As much as I am a fan of all things Disney, I absolutely love music. I take pride in knowing a lot of songs from the time of Elvis up to about 1995ish so I’ll call myself a classic rock fan. Thankfully, for people like me, there is a perfect mixture of Disney and rock music and it is found during the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot. Which brings us to unique Top 10 that I’ve been looking forward to posting for a while.
Welcome to Believe Vacation’s Top Ten where today, we’ll look at the Top 10 Garden Rocks Concerts for 2017. For this list, I looked at the entire line-up throughout the festival and have ranked them based on shows I would expect my wife and kids to enjoy and thus, your family as well. And if they’ve already performed, well then you’ll just have to use one of our agents at Believe Vacations to plan your 2018 trip around one of these concerts! So let’s get rockin and rollin and kick it off with:
10) Blood, Sweat and Tears and Bo Bice (Already Performed)
THAT Song – Spinning Wheel
Contemporary Jazz Rock music at it’s best (ie, horns and funky rhythms). Famous for three top-5 singles in the late 60s, BS&T brings a fun show with some catchy songs that you may hear on any oldies channel in America. A welcome addition to this group is Bo Bice, the rocking front man from Helena, AL (5 miles north of my house), A runner-up to Carrie Underwood on American Idol, Bice’s vocals are the perfect blend to match the brass and rock the garden.
9) John Secada (Already Performed)
THAT Song – Just Another Day
Originally backing up Gloria Estefan, Secada would find his biggest success on his own with a couple of Top 30 hits. One of the hottest single performers of the early 90s, the Cuban native brings one of the most incredible vocal performances to the stage, providing fans a mix of originals in both English and Spanish. It would be hard for your family to sit through a Jon Secada concert and not find yourself dancing at some point in the show.
8) Gin Blossoms (This Weekend)
THAT Song – Hey Jealousy
90s rock is often overlooked but man did it produce some of the catchiest songs ever. Look no further than the hits from the guys from Tempe, AZ. Bordering on grunge but heavily implanted into the alternative rock genre, Gin Blossoms can crank the volume on their guitars or pull out the harmonica and jam. Enjoy them while you have a chance millennials because they may be the only group on this list from our youth!
7) STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas (May 5 to 8)
THAT Song – We Built This City
Fans of this group know that there could be any song that could be THAT song but as Starship, there was no bigger hit for the band, maybe even the entire 80s. First they were the hippies of Jefferson Airplane, then the psychedelic spin off of Jefferson Starship and now have settled on the pop rock of Starship. Regardless of names of the band or era, the entire family will remember classic songs throughout the entire show.
6) Spinners (May 26 to 29)
THAT Song – Working My Way Back to You
If you know anything about Motown groups from the 60s and 70s, then you know you are in for a real treat! This popular quintet will provide the beats, the vocals, the moves, the grooves and the funk while you provide some love back. And don’t be surprised if they play some cover songs from other artists of their genre and age that you may know.
5) Little River Band (Already Performed)
THAT Song – Reminiscing
A popular act from Australia, LRB cranked out some of the biggest hits of the 70s and 80s. Soft rock, pop rock and folk rock ballads and ditties personify this group of talented musicians. With some famous vocal and instrumental intros, don’t be surprised if you see much of the crowd hop to their feet when a popular song begins.
4) The Orchestra starring former members of ELO (April 21 to 24)
THAT Song – Evil Woman
Electric Light Orchestra was the epitome of all things 70s and 80s classic rock. Distorted guitars, strings and synths, killer harmonies, over the top production quality and light shows with a touch of pop. Even though the big players are not with this version of the band, the hits remain and that means the Garden will rock this Spring.
3) Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (May 19 to 22)
THAT Song – I’m Henry VIII, I Am
The clean-cut British alternative to the shaggy-haired Beatles, Herman’s Hermits had a tremendous amount of success in their native country as well as the United States. In 1965, they had 4 top 3 hits while appearing on all the major TV shows at the time like The Ed Sullivan Show. For a pop group going strong even after 50 years of performing, Herman’s Hermits and their hits are a show you can not afford to miss.
2) The Guess Who (May 12 to 15)
THAT Song – American Woman
Ah, yes. One of the greatest American rock songs ever written by….CANADIANS?! Throughout the 70s, the Guess Who had a number of hits you will hear all day on classic rock stations all throughout the country. And with most of those songs carrying over into younger generations through movie and TV soundtracks, it would be impossible to go the entire concert with everyone knowing at least one song to rock out to!
Honorable Mention
Night Ranger (Already Performed) – THAT Song – Sister Christian
Berlin featuring Terri Nunn (April 30 and May 1) – THAT Song – Take My Breath Away
Pointer Sisters (Already Performed) – THAT Song – I’m So Excited
1) Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STYX (Already Performed)
THAT Song – Come Sail Away
Growing up in Montgomery, AL, you could not go a full year without seeing guitarist and hometown boy Tommy Shaw and STYX in concert. STYX still tours and puts on tremendous shows for sold-out audiences but it is Dennis DeYoung who really pushed the techno-synth sound into the catalog of songs. A rock mainstay throughout the 70s and 80s, it is very rare to have a group have more than a handful of what you and I would call hits. By seeing this show, you’ll hear at least a dozen songs you have heard at some point in your life making this the best concert you could attend for the price of admission to Epcot!
Did I miss anyone? Are you planning on going to one of these shows at Epcot this spring? Leave your comments below and as always, there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!
