97X Next Big Thing Throwback: 97X Next Big Thing 18

The 97X Next Big Thing 18 took place at the Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater over the weekend of December 1-2, 2018. The show kicked off on Saturday night with performances from LANY and Elle King. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats brought down the house with an amazing performance and Andrew McMahon in The Wilderness hit the NBT stage for sixth time with an unforgettable performance including wacky-waving-inflatable-arm-flailing tube men and an inflatable rubber duck that he rode on top of the crowd. Bastille was Saturday night’s headliner and their 90 minute set featured hits like “Pompeii” and one of 2018’s biggest songs, “Happier.” Sunday morning started early with performances on the second stage from Max Frost, Flora Cash and The Knocks. Dreamers kicked off the main stage and Grandson was the second stage headliner. Rainbow Kitten Surprise brought their unique harmonies to the NBT stage in the early afternoon and Alice Merton followed with a blistering set that included her hit “Roots.” Alice and Grandson each also performed acoustic sets for fans between bands on the Pop-Up stage. AJR hit the NBT stage for the first time just as the sun was setting and left the crowd exhausted after a 45 minute set that included their hits “Sober” and “Burn The House Down.” Scotland’s synth-pop darlings, Chvrches made their NBT debut and delivered a set full of hits including “Mother We Share”, “Recover” and “Leave A Trace.” Next Big Thing veterans, Young The Giant playing their third NBT set and primed the audience with a set full of hits. Foster The People triumphantly returned to the NBT stage after seven years and delivered a set that people are still talking about today. Their sixty minute set included hits like “Helena Beat”, “Don’t Stop”, “Coming of Age”, “Sit Next To Me” and more. One song missing was “Pumped Up Kicks” which the band has somewhat retired from their live sets. Panic! at the Disco headlined Sunday night to an almost sold out crowd of 17,000 fans. Their set featured hit after hit from their long history with 97X including “Hallelujah”, “Hey Look Ma I Made It”, “Miss Jackson”, “High Hopes”, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”, “Victorious”, “Nine in the Afternoon”, “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” and a cover of the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”