Wednesday, August 29, 2001
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Wednesday, August 29, 2001 |
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Free concerts at Montreux Atlanta music festival
By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
The words free and concert may be the two sweetest words in the world when placed together. Fans of free concerts can head to Piedmont Park in Atlanta this weekend for the 14th annual Montreux Atlanta music festival, which will feature blues acts as well as rap, rhythm and blues artists, rock bands and more. The concerts will be presented from 2-10 p.m. daily. Saturday starts with performances by Cooper Tisdale at 2 p.m., World Mambo Mission at 3 p.m., Divinity at 4 p.m. and Pocket Dwellers at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. the rap portion of the show begins with The Pharcyde and their experimental and humorous brand of hip-hop. They will be followed by rap legends Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh at 7:30 p.m. The two artists got their big break in 1985 when they recorded a double-sided single featuring "The Show" on one side and "La-Di-Da-Di" on the other. Slick Rick's new album features many of rap's current big names, including Big Boi from Outkast, Nas and Raekwon from Wu-Tang Clan. The closing act for Saturday night has yet to be announced. Sunday's lineup is as follows: Black Perl at 2 p.m., Beale Street at 3 p.m., Christophe Fellay at 4 p.m., Henry Elsesser at 5 p.m., Big Sky at 6 p.m., Baaba Maal at 7:30 p.m. and The Robert Cray band at 9 p.m. The Robert Cray Band is a legendary blues act that has a legion of fans that has grown for years. Sunday's lineup is full of a mix of blues, jazz, zydeco and reggae. Monday begins with Nick Savage Band at 2 p.m., Orchestra Lyrica at 3 p.m., Fair Verona at 4 p.m. and Cowboy Junkies at 5 p.m. Cowboy Junkies has been a popular band on college radio since the mid-'80s, when it released "The Trinity Session," which featured several original songs and haunting covers of Patsy Cline, Lou Reed and Waylon Jennings. The band attained mainstream success in 1996 with the song "A Common Disaster." Its current album is called "Open." Following Cowboy Junkies are local favorites Mandorico at 6:30 p.m. and Celia Cruz at 7:30 p.m. Cruz is considered the queen of Latin music. She started her career in Havana in 1950 with the band Sonora Matancera. Since then she has traveled the world playing salsa music. She released her first album in 1967 and has recorded more than 50 albums since, 20 of them going Gold. Her music has brought her fame and success, as well as doctorates from both Yale University and the University of Miami, a Hollywood star, a Grammy, and a statue in the Hollywood Wax Museum. Also included in the weekend's events are The Isley Brothers at Chastain Park Amphitheater with opening act Carl Thomas. That show is not free, though, and tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. For information call 404-817-6851 or visit www.atlantafestivals.com. |
