Theme Park Rock Stars ‘Off Kilter’ Give Fans a Memorable Final Performance

Fare Thee Well, Off Kilter!

Off Kilter Leaving Epcot

Theme parks often have attractions and shows that seem as though they could go on forever and continue pleasing guests. Off Kilter was one of those shows. Performing since 1997 at Epcot, the Celtic Rock band often drew crowds of day guests and had a regular local following as well.

When Walt Disney World announced on August 28, 2014 that we’d soon be bidding farewell to Off Kilter, many fans were shocked and upset. We were among those caught off guard by this change. Admittedly, we didn’t stop by their performances every time we were in the Canada Pavilion, but we do know a fair amount of folks who did so, and we regularly noticed the crowd gathered in front of their stage. There have been many times that we were passing by and stopped to hear a tune or two and watched people dancing and having a good time. It was always especially fun when children would go up near the stage and show off some Irish dancing moves for the crowd. The gentlemen of Off Kilter seemed to enjoy that very much too!

Off Kilter wasn’t just another World Showcase act, they were theme park rock stars! At no time was this more evident than on September 27, 2014, their last day at Epcot. Every one of their performances that day had drawn a large crowd. This photo was taken during the 3:30 pm show even with rain looming!

I took the shot below shot from the stage with about 30 minutes before the 7:30 pm show. It got even more packed by the time the performance started. What a turnout!

The crowds that day were made up of vacationers, locals and not-so-locals. We met a few folks that had traveled across the state, and others who drove several hours to attend these final shows. There were men in kilts, women in plaid skirts, many people with Off Kilter shirts and even this guy!

Note: Walt Disney World has announced a lumberjack show will replace Off Kilter on October 5th.

The Final Performance

We only attended the very last show that day, which was at 7:30 pm. Even though were weren’t regulars, I am so glad we attended the final farewell. It was an unforgettable and powerful experience. The huge crowd brought an amazing energy to the event and great big smiles across the faces of the band members.

It was everything a final show should be. It was loud. It was fun. It was full of excitement and energy from the band and the audience. Folks were singing and dancing and celebrating the group they loved so much. It was an honest-to-goodness rock show, and I LOVED it!

When Off Kilter concluded their planned set, the crowd cheered and cheered. Then they started chanting, “We want more! We want more!” and it was AWESOME! The lights came back up and Jamie Holton (piper and singer) said, “You guys are really making this the best day ever for us. We sure are grateful!” It was quite emotional to hear that and to see the genuine gratitude in their faces.

Encore number one was their cover of Bryan Adams’s “Summer of ’69” with a little extra emphasis on the line “Those were the best days of my life” — such sweet moments!

When they concluded, the crowd roared more and more, and demanded a second encore! It took a minute or two, but the lights came up again for another encore, which included Steppenwolf “Magic Carpet Ride” and “Born to Be Wild” and they ROCKED IT! 

If you couldn’t be there, you can watch the full show and a condensed version right here (below)! I’ve watched these videos a couple times already and still get chills from the crowd chanting and the joy on the faces of the Off Kilter guys. It’s at times like this that I am so grateful to live locally and to be able to attend these memorable moments in Disney theme park history!

Off Kilter Final Epcot Performance – Last Show (Full show)

Off Kilter Final Epcot Performance – Last Show (Medley / Shortened Version)

Thanks for a great night and a great run, Off Kilter.

You will be missed! <3