The crowd of more than 750 shed its inhibitions and started dancing freely in the rain, illuminated only by the lights from the stage, while children ran barefoot through the crowd at Bo Diddley Community Plaza Friday night.
The Imposters, a six-piece Beatles cover band, was responsible for the bustling plaza, as part of Gainesville's "Free Fridays" music series.
Jeanie Bey said she brings her granddaughter, Ava, to the Friday concerts every chance they get, and she commented on the wide array of people in the plaza.
Students were scattered among the dancing families and seemed to know the words to the music just as well as the adults.
"Every walk of life is here - all demographics come," she said.
Cassia Laham, a junior at UF, said, "I've listened to the Beatles my whole life. I knew them before ‘NSYNC and Backstreet Boys."
The crowd interacted enthusiastically with the band members, who took requests and played two encore performances.
They played a blend of Beatles' classics, Hendrix masterpieces and Dylan's finest.
Members called on each other to perform solos, while encouraging the crowd to dance along. Even a group of shy teenagers was dancing along by the time the band played "She Loves You."
The band was formed in 1984 by Michael Derry and Mark Loveland as a tribute to the Beatles.
"We've been together four times longer than The Beatles at this point," Derry said.
The band has played with the accompaniment of everything from a string quartet to a choir, and they travel around the state performing once or twice a month.
Derry explained that the Beatles' enormous popularity has contributed to the continuous success of the band.
While music is the group's first passion, the band members work other jobs in the community and play with a variety of other local bands to exercise their various musical talents.
The band performs next at a Gainesville Habitat for Humanity fundraiser on Sept. 10.
The "Free Fridays" concert series has brought music to Gainesville for 15 years and has greatly increased in popularity within the last three years.
It was started and funded by the City of Gainesville to encourage an appreciation for the "amazing musical history and great local music scene," said David Ballard, the events coordinator for Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs for the city.
Gainesville's culture is rich with musical history - Tom Petty, Bo Diddley and Against Me! are all from the city.
The program runs every Friday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Bo Diddley Community Plaza and features various artists playing a range of music from bluegrass to African folk music.
According to a press release, the season began in May and ends Oct. 15. The next show, on Friday, will feature jazz performer Julie Black.
