With an estimated 40,000 people on the beach and untold numbers watching from around the world, the Oi Rio Pro and Oi Rio Women's Pro were arguably surfing's biggest parties of the year. The final day of action saw Brazilian phenom Filipe Toledo (BRA) soar (literally) to the top of the field, landing air-reverse after air-reverse to win amid throngs of adoring fans.
On the women's side, it was Courtney Conlogue (USA) who rose to the top, winning her second contest in a row. It was a personal best for the Californian, who, like Toledo, rose to No. 2 in the Jeep rankings and into the World Title conversation. But now that the party's over, fans can still soak up sounds of Brazil with the World Surf League setlist. Here are the songs that served as the backdrop for the WSL's broadcast.
Young the Giant, "In My Home"
Highlights from the dramatic finale to the Oi Rio Pro and Oi Rio Women's Pro featured Young the Giant's track, 'In My Home.'
American rock band Young the Giant first formed in 2004 as The Jakes. After some musical chairs with band members, they renamed themselves in 2009, and released their first, eponymous album. Their current lineup includes Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass guitar), and Francois Comtois (drums).
Young the Giant, "It's About Time"
Facing tough conditions at Barra da Tijuca, the Top 34 completed Round 2 of the Oi Rio Pro. Highlights feature Young the Giant's track, 'It's About Time.'
Since their reboot, the band has performed at high-profile music festivals including South by Southwest and Austin City Limits in Texas, Sasquatch! in Washington State and The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, England. In 2014 they released their second full-length album, Mind Over Matter, with the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Among other credentials, Meldal-Johnsen his known for his work with Air, M83, Nine Inch Nails and Beck.
The album was well-received and helped usher in the next era for the band. It "has a fuller, brassier sound than this group's debut, and especially emphasizes the guitars of Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata, which are dirty on 'It's About Time' and meditative on 'Firelight,'" wrote Jon Caramanica, longtime music critic for American paper, the New York Times. "All together, the group gobbles up bits of several segments of rock history -- prog-rock, boogie metal, Southern rock, soft rock, new wave, dance-rock, and more -- and claims ownership of them.
But the critic's highest praise was reserved for Gadhia, the lead vocalist. According to Caramanica, the frontman is "capable of huge swells without sounding pompous, and also of gentle gestures that connote despair and ache. ...Few rock vocalists have his ease and confidence. Maybe all it takes to reanimate the genre is a true believer."
Need More Music? Catch All the WSL Setlists, or soak up the music, contest by contest:
Quiksilver, Roxy Pro Gold Coast
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
Setlist: Oi Rio Pro
WSL
With an estimated 40,000 people on the beach and untold numbers watching from around the world, the Oi Rio Pro and Oi Rio Women's Pro were arguably surfing's biggest parties of the year. The final day of action saw Brazilian phenom Filipe Toledo (BRA) soar (literally) to the top of the field, landing air-reverse after air-reverse to win amid throngs of adoring fans.
On the women's side, it was Courtney Conlogue (USA) who rose to the top, winning her second contest in a row. It was a personal best for the Californian, who, like Toledo, rose to No. 2 in the Jeep rankings and into the World Title conversation. But now that the party's over, fans can still soak up sounds of Brazil with the World Surf League setlist. Here are the songs that served as the backdrop for the WSL's broadcast.
Young the Giant, "In My Home"
American rock band Young the Giant first formed in 2004 as The Jakes. After some musical chairs with band members, they renamed themselves in 2009, and released their first, eponymous album. Their current lineup includes Sameer Gadhia (lead vocals), Jacob Tilley (guitar), Eric Cannata (guitar), Payam Doostzadeh (bass guitar), and Francois Comtois (drums).
Young the Giant, "It's About Time"
Since their reboot, the band has performed at high-profile music festivals including South by Southwest and Austin City Limits in Texas, Sasquatch! in Washington State and The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, England. In 2014 they released their second full-length album, Mind Over Matter, with the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Among other credentials, Meldal-Johnsen his known for his work with Air, M83, Nine Inch Nails and Beck.
The album was well-received and helped usher in the next era for the band. It "has a fuller, brassier sound than this group's debut, and especially emphasizes the guitars of Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata, which are dirty on 'It's About Time' and meditative on 'Firelight,'" wrote Jon Caramanica, longtime music critic for American paper, the New York Times. "All together, the group gobbles up bits of several segments of rock history -- prog-rock, boogie metal, Southern rock, soft rock, new wave, dance-rock, and more -- and claims ownership of them.
But the critic's highest praise was reserved for Gadhia, the lead vocalist. According to Caramanica, the frontman is "capable of huge swells without sounding pompous, and also of gentle gestures that connote despair and ache. ...Few rock vocalists have his ease and confidence. Maybe all it takes to reanimate the genre is a true believer."
Need More Music? Catch All the WSL Setlists, or soak up the music, contest by contest:
Quiksilver, Roxy Pro Gold Coast
Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
Drug Aware Margaret River Pro
Oi Rio Pro
Paddle out and drop in at Barra da Tijuca with Miguel Pupo.
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Marcio Zouvi of Sharp Eye Surfboards talks Toledo's signature model from the Oi Rio Pro.
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