With a new year starting soon, it's time to get excited for Ohio’s favorite summer kickoff festival extravaganza, Breakaway. The event is returning to Historic Crew Stadium, May 30-31. Lineup still to come. Click here to get your tickets now at early bird prices.
Maisie Fitzmaurice
Shaq’s Bass All-Star Haunted Fest goers got their fix of Breakaway magic six months early with performances from CELO, Eliminate, Nghtmre, and a headlining set from the legendary Diesel, A.K.A. basketball star Shaquille O’Neil, at KEMBA Live!
With Columbus’ Haunted Fest falling on the weekend before Halloween, concertgoers flaunted rave fashions through festive, sometimes absurd, costumes that added to the excitement of the night.
A little over a year since his release of "WARFARE," a collaboration with Diesel, CELO takes the stage first, showcasing high energy to start the night. Many of the fans who attended Lost Lands just a couple weeks prior, followed him to KEMBA Live!, and with his career currently in the up-and-coming stage, he is poised to grow to the ranks of subculture royalty.
Eliminate, another artist growing in popularity, follows soon after. Showcasing his unique personality and approach to performing, his trap-heavy sound had heads banging in the pit as the sky got darker and the stage lights got brighter.
With the venue getting full and antsy, Nghtmare enters. A crowd of fans screamed eagerly as the beat started building and the strobes grazed their faces. This was arguably the liveliest performance of the night as you could feel the admiration throughout the crowd. Vibrant visuals helped concertgoers breakaway, if you will, and travel to another world.
The giant man that is Shaq took the stage as the headliner with huge bass drops, mesmerizing pyrotechnics, strobes, lasers and backdrops. He paused often to emit his deep booming voice. “Ladies put your hands up,” he encouraged as cheers came from the crowd. You can tell this is a passion for him, a labor of love, as he appeared relaxed but euphoric. We all know Shaquille O’Neil is an amazing athlete, but I think some may be surprised by how good of a musician he can be, too.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenemediagroup.com.
