The sextet Delta Rae wrote and performed a song urging millions of people to vote for equal marriage rights. The seven-person ensemble known as Neon Trees is very gay-friendly: look no further than open and proud frontman Tyler Glenn. Both of these bands are staunch supporters of equality and they’re coming to perform for all of us here in the Sunshine State this month.
Delta Rae’s three Florida concert dates begin on Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m. with an appearance at The Social in Orlando. On Saturday, July 11 at 8 p.m., they go to the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, and then they wrap things up in our state on Sunday, July 12 at 8 p.m. at Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale.
Neon Trees will also play their first Florida concert date on July 9 at 7 p.m., at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale. They will play on Friday, July 10 at 6 p.m. at The Beacham in Orlando and on Saturday, July 11 at 8:30 p.m. at the State Theatre in St. Petersburg as well. Genevieve Schatz of Company of Thieves will open for Delta Rae, and Fictionist will open for Neon Trees.
ABOUT DELTA RAE
Originally formed at Duke University in North Carolina in 2009, Delta Rae consists of six members: siblings Ian, Eric and Brittany Hölljes, as well as friends Elizabeth Hopkins, Mike McKee and Grant Emerson. Originally a four-person band, McKee and Emerson were added to the lineup in 2010. Billboard Magazine has likened Delta Rae’s sound and dynamic to that of Fleetwood Mac, “blending male and female vocals in a soft rock, bluesy style.” They even got the chance to partner with Lindsey Buckingham for lyric writing, something that they’d always wanted.
Their music is harmonious and soulful yet also has a social conscience. The Hölljes family have been LGBT rights advocates for decades, and in 2012 the band wrote a song that denounced North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which put marriage equality up for a public vote. They also wrote a protest song calling for tighter gun control in the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting in June 2015. Their current album, After It All, is currently in the top five on the Billboard Top Heatseekers charts.
ABOUT NEON TREES
Neon Trees was formed in 2005 in Provo, Utah. A four-man band, the current members are Tyler Glenn (lead vocals, keyboards), Chris Allen (guitar, secondary vocals), Branden Campbell (bass guitar, secondary vocals) and Elaine Bradley (drums, percussion, secondary vocals). The group’s name comes from the neon-lit trees seen as part of the decor at the In-N-Out Burger restaurant chain.
Their commercial breakthrough came in 2010 with the release of their debut album Habits. While the album missed the top half of the Billboard 200, it did spawn a Top 20 single, “Animal.” The album Picture Show brought the band even greater fame, thanks to the success of the Top 10 pop smash “Everybody Talks.” Their third album, Pop Psychology, charted higher than any of their previous albums to date, reaching #6 on the Billboard 200. Two of their singles have been certified gold and two have been certified platinum.
Tyler Glenn, the lead singer of Neon Trees, made a big splash when he came out as gay in the pages of Rolling Stone in April 2014. He said that he was used to keeping his sexuality a secret ever since puberty, partly due to his upbringing in the Mormon faith. Once he reached his twenties, it had become too overwhelming for him to attempt to bottle up. Just last month, he told The Advocate that the Mormon Church was “changing” with regard to how it treats LGBT believers.
TICKETS
Tickets for the Delta Rae concerts start at $20 (Orlando), $25 (Clearwater) and $17.25 (Fort Lauderdale). Ticket prices for Neon Trees start at $24 (Fort Lauderdale), $25 (Orlando), and $23 (St. Petersburg). You can purchase your tickets online by going to deltarae.com/#tour-updates (Delta Rae) or fameisdead.com/tour (Neon Trees).
For more information on Delta Rae, visit deltarae.com. Follow them on Facebook by going to facebook.com/deltarae. For more information on Neon Trees, visit fameisdead.com. Follow them on Facebook by going to facebook.com/neon.trees.
