Audience glad to help Big Freakin’ Deal earn name

The afternoon of Aug. 19 was a blustery day until a collective array of pop artists hit the stage at Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium. From then on, all skies were clear.

The outdoor concert titled Big Freakin’ Deal, otherwise known as BFD, included performances by Kry, Stroke 9, Shaggy, Sister Hazel, BBMak, Train and Smash Mouth.

The highlight of the evening was the last band to take the stage. San Jose-based Smash Mouth was the only act to play under flashing red, orange and yellow lights, complemented by a pastel sky left from an earlier storm.

Smash Mouth played several of the crowd’s favorites, including "When the Morning Comes" and "Can’t Get Enough of You Baby."

Train, who took the stage prior to Smash Mouth, got off to a slow start, playing a lengthy line of music from its upcoming album, due out early next year, but the band was able to recapture the crowd with its recent hit "Meet Virginia."

Despite the short period where fan attention dwindled, the most impressive sight during Train’s performance was not the performers themselves, but the enthusiasm of the fans.

From the moment opener Kry, a Seattle group, took the stage until the last song by Smash Mouth, the energy and liveliness was evident.

Shaggy successfully encouraged fans to get out of their seats and move to the front of the stage.

When BBMak entered, the fans needed little encouragement to move closer. Practically every female from age 5 to 50 moved in to get a closer look at the charming British sensation.

BBMak performed its hit "Back Here" and a rendition of "More Than Words."

Before BBMak was Sister Hazel, who performed its hit "Change your Mind."

Heather Reitmeier of Seattle danced and mouthed the words to every song, and she described her favorite part about each performer.

"I like Sister Hazel’s grassroots history," she said. "I like what they stand for, what they sing about and their stand for social issues."

A plethora of bands with a variety of unique sounds, energy and backgrounds, were combined to draw all types of fans, concluding a successful night of entertainment.

Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell summed it up best as he screamed from the stage, "There is no more love in this damn country than in Seattle."

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