Follow me along on how may day looks behind the scenes hosting Freestyle Explosion at Amalie Arena!

• Cool thing about hosting… I get to park in Steven Stamkos’ spot.

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• A nice welcome message from the Amalie Arena crew…

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  This really was the best lineup in years. No filler!

• Every minute is accounted for on show day, from soundcheck to performance times.

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• Arrived just in time to hear Shannon warming up!

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• I’m always scouring the backstage area for snacks.

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  Rice Krispy treats and cannoli? It's almost like I gave them my personal rider.

• And the Amalie Arena catering crew did not disappoint.

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  I should've taken a pic of the make your own tacos table. They were SO good.
• Debbie Deb’s entourage arrives from Pasco!

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• First peek at the crowd as the doors open…

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• Seats begin to fill, showtime draws near…

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• Two of my favorites in the same room.

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• Love Shannon! So glad she was back on the lineup for Tampa this year.

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  Congrats on your 40th anniversary dominating the charts Shannon!

• Shannon and her dancers trying to teach me their moves.

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• Did you know Debbie Deb was a hairstylist for over 30 years? Yup.

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  So for the guy who wears a hat 99.9% of the time, my hair needed some help.

• My view. I don’t get nervous anymore. I just pretend you’re all in your underwear. And by the way, you looked sexy in them.

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• Always great to see Saturday Night Dance Party friends!

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• More friends!

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• … and more SNDP friends!

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• My view for most of the show…

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• Freestyle kicks the night off, and the rock DIDN’T stop!

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• Debbie Deb is pals with the Freestyle crew so she had to come watch their performance from the side of the stage.

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• Cynthia takes the stage and looks amazing as always!

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• Johnny O performs “Fantasy Girl”

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• Cynthia watching Johnny waiting for her moment to go back on to do their duet!

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• Now on stage together… Dream Boy and Dream Girl.

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• Debbie Deb had the place going wild as soon as she hit the stage!

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• Shannon killin’ it performing one of my favorites “Give Me Tonight!”

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• Let the music play!

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• Trinere is … playing our song.

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• Time to bring Rob Base to the stage.

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  I told this story on stage this year. Rob was one of the first to get me into dance music. I grew up where they only really played hairbands on the radio. And I still love hairbands. But when I channel surfed and landed on Dance Party USA as a teenager and Rob's song "It Takes Two" would come on, I'd bust a move in the living room.

• It Takes Two to make a thing go riiiiight!

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  If you missed Rob Base or wanna see him again, join us as we welcome him to the Trop in a few weeks after the Rays game.
• Time to bring the 80s and 90s pop icon on stage!

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• Taylor Dayne is LOUD… and I think they had her level at the level all the other performers use lol…. it bothered some.

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  Plus I wasn't about to tell the tech guys how to do their job. She did soundcheck.

• NOW the party begins!

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  I always call TKA a bunch of crooks. K7 and the guys always steal the damn show. Every. Time. When K7 busts out his solo hit, I've learned to stay behind the curtain and now watch from the crowd because listeners film me dancing like a fool.
• Stevie B performing “Because I Love You”

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• Always the businessman! Sell that merch Stevie!

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  If you missed Stevie on the show last week, I always like to talk about his pre-fame job as a Wendy's manager. He knew his stuff even then!

• Stevie finishing off another Freestyle Explosion the only way you can… with a performance of “Spring Love!”

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