and pop.

NICKOLOFF (3:30 p.m.)
Members of Nickoloff are self-proclaimed rebels and rule-breakers, crafting songs full of “attitude, style and crossover appeal.” Since 2007, they have produced two original records and have opened for bands such as Slaughter, Molly Hatchet, Skid Row, The Allman Brothers, Bad Company, Dierks Bentley, Mark Willis and “American Idol” finalist Bo Bice.

SPANDEX SUPERHEROES (4:45 p.m.)
Is the fact that this spandex-clad foursome dresses in cheap superhero knock-offs their finest characteristic? Possibly not, but it’s definitely their funniest. This is a group of guys who “get” the majestic absurdity of rock and roll, and they relish in it. Their shows feature lasers, lights, fog and original music videos. The swift hammer of their rock has fallen on venues from Mai Tai Bar, in Daytona Beach, to Scarlett O’Hara’s, in St. Augustine.

RUN RHINO (6 p.m.)
Inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Coldplay and Radiohead, Run Rhino is an eclectic and classically trained rock group with an emphasis on instrumental proficiency. They play originals and covers, and have opened for Lifehouse.

SOUL TAXI (7:15 p.m.)
Orlando-based Soul Taxi packs a full and funky punch. Complete with guitars, drums, saxophone, flute, harmonica and key/organ work, the band is influenced by Bob Marley, The Roots and Ben Harper.

STARSHIP (8:30 p.m.)
In one of the longest-running construction projects in music history, Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, has been building this city on rock ’n’ roll for decades. Since his joining the band in 1979 — then Jefferson Starship — every Thomas-led Starship release has gone gold, platinum or multi-platinum.

Chosen in large part by a survey conducted at last year’s Rib Fest, when Credence Clearwater Revival performed, Starship is coming to town by popular demand, said David Ayers, vice president/general manager of WNZF Radio.

“You want a band that’s going to get up there, and you’re going to hear back-to-back hits,” Ayers said. “I mean, these guys … to me they’re the perfect fit.”