The Friday before game day is always a tough time for Florida State University (FSU) football fans. You’re ready to be inside Doak Campbell Stadium, singing the war chant alongside a sea of fellow students, cheering for Chief Osceola and Renegade, and watching Jordan Travis bring FSU back to the top. Your outfit is already picked out: pins, boots, hats, everything. The makeup look you want to recreate is screenshotted in your camera roll, and your alarm is set to wake you up to the sound of the Seminole Rap. Well, maybe not that last thing, but your excitement is hard to hold in and you just want to kick off the weekend on a fun note after a week of hard classes. Luckily for you and your friends, the FSU Friday Night Block Party is in town and ready to have a great time!
Just 500 feet away from campus on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Madison Street, the Friday Night Block Party is a completely free outdoor concert series. Each concert is from 6-10 p.m. on the Friday night before every FSU home football game. The Marching Chiefs even come to play the war chant at every concert! The lineup is always amazing, and it’s guaranteed to be a fun time. Last year, famous country artists such as Brian Kelley from Florida Georgia Line and Dylan Marlowe were headliners. This year, the concert series started with the Velcro Pygmies, a local rock band that sang a bunch of famous songs and even got some of the audience up on the stage. Check out some of the pictures from their performance here! This 2023 season, some more amazing musicians will be performing. Check it out!
Sept. 8: The Velcro Pygmies (FSU vs. Southern Mississippi)
It is unfortunate to say that the first concert of the year has already passed, and this was a bad one to miss. The Velcro Pygmies are a local Tallahassee favorite, and they will make sure to leave you wanting an encore. They are an ’80s rock band that travels the country bringing the prime of music to anybody that will listen. However, they are not just musicians, and this is no kind of ordinary concert. They put on a whole show by engaging the entire audience by taking pictures with fans, bringing students onto the stage, wearing fun rock outfits, and uniting everybody in the crowd with the energy of rock music. Even if you missed them, check out some of their original music if you are a rock fan too!
Oct. 6: Corey Smith (FSU vs. Virginia Tech)
For all country music lovers, this is for you. Corey Smith will be headlining the Block Party for Parents Weekend this year, so instead of staying cooped up in your dorm, apartment, or hotel room, bring your whole family and enjoy the show. Growing up in the heart of Georgia, Smith is heavily influenced by traditional country stars including Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr. He calls himself the “Fan Made Man” and has gained a diehard fan base for always being straightforward and honest about his lifestyle. Smith has over 300,000 monthly listeners on Spotify; additionally, he has sold upwards of 1 million concert tickets and has amassed 73 million streams on his digital songs. He even has an entire album titled Football Songs, the perfect soundtrack to kick off your game day weekend.
Oct. 13: Dylan Schneider (FSU vs. Syracuse)
Out of all the performers this year, Dylan Schneider might have the most heartwarming musical upbringing. When Schneider was only 14 years old, country star Brett Eldredge let him go on stage and sing a song at a concert, and from there on Schneider was hooked on being a country musician. Even during the early days of his career, Schneider focused on using his songs to tell a story, rather than just for the sake of creating music. He has 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, 230 million digital streams, co-wrote a song with Dustin Lynch, and even went on tour with Florida Georgia Line and Morgan Wallen. His musical resume is impressive, but his pop-country-rock medley voice will make you love him even more.
Oct. 20: Bryan Martin (FSU vs. Duke)
Growing up with a working-class background, Brian Martin likes to say that he has lived the stories of his songs. Before his self-taught music career, he worked on oil rigs but always kept songwriting in his heart. Martin’s songs are mixed with variations of southern rock, western outlaw, and even a little bit of gospel. The singer has 5.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify and has a devout fan base that praises his originality and willingness to be emotional in his music. He might just be the biggest headliner yet as many critics are saying he is one of the newest talents breaking into the country music field. Securing Martin as a headliner was no easy task, and all students should take advantage of the opportunity to see this rising star play.
Nov. 10: Chase McDaniel (FSU vs. Miami)
Chase McDaniel will be the performer for our rivalry game this 2023 season: FSU versus Miami (go Noles by the way). The best way to kick off a weekend this big is by going to a concert with your friends! He calls his music “streetwise” because of the edgy rock that he brings to traditional country. Although he may not be as big as some of the other artists who are headlining the Block Party, his show will still be a great watch. Don’t waste away the Friday before the Miami game. Let’s show South Florida how we do it in the Panhandle and sing our country music all night long.
Nov. 17: MacKenzie Carpenter (FSU vs. North Alabama)
The series will wrap up with Mackenzie Carpenter. I may be biased because of how much I love her style and music, but this is tied to being one of the best Block Parties of the year. Her tagline is that “country girls just want to have fun” and she has appointed herself the leader of the “tacky country club.” Everybody loves a country girl, especially when they wear pink jean jackets and sparkly boots. Not to mention she has the cutest album covers ever— check it out for yourself. She has 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, opened concerts for Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum, and is proud to be the spunky girl next door who is bringing girly country music back.
The FSU Friday Night Block Party provides nights that you and your friends will never forget. Each concert showcases a unique singer that is sure to make you love Florida State, Tallahassee, country music, and gameday even more than you already do (if that is even possible). I can’t wait to see you all there!
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