Minotaurs, Pogo Sticks, and Contortionists... Oh my! by Kori Gillis

Oh, to have the luck of a Delta Airlines employee! Seems like an odd and unorthodox request unless you were in attendance for their employee appreciation event this past weekend in Palm Springs, CA. Delta Airlines' event planners had the genius and foresight to book one of the best Top 40 bands/corporate bands/party bands in the Southern California region, Republic of Music!

Attendees were also lucky enough to be one of the first audiences to be entertained by Republic of Music's "Double Jeopardy" show, where the musicians in the entertainment group are divided into two separate high-energy bands, and pit next to each other in what looks like a "battle of the bands" type scenario. However, this ultimately culminates in both bands working together to create double the intensity on the dance floor, and inciting the highest level of an energetic and fun atmosphere! Add to that the most entertaining and talented of vocalists, as well as ROM's newest member, dancer/choreographer Katie Flegal, and the stages were complete with visual stimulation in addition to the aural sensations. (Yes, it was as exciting as it sounds) Not to mention the fact that the dance floor was complemented with artists/dancers who performed on what can only be described as minotaur-shaped stilts that hoisted them several feet above the crowd, while bouncing (and front flipping) to the driving, pulsing rhythms of ROM. Oh, and then there were the guys on giant pogo sticks. Yes, GIANT pogo sticks. Somehow, to my shock and bewilderment, they also managed somersaults on their pogo sticks while grooving to the forcible sounds of ROM. At this point, I had to stop and wonder what the contortionist performer in her fire-red, skin tight jumpsuit who posed on a giant ring 20 feet in the air thought of this since she's probably accustomed to being the center of attention.

At any rate, I'm sure it would be considered a completely epic night by most standards and the most discerning of partygoers. Since without music there can be no epic-ness, I think its safe to say that ROM shared a major part of the responsibility in making it a successful, long-lasting, truly memorable event. Those lucky Delta Airlines employees.