Hed PE Sanford 2016

Hed PE Live Review, Photos, & Video | West End Trading Co., Sanford, FL | Wednesday, May 11, 2016

by • June 8, 2016

As it says in my bio, one of the shows that changed my life was Korn’s “Follow The Leader Tour” which came to the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida on November 13, 1998. Also on the lineup was Incubus, supporting their Science album, and the one and only (həd) p.e. who had just released their self-titled debut album a year before. That show will always remain in the top five shows of all time for me and made me a forever fan of all three bands — especially Hed PE. Frontman and singer Jahed Gomez actually walked past me in the crowd at the show on his way to the stage before the show started. It was surreal. Ever since I haven’t missed a Hed PE show that was in my area, and I sure wasn’t going to miss the “Storm Warning Tour” at West End Trading Co. in Sanford on a quiet Wednesday evening in Central Florida.

Hed PE Sanford 2016Hed PE Sanford 2016

Hed PE is one of my favorite bands. The Hed part of the name means Higher Education (or from deep within yo mind), and the PE used to stand for Planetary Evolution but now means Planet Earth. They hail from Huntington Beach, CA and have been around since the mid-1990s. Their style can be classified as heavy rock, punk, metal, reggae, and hip hop — or “G-punk” as a fusion of punk rock and gangsta rap. They also infuse other elements such as blues, jazz, funk, and industrial with a range of vocal styles from melodic singing to rapping, screaming, and growling lyrics drawn from a number of subjects including the existence of aliens, criticism of organized religion, the 9/11 Truth movement, and other political issues, as well as weed and of course, sex, and relationships.
Hed PE Sanford 2016At a Hed PE show, one can expect a plethora of drinking, smoking, moshing, and an occasional rant or two from Jared about sex, drugs, rock & roll, and politics. I’ve seen my share of Hed PE shows (lost count after 20) and I’ve seen the evolution of their shows, which have gone up and down in terms of quality and crowd size as well as lineup changes. But for us diehard fans, if there’s a show to be at, we’ll be there to rock it and it will be awesome. The last few years have been quality performances with top notch playing. The band has certainly experienced the hardships of the music business in the past, but it’s their journey for the truth that gives them purpose. Their longevity is a product of more than just music, they also use their music for social commentary.

Hed PE Sanford 2016

Hed PE Sanford 2016

Hed PE Sanford 2016

In 2013, DJ Product mysteriously left the band, and it wasn’t until Hed played Sanford last year that I realized original bassist Mark Young and 12-year guitarist Jaxon Benge had left the band. Their replacements, guitarist Greg “Gregzilla” Harrison and bassist Kurt Blankenship, proved themselves worthy that night. Now, founding member Jared is the group’s only remaining original talent. Check out the full set video of that 2015 show below, thanks to The Sober Goat!

Speaking of evolution, Hed’s latest album Evolution was released in 2014 and was a simpler, stripped-down form of their slow groove metal and reggae roots. Their upcoming album Forever! is due out in a few months but you can get your pre-order bundle for $45 here: http://bit.ly/1VZqNuM.

The show started out with a new track “Pay Me” from the upcoming album. As the song was ending, Jared proclaims:

 

“The system is rigged! Look Around. Oil companies guzzle billions of dollars. Wall Street CEO’s, the same ones that crashed the economy, walking around Congress acting like we owe them something! Fuck that! Corporations are not people. Corporations are not people. People have lives, people have families, people have children and that fucking matters. That fucking matters!”

Hed PE Sanford 2016

Thank you so much to Jared and the Hed PE crew for continuously showing Orlando and Florida so much love. The show wasn’t sold out but the place was crowded enough to not be annoyingly packed. I hope they come back every year. If you go to Hed PE show, be sure to toss them a joint on stage. Check out the highlight video below which includes clips of “Pay Me,” “Bartender,” “Killing Time,” “Peer Pressure,” “No Turning Back,” and “Renegade.” Thanks to The Sober Goat!

And check out a few of my other Hed PE Orlando videos below!

CHECK OUT MY PHOTOS FROM THE SHOW!

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Hed PE Live Review, Photos, & Video by Richie Williams (The Sober Goat), words edited by Matthew Weller.

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