Page 27 - ION Indie Magazine_MayJune 2022

Kraken Fest is Florida’s first independent rock festival showcasing genres from pop-
punk to post-hardcore. The third annual, single-day festival took place on February
19, 2022, at the Orlando Amphitheater and featured a combination of established
bands from the 2000s as well as regional artists from Central and Southern Florida.

To commemorate its third-year run, artists on the 2022 lineup included headliners
The Used, Story of the Year, and Anberlin, with supporting acts Red Jumpsuit
Apparatus, Evergreen Terrace, Felicity, We’re Wolves, and The Dev.

The day consisted of rowdy mosh pits, nostalgic gang vocal chants, and shameless
crowd surfing. Every act certainly commanded the stage during their sets and
engaged their audience on monumental levels throughout the day.

We got to learn a little more about Kraken Fest from one of the event organizers,
Freddy Escobar. He shared, “We are insanely excited for Kraken Fest 2022.
Orlando has welcomed us with open arms since our first show there, so we are
thrilled to be back and continue to grow. And of course, we always look for ways to
stay true to our roots and ensure Florida bands are well represented.”

I asked Escobar why he was Kraken Fest focusing on indies rather than
mainstream, signed rock acts and what is the message he was sending? He
explained, “We have a balance of national mainstream acts and local talent. We
want to create a space where up and coming bands can share the stage with bands
they listen to, respect, and look up to.”

I then inquired regarding the meaning behind naming the festival “Kraken,” thinking
there might be some deep significance. Said Escobar, “Just a cool name we thought
of.” Finally, I wanted to know the selection of talent was made for Kraken 2022,
especially with such a large pool of talented bands from which to choose. According
to Escobar, “It’s a combo of bands that our customers and fans want to see and
bands we grew up listening to.”

To keep up with future updates on Kraken Fest, follow them @krakenfestmusicfest.