Welcome To Mockville
Fort Lauderdale, Fl – Despite the dreary drizzle that blankets downtown Fort Lauderdale, fans pour into Revolution Live with palpable anticipation. The rain only adds to the grunge-soaked ambiance of the evening—a fitting backdrop for a triple-header tribute to three of rock’s most emotionally charged bands: Nirvana, Linkin Park, and Creed. The Welcome to Mockville show highlights the talent of Nirvanna – Tribute to Nirvana, The Linkin Park Tribute and With Arms Wide Open – The Tribute to Creed.
Located at 100 SW 3rd Avenue, Revolution Live has been a cornerstone of South Florida’s music scene since 2004. Once known as The Chili Pepper and The Edge, this venue has hosted legends from David Bowie to Lady Gaga. With its intimate 1,300-person capacity and gritty charm, it’s the perfect stage for tribute acts that aim to resurrect the raw energy of their predecessors.
With Arms Wide Open, captures Creed’s spiritual intensity and post-grunge grit. With Arms Wide Open takes the stage with a reverent energy, opening with “Are You Ready” and immediately enveloping the room in a wave of post-grunge warmth. The vocals are a dead ringer for Scott Stapp’s—rich, resonant, and full of conviction. The guitar work is both muscular and melodic, capturing Mark Tremonti’s signature tone with finesse. The rhythm section provides a tight foundation that allows the songs to soar. “My Own Prison” and “One” are delivered with spiritual intensity, drawing cheers from longtime Creed fans who haven’t heard these songs live in years.
The band’s performance is a testament to Creed’s enduring emotional pull. “With Arms Wide Open” becomes a moment of collective transcendence, as fans sing along, some with tears in their eyes. “Higher” and “My Sacrifice” are met with thunderous applause, their anthemic choruses echoing through the venue. Even deeper cuts are met with appreciation, proving the crowd’s devotion runs deep. The band closes with “Higher,” leaving the audience uplifted and reflective. In a night filled with rain and remembrance, With Arms Wide Open offers a powerful reminder of Creed’s spiritual legacy.
Nirvanna doesn’t just play Nirvana—they channel it. From the torn flannel to the jagged guitar tones, their performance is a time machine to the early ’90s. They replicate the chaotic beauty of Nirvana’s live shows, including the unpredictable tempo shifts and Cobain’s anguished vocal delivery. Nirvanna opens the night with a sonic gut-punch, launching with a fury that immediately sets the tone. Channeling Kurt Cobain with eerie precision, the vocalist thrashes his guitar with reckless abandon, his voice cracking in all the right places. The band doesn’t aim for polish—they aim for authenticity. The bass lines rumble with the same raw minimalism that defined Krist Novoselic’s style, while the drumming is a chaotic blend of power and precision, echoing Dave Grohl’s explosive energy. The trio’s chemistry is palpable. The feedback-laden breakdowns feel like a descent into beautiful madness. Fans in flannel and Doc Martens sway and scream along, some visibly emotional during some of the songs that clearly defined the era.
What sets Nirvanna apart is their commitment to replicating the unpredictability of Nirvana’s live shows. They don’t just play the songs—they inhabit them. Their stage presence is unhinged yet vulnerable. Their rendition of “The Man Who Sold the World” is haunting, a nod to Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged legacy. By the time they close with “Territorial Pissings,” the crowd is in a frenzy, moshing and shouting every lyric. It’s not just a tribute—it’s a resurrection.
The Linkin Park Tribute, an Orlando-based tribute band, delivers a high-octane set that honors Linkin Park’s hybrid sound. Their dual vocalists mirror the tension and harmony between Chester and Mike, and the crowd erupts during every chorus. The Linkin Park Tribute Band storms the stage with “Dont’ Stay,” immediately igniting the crowd with their dual-vocal assault. Chester Bennington’s emotional intensity is channeled by Eli with staggering accuracy, his screams cutting through the humid air like lightning. Ryno, stepping into Mike Shinoda’s shoes, delivers rapid-fire verses with cool precision, creating the signature tension that defined Linkin Park’s sound. Backed by aggressive guitar work and atmospheric samples, the band recreates the hybrid chaos of Linkin Park’s early 2000s heyday. “Faint” and “One Step Closer” send the crowd into a frenzy, fists pumping and voices raised in cathartic release.
Their set is a masterclass in emotional pacing. “Breaking the Habit” and “One More Light” slow things down, allowing fans to reflect and connect. The delivery of “One More Light” is particularly poignant, with many in the audience visibly moved. The band’s attention to detail—from the layered electronics to the synchronized lighting—elevates the performance beyond imitation. “In The End” becomes a communal anthem, with every voice in Revolution Live joining in. By the time they close with “Crawling,” the band has transformed the venue into a sanctuary for fans still mourning Chester’s loss. It’s more than nostalgia—it’s healing.
Tribute bands like these offer more than nostalgia—they’re cultural conduits. For fans who never saw Nirvana live, or who mourn Chester Bennington’s loss, these performances are cathartic. They preserve the sonic DNA of bands that shaped generations and provide communal spaces for fans to reconnect with the music that moved them.
Gallery
Set Lists
The Linkin Park Tribute
Don’t Stay / Somewhere I Belong / In The End / One Step Closer / Faint / Numb / Bleed It Out / What I’ve Done / Given Up / Burn It Down / A Place For My Head / Lying From You / Points of Authority / From the Inside / One More Light / Papercut / Breaking the Habit / By Myself / Lost / New Divide / Crawling
Nirvanna
Breed / Drain You / Come As You Are / You Know You’re Right / Lake Of Fire / About a Girl / School / Negative Creep / Heart-Shaped Box / All Apologies / Rape Me / Tourette’s / Smells Like Teen Spirit / Lithium / Territorial Pissings
With Arms Wide Open – The Creed Tribute Band
Are You Ready / My Sacrifice / What If / My Own Prison / Torn / With Arms Wide Open / One / One Last Breath / Higher
Socials
Nirvanna
The Linkin Park Tribute
With Arms Wide Open ( The Tribute to Creed)
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About the author
Ivan Romero
Ivan Romero, based in South Florida, is a music and photography enthusiast with decades of experience—from managing a record shop to working in radio and DJing during South Beach’s club revival. With a keen eye for capturing emotion and atmosphere, he covers live and corporate events across Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Ivan also volunteers his talent to document school performances in his community.
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