2001 Music Midtown menu

CL’s opinionated guide to the fest

Vibes Feature 4853
Photo credit: Zoren Gold
The Black Crowes play Fri., May 4, on the Budweiser/99X Stage.

FRI/MAY 04
Listings preceded by a star (Image ) are acts recommended for their time slot

Budweiser/99X Stage

AMERICAN HI-FI — Crunchy Cheap Trick as heard by Weezer, these alterna-popsters are fronted by the ex-Letters To Cleo/Veruca Salt drummer who pulls a Dave Grohl by strapping on a guitar and stepping up to the mic. It’s nothing we haven’t heard before, but “Flavor of the Weak” sure is a catchy sumbitch. 6:45-7:15 p.m. (Horowitz)

OUR LADY PEACE — This band is the latest in a long, proud tradition of Canadian prog-rockers (Rush, um, Triumph, uhh). They bring artsy pretension to mid-’90s grunge, but if you ignore the high concepts behind their music (think Yes, only sillier), they’re at least as good as every other band ripping off Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. 7:45-8:30 p.m. (Peisner)

OFFSPRING — Their tendency to rewrite the same crappy song over and over (“Come Out And Play,” “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)”) notwithstanding, the Offspring’s recent album, Conspiracy of One, is actually pretty damn good. Sure, it’s just radio-ready meathead-rock, but if you don’t think too hard about it, you won’t feel bad about liking it. 9-10 p.m. (Peisner)

Black crowes -- When not busy posing as the world’s “most rock ‘n’ roll rock ‘n’roll band,” the Black Crowes are actually a damn good rock ‘n’ roll band. Their upcoming album, Lions, proves as much, ditching the hippy-dippy trappings they’ve occasionally succumbed to and concentrating on the searing, soulful sounds that have always been their strength. 10:30 p.m.-12 a.m. (Peisner)

Coca-Cola/ V103/WB36! Stage

Image TALIB KWELI -- Talib Kweli has established himself as one of the leaders of the new school, helming the current conscious-rap movement along with sometime partner Mos Def. His latest single, “Move Somethin’,” recently hit No.1 on the rap charts. 7:10-7:55 p.m. (Whitaker)

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT — One of Atlanta’s first hip-hop acts to hit it big, Speech and his organic-rap-and-good-times gang are back, still riffing pop and rap together into a down-home, Southern-fried version of the Fat Albert crew’s band. Honestly though, we’re still waiting for another “Mr. Wendel.” 8:35-9:35 p.m. (Whitaker)

ERYKAH BADU — New-school soul diva Badu returns to the city her son calls part-time home for her third Atlanta show in just over two months. Her voice is an aquired taste for some, but her style and mix of sass and grace make her among the most likable R&B stars to emerge in recent years. 10:15-11:45 p.m. (Sarig)

Ford Focus/Fox 5 Stage

BEAUSOLEIL — Hands down the best and most revered Cajun band in the world, Beausoleil prove why at every show. Almost a religious experience for fans, the acoustic band is celebrating their 25th anniversary and has never sounded better. Get on those dancin’ shoes and two-step into heaven. 7-8 p.m. (Horowitz)

SHOLA LEWIS — Ghanaian native and Atlanta resident Shola Lewis’ most recent release, I Don’t Understand on Roots & Culture Records, features original straight-up reggae that’s both catchy and classy despite the drum-machine-and-synth production values. He’s a notable, if undersung, member of the local music community. 8:30-9:30 p.m. (Sarig)

DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND — When seeing the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s raucous displays of second-line jazz, you’re witnessing a slice of authentic New Orleans heritage that began decades ago. Just don’t be upset if security guards happen to confiscate your parasol at the gates. 10-11:30 p.m. (Arieh)

Jose Cuervo/96 Rock Stage

PETE YORN — Don’t hold it against Pete Yorn that his music was featured on the “Dawson’s Creek” soundtrack. The New Jersey rocker’s debut, musicforthemorningafter, is more than three-chord power-pop for the thinking man; it’s finely-crafted, dark romanticism a la Joseph Arthurs. But Yorn knows something Arthurs doesn’t: how to crank up the volume on those vintage guitars. 6-6:30 p.m. (York)

DRIVIN N CRYIN — Atlanta’s own country-folk-punkers can’t buy a break anywhere else in the country, yet keep the locals flocking to their energetic gigs as if they were as popular as the Black Crowes — which they shoulda been. Loud, brash and unpredictable, they still put on a great show. 7-8 p.m. (Horowitz)

Image PATTI SMITH — She’s a freaking legend, what else do you need to know? While her recent recordings have been more interesting than compelling, she remains a thrilling and gifted performer. If you’re setting up an itinerary for the weekend, file this one under “do not miss.” 8:30-9:30 p.m. (Robertson)

Image BOB DYLAN — Bob Dylan’s never retired to the oldies circuit. It’s as if the idea of cranking out crowd-pleasing versions of his classics to yuppies and boomers willing to pony up heavy dough to be in his presence has never occurred to him. Instead he keeps meddling and reinventing, both himself and his songs. 10-11:30 p.m. (Peisner)

Mercury Mountaineer/99X Locals Only Stage

Image THE SENATORS — That these high schoolers from the Atlanta ‘burbs have managed to infiltrate the intown music scene to the extent they have is a tribute to both their ambition and promise. Though still apt to wear their Cobain on their sleeves, the quartet sounds like you’d guess a great band would sound a few years before the baby fat melts away. 6:15-6:45 p.m. (Sarig)

SEXXXY CIRKUS — This local band, led by former Little Richard back-up singers, offers a mix of pop, hip-hop, rock and funk with a distinctly Eurotrash bent. It works great for them in places like Budapest and Hamburg, where their sexually energetic stage show has earned them much attention, but back home they come across as a spectacle combining Milli Vanilli and a Motown revue. 7:15-7:45 p.m. (Sarig)

MILLER’S TALE — Don’t expect any Middle English tales of crafty clerks in bed with the carpenter’s wife at this show. This X-Games-soundtrack-ready four piece come only to rock; they’ve been doing it for nearly a decade. Expect a high-energy show with plenty of guitar hooks and sinewy bass playing that says, “hardcore meets Les Claypool.” 8:30-9 p.m. (Griffis)

LEFT FRONT TIRE — Habersham County teenagers pump it up and air-jack some crunchy pop with steel-belted harmonies. Swerving into Green Day’s lane occasionally, the band offers an infectious live show with enough tread to last a while. Fun and tight with hooks a-plenty. 10:00-10:30 p.m. (Smith)

Unite Georgia/Z93 Stage

BLUE OYSTER CULT — BOC boasts more hip cache than most of their ’70s metal brethren thanks to fortuitous associations with uber-hip types like Richard Meltzer and Patti Smith. In retrospect, though, they earned their respect by tweaking trad hard-rock crunch with brainy metaphors, pop atmospherics and an ironist’s smirk. 7-8 p.m. (Robertson)

DELBERT MCCLINTON — Blues, country, R&B, Tex-Mex and everything else they play in the Lone Star state comes out sounding like Delbert McClinton music when this journeyman and his rugged band dig into his 30-year catalog. A consummate performer, this is good-time music perfect for sunny days and outdoor partying. 8:30-9:30 p.m. (Horowitz)

BLUES TRAVELER — For all who think Blues Traveler may have lost a few steps in recent years, you’re not really paying attention — they were never good. The band always sounded like the third-prize winner in a college bar’s battle-of-the-bands contest and John Popper’s never understood that playing the harmonica really fast (or singing really fast) is not a fair substitute for having something to say. 10 p.m.-12 a.m. (Peisner)

[] SAT/MAY 05
Budweiser/99X Stage

INJECTED — This soon-to-go-national local outfit makes modern hard rock as filtered through a post-punk metal mindset. Abrasive and strangely captivating, like the remains of a four-car pile-up, Injected utilize elements of fragmented melody and noise. Not pretty, but loud. 1-1:30 p.m. (Smith)

DEXTER FREEBISH — If despite all logic you continue to find inspiration in the generic and moribund sound known as modern rock, you could do a lot worse than gravitate toward Brit fivesome Dexter Freebish, currently making the rounds with their catchy hit “Leaving Town.” 2-2:30 p.m. (Sarig)

Image JOSH JOPLIN GROUP — The hard work is paying off for the local fave. Recently signed to Artemis, Josh and the boys are getting radio play around the country with a collection of tunes that boast thoughtful lyrics and a soulful longing reminiscent of early R.E.M. 3-3:50 p.m. (Allen)

REHAB — Local white-guy rap duo, whose major-label debut Southern Discomfort is finally showing signs of breaking through at radio six months after release, incorporate the fuck-it-I’m-crazy pose of Eminem, the redneck rock-rap of Kid Rock, the acoustic sing-song of Everlast with the good taste to let Dungeon Family affiliates P.A. produce. Sneer if you will, but the songs stand repeated listenings. 4:20-5:10 p.m. (Sarig)

TANTRIC — Take three former members of Days of the New, Madonna’s record label, a big budget and what have you got? Not much. Tantric’s tired debut is about as exciting as last year’s Midtown appearance of Splender. Unlike tantric sex, this band’s recycled ejaculation is premature and as spiritual as that $5 beer. 5:40-6:30 p.m. (Smith)

WALLFLOWERS — Why does it always sound like the Wallflowers just woke up? I mean Jakob Dylan’s a decent songwriter, but he and his band treat their songs with the kind of enthusiasm reserved for “Golden Girls” reruns. Come on guys, you’re rock stars! This is supposed to be fun! 7-8:15 p.m. (Peisner)

TRAIN — Every genre has its middle-of-the-road snoozers, even a genre as inherently middle-of-the-road as modern rock. Train are so bland and inoffensive it’s almost offensive. If you’ve heard their breakthrough hit, “Meet Virginia,” or their recent “Drops Of Jupiter,” you’ve already heard too much. 8:45-10 p.m. (Peisner)

MARVELOUS 3 — The firecracker rockers always add a few more sparks when they perform in front of the fans that supported them for a decade playing dingy Atlanta clubs. They may be experiencing their 15 minutes, but they’ve earned every second of it, and they’ll shake your world, at least for a few hours. 10:30-11:45 p.m. (Horowitz)

Coca-Cola/ V103/WB36! Stage

BILAL — Twenty-one-year-old Bilal Sayeed Oliver stands ready to muscle in on D’Angelo’s territory as the new-soul It-boy. He made his name collaborating with everyone from Common to Erykah Badu. His debut record, 1st Born Second, entirely self-written, produced and performed, drops in June. 1-1:30 p.m. (Whitaker)

SUGARHILL GANG — The Gang still hasn’t stopped rocking to the rhythm of the boogie-dah beat, although by sticking with “Rapper’s Delight,” this also means they haven’t done much new in decades. Made for a great “Behind the Music” though. 2:10-3 p.m. (Whitaker)

Image FRANCINE REED — Atlanta’s very own diva owns any stage the minute she takes it and holds the attention of even jittery festival-goers with her rugged down-home blues, sultry jazz, plucky vocals and chatty crowd interaction. When she hauls off and belts out a tune, the effect is spine tingling. A local treasure. 3:40-4:40 p.m. (Horowitz)

EN VOGUE — Bow down Destiny’s Child and Dream. Because of these funky divas, the otherwise-dead girl-group thing got resurrected in the ’90s. The En Vogue foursome brought a welcome spin: Each member could sing lead. Sadly mediocre follow-ups to their smash debut and the loss of Dawn Robinson sent the group’s chart career to the grave. 5:20-6:20 p.m. (Noelzine)

MUSIQ SOULCHILD — If all R&B crooner Musiq Soulchild wants to do is sing, he’ll certainly get his chance, performing tracks from his debut album Aijustwanaseing (I Just Wanna Sing). But once he feels that Hotlanta sun, he might be singing a different tune: “AijustwanagobacktoPhilly.” 7-8 p.m. (Baraka)

BOOKER T. JONES — The long career of legendary Stax’s organ-playing soulman Booker T. Jones has generated so many good songs it seems unfair to have him play a relatively short set, where surely some gems will be jettisoned. Jones is touring without the legendary MGs, whose presence nonetheless will loom large over the proceedings. 8:40- 9:40 p.m. (Madigan)

Image AL GREEN — The Rev. Green finally has made the journey from pulpit to stage, returning from preaching to put together a white-hot stage show that matches his signature white tux. Mixing in an altar call between his seminal R&B hits (including, among others, “Let’s Stay Together” and “Love and Happiness”), this is one of the truly can’t-miss performances. 10:20-11:20 p.m. (Whitaker)

Ford Focus/Fox 5 Stage

JOHANNES LINSTEAD — Fans of technically precise music will find solace in Linstead. The virtuoso guitarist will dazzle sun-dazed festival-goers with his speed and Latin-flavored salsa. His self-described “nouveau flamenco” style is a flamboyant combination of classical and gypsy picking. 1:30-2:15 p.m. (Smith)

VICTORIA WILLIAMS & MARC OLSON — Alt-country royalty and husband-and-wife tag-team, Olson and Williams concoct an authentic front-porch ambiance on their engagingly low-key recordings with the Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers. They should provide a welcome respite from the festival’s overarching “let’s rock out, dude” mentality. 2:45-3:45 p.m. (Robertson)

JOHN MAYER — Mayer snuck into town a couple of years ago and started playing open-mic nights at Eddie’s Attic; now this 23-year-old pop/jazz artist (think Sting) and guitar ace is poised on the brink of crossover radio stardom with the release next month of Room for Squares, his major label debut on Aware/Columbia Records. 4:15-5:15 p.m. (Guthrie)

Image DAVID LINDLEY — He rocks, he rolls, he worldbeats and plays every stringed instrument ever invented, plus some he devised himself. Lindley doesn’t tour often so take this rare opportunity to catch one of the most talented, eclectic, idiosyncratic and enjoyable musicians at the festival. Lindley also backs the Blind Boys of Alabama later in the evening. 5:45-6:45 p.m. (Horowitz)

Image LUCINDA WILLIAMS — If you found her stunning 1998 country-folk heart-stomper, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, just the friend you were looking for to share a 12-pack of beer and a lonely Saturday night, then her upcoming album, Essence, which is somehow even darker and more reflective, might not scare you. Her live show likely will include some of her older, more rock-tinged stuff and promises to be a bit more, well, “up.” 7:15-8:15 p.m. (Peisner)

Image BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA-- Though their new album, Spirit of the Century, includes covers of songs by contemporary artists such as Tom Waits, the Rolling Stones and Ben Harper, the Blind Boys have been offering their version of the gospel for more than 60 years. Fans of battered country blues and early rock ‘n’ soul will recognize the roots of such music in the Blind Boys gritty, pained harmonies. See article, p. 75. 8:45-9:45 p.m. (Peisner)

KOOL & THE GANG — It used to be that Kool & the Gang was cool. Now, they’re more like the Temptations, a post-cool band with a jukebox full of memorable dance hits. Tonight, as beer flows and things get sloppy, this show might resemble a big disco. 10:15-11:30 p.m. (Allen)

Jose Cuervo/96 Rock Stage

JENNIFER NETTLES BAND — Local act formed from the ashes of folk duo Soul Miner’s Daughter display their expanding musical virtuosity and feature songs from their independent debut CD Story of Your Bones. 1:15-1:45 p.m. (Kimes)

THE CONNELLS — It’s tough to get really juiced about the Connells’ pleasantly engaging melodic college rock. It’s also tough to hate it. At the very least, you have to admire the Raleigh-based quintet for sticking around for more than 15 years without selling out or selling albums. 2:15-3 p.m. (Horowitz)

THE SMITHEREENS — These veteran New York power-poppers continue to celebrate the joys of Brit-pop (that’d be first wave Brit-pop, mate) for the huddled masses. Like a slightly moodier version of the Dave Clark Five, the band remains true believers in the all-mighty hook. 3:30-4:15 p.m. (Robertson)

DAYS OF THE NEW — This bland alternarock outfit gives new meaning to the word “turgid.” Reportedly upset with their initial categorization as post-grunge, their second release (the imaginatively titled Days of the New 2) wallows in syrupy production and a ridiculous cowboy/western theme. Needless to say it hasn’t helped matters. 4:45-5:30 p.m. (Robertson)

OLEANDER — On the road in support of its latest effort, Unwind, Sacramento, Calif.-based Oleander play a brand of Seattle-sounding rock that’s lesser than its forefathers’ (Nirvana, Alice in Chains) but better than its peers’ (Creed, Days of the New). But no frontin’ — at last year’s festival, the group’s radio hit “Why I’m Here” was actually quite powerful. 6-7 p.m. (Arieh)

JERRY CANTRELL — Those of you who miss Seattle rock staple Alice in Chains will want to catch Cantrell’s group, which features half of AIC (Sean Kinney plays drums) and set lists that include Cantrell-penned songs such as “Rooster” and “Them Bones.” If you’ve seen Cantrell play, you know the guy’s a superior guitar player. 7:30-8:30 p.m. (Arieh)

CHEAP TRICK — Sure, the Trick’s reputation rests on their first four albums (especially the epochal At Budokan). But, boy howdy, what great albums they are. The intuitive melding of metallic grit and Beatlesque melody has aged gracefully, retaining all the subversive charm that made us love them in the first place. 9-10 p.m. (Robertson)

THE CULT — The Cult were basically the Doors re-imagined for fans of late ’80s glam-metal, which was a surprisingly tolerable idea for quite a few years. Unfortunately, as their soon-to-be-released new album, Beyond Good and Evil, shows, they’ve yet to come up with another idea half-as-good. As nostalgia goes, though, you could do much worse. 10:30 p.m.-12 a.m. (Peisner)

Mercury Mountaineer/99X Locals Only Stage

Image TREEPHORT — This goofy gang of punk and ska-loving clowns could very well be this year’s surprise local favorite. A Treephort show can be amazingly good or outstandingly sloppy, but the band’s energy and good humor are always a happy constant. 12:30-1 p.m. (Smith)

Image MOTO-LITAS — An all-female Atlanta quartet who played their debut show on the first day of 2000, the Moto-Litas are one of the local scene’s unqualified success stories. Evolving from a delightful novelty act, they’ve quickly become an alt-rock force to be reckoned with, on a par with the Breeders and Ultrababyfat. 1:30-2 p.m. (Nicoll)

DARLING MACHINE — A glittery flashback to ’70s Detroit, these glam boys combine the tough streetwise posturing of Iggy and the Stooges with the rock-‘n’-roll-all-night-party vibe of the New York Dolls. Post-punk Romance, sealed with some Kiss. 2:30-3 p.m. (Smith)

ANDY BROWNE — The former frontman/guitarist of Atlanta’s legendary Nightporters marks the big-stage debut of his anthemic rock solo act. He’s backed by a crackfire new band consisting of bassist Gary Brown (ex-Swimming Pool Q’s), drummer Morgan Barruzini, guitarist Lawrence Canning and keyboardist Palmer Wood. 3:50-4:20 p.m. (Nicoll)

Image YOUNG ANTIQUES — Blending elements of pure pop, rock and Americana, Blake Rainey and his staff move the Antiques’ store outside today. Blending elements of their diverse influences, YA play a high-energy brand of fun, punchy, rock ‘n’ roll that should appeal to a wide audience of overheated music fans. 5:10-5:40 p.m. (Smith)

SOMETHING 5 — The local quartet sounds like it has been focus-grouped for modern-rock success. Their debut CD, a virtual storehouse for all the overwraught cliches that have made the genre so oppressively lame, is no doubt bound for a major label near you. 6:30-7 p.m. (Sarig)

Image X-IMPOSSIBLES — Atlanta’s finest exponents of classic, unabashed ’70s-style punk rock, the X-Impossibles are a thunderous living tribute to the once-counterculture spirit of the New York Dolls and Iggy Pop, but presented with a vibrancy that supercedes mere nostalgia. Their recent national-label release, White Knuckle Ride, is highly recommended. 8:15-9:15 p.m. (Nicoll)

THE FORTY-FIVES — Imagine a mod revival taking place on Memphis’ sweat-soaked Beale Street and you’ve got the Forty-Fives. This isn’t revolutionary stuff, but it’s loud, boisterous beer-drenched party music perfect for a street (or parking lot, as the case may be) festival. It’s greasy, Southern, garage rock scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, topped and diced with Hammond organ, shouts and handclaps. Some should be yours. 10-10:30 p.m. (Ware)

Radio Disney Kids Stage

RED FEATHER DANCE CO. — This Native American troupe highlights the music and dance of a number of tribes, with an emphasis on education. 2:30-3 p.m. (Sarig)

RICK HUBBARD’S ALL KID KAZOO BAND — Hubbard gives out free kazoos (I’d like to see Night Ranger do that) and forms a Kazoo Band of children, their parents and whoever else cares to join in. More entertaining than Loverboy and probably sexier, too. 3:30-4:15 p.m. (Smith)

Turner South/civic center stage
TURNER SOUTH LIVE: A CONCERT FROM MUSIC MIDTOWN — The Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin, Darius Rucker (you know, Hootie) and Ann Wilson of Heart headline this indoor concert, televised live on the Turner South cable channel. It’s free for folks with tickets to Music Midtown, but you can’t get in unless you picked up special event tickets last Friday morning at the Roxy. For those stuck at home, though, it’s the only part of the fest you can see from your couch. 8-10 p.m. (Sarig)


Unite Georgia/Z93 Stage

GREG HESTER — Hester is a gifted singer/songwriter with the heart of a country gentleman, the brain of a rocker and the guts to mix all his influences at once without apology or consessions to commercialism. Fellow Midtown performer Andy Browne calls Hester “a country-fried Van Morrison.” 1-1:30 p.m. (Smith)

FIVE FOR FIGHTING — The nom de plume of John Ondrasik, Five for Fighting serves as a vehicle for the singer-songwriter/ivory tickler’s jabs at pop music from the crow’s nest of the indie-minded marginalia. On his sophomore effort, America Town, Ondrasik forges ahead with the hook-filled pop lingo and arena-rock bombast of a young Elton Hercules John. 2-2:30 p.m. (Ellis)

BLUEGROUND UNDERGRASS — The Rev. Jeff Mosier and his Bruce Hampton-worshipping flock mix bluegrass and country with the mindset of a funky jam band. Freak-out hillbilly jazz for the masses. This should be a great spot for people watching, as BU attract equal amounts of hippies and yuppies. 3-4 p.m. (Smith)

COL. BRUCE HAMPTON AND THE CODE TALKERS — Hampton and his band of friendly freaks improv their way through a spacey set of lengthy jams and soulful, even spiritual, odes to interstellar living. A fixture of the Atlanta scene, Hampton is a lovable ol’ crank and a true original, even though his songs are usually longer than the wait for an open port-a-potty. 4:30-5:30 p.m. (Smith)

JOHN KAY AND STEPPENWOLF — Vocalist/guitarist Kay is a German-born wildman who first popularized the term “heavy metal” (in the lyrics of Steppenwolf’s 1968 mega-hit “Born to be Wild”). Although legally blind for decades — hence his perpetual sunshades — this professional crowd-pleaser has continued touring tirelessly ever since the original Steppenwolf broke up back in ‘76. 6-7 p.m. (Nicoll)

NIGHT RANGER — Sister Christian, oh the time has come. The time, that is, for you to pack up your hairspray and find honest work. Just because a few thousand golf-shirt-clad twentysomethings pack the front of your stage and sing along to the old hits, does not make you somehow relevant. 7:30-8:30 p.m. (Peisner)

LOVERBOY — Singer Mike Reno’s ass — squeezed into a pair of size 31 Merry-Go-Round red leather pants — from the cover of the band’s platinum 1981 album Get Lucky, is as much a part of the 1980s MTV-trash culture as the band’s string of hard-rockin’ keyboard-spiked pop-rock hits. Fifteen years after their last hit, “Lovin’ Every Minute of It,” Reno wears a size 38 on a good day and Merry-Go-Round is history. Turn me loose. 9-10 p.m. (Trammell)

KANSAS — The corn-belt’s answer to Yes wheeze along, replete with high-falutin’ concepts, unwieldy song titles and solos long enough to get a beer and visit a port-a-potty during. Now mostly based in Atlanta, they continue to release new material. But let’s be honest: It’s all about those “classic rock” hits. Carry on those wayward songs, boys! 10:30 p.m.-12 a.m. (Robertson)

[] SUN/MAY 06

Budweiser/99X Stage

6 AGAINST 7 — This local quintet landed on 99X’s main stage by winning the Next Level competition held in recent weeks. One would suppose it’s a boost for the young band, who so far have been richly rewarded for sounding exactly like all the modern-rock bands in heavy rotation on the station. But is it really better to play a big stage during a bad timeslot than, say, the smaller Locals Only stage during prime time? 1:30-2 p.m. (Sarig)

EVAN & JARON — While local hipsters long have expressed anything from indifference to annoyance about this photogenic twin-brother duo, now that they’re hobnobbing with Carson and Amanda, the wretch-factor has no doubt risen dramatically. What naysayers missed along the way, though, is that E&J’s self-titled breakthrough release is by far the best collection of boy pop to come out in this current season of sonic pap. 2:30-3:15 p.m. (Sarig)

BEN HARPER — Though at times he can be a bit of a hokey songwriter, Ben Harper is an absolutely mesmerizing live performer. Channeling the spirit of guys like Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye and Cat Stevens (who is not technically dead but ...), Harper makes the old sound new and improved, a trick he employs to impressive effect on his recent double live album, Live From Mars. 3:45-4:45 p.m. (Peisner)

INDIGO GIRLS — Give ‘em the hometown welcome they deserve for sticking to their philosophical/political guns while pushing the limited musical boundaries inherent in the folk/rock idiom. Between Ray’s Daemon label and Saliers’ restaurant, they’re more committed to Atlanta than any other major act, and for folkies, they sure can rock. 5:15-6:30 p.m. (Horowitz)

FUEL — Pennsylvania-based modern-rock quartet, currently tearing up Billboard’s charts with two singles — “Innocent” and “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” — play cuts from their latest smash Something Like Human and 1998’s platinum debut Sunburn. 7-8 p.m. (Kimes)

LIVE — It’s a dubious honor, but Live easily qualifies as alternarock’s most earnest band. Drawing inspiration from U2 and R.E.M., they lack the former’s commanding stage presence and the latter’s loopy charm. Their live performances bring to mind watching a particularly serious philosophy student defend his graduate thesis. 8:30-10 p.m. (Robertson)

Civic Center Stage


Image GEORGIA SEA ISLAND SINGERS — Among the last remaining ambassadors of the distinctive Gulla culture developed by freed African slaves along the Georgia coast, the family harmonies and gospel stomps offered by the Sea Island Singers are just the antidote to time spent negotiating the bleeding sound between the 99X and 96Rock stages.

2:30-3:30 p.m. (Sarig)

SHEMEKIA COPELAND — Late guitarist Johnny Copeland’s daughter is one of the brightest and most passionate young blues singers to make a stab at crossover success. Gifted with natural stage presence and a gutsy voice that effortlessly reaches the back rows, Copeland growls, shouts, wails and testifies like the star she’s destined to be. 4-5 p.m. (Horowitz)

BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA — See article, and listing for Sat., May 6, Ford Focus/Fox5 Stage.

5:30-6:45 p.m. (Horowitz)

Coca-Cola/ V103/WB36! Stage


GURUFISH — An extremely theatrical Atlanta show band, Gurufish are ideally suited to perform in this venue. They play flashy ’70s glam-rock with heavy infusions of funk/soul/disco, and behind their outrageous wigs and ultrawide bell-bottom pants is better-than-journeyman-level musicianship, particularly on the keyboards. 1-1:40 p.m. (Nicoll)

CRAIG ELLIS — South Carolina R&B vocalist combines his gospel background with a taste for sexy new-jack and hip-hop. Wrapping up work on his debut, Ellis offers a sneak peak at what could be the next big thing in urban crooning. 2:20-3 p.m. (Sarig)

ORIGINAL P — Some of the original members of Parliament (but not George Clinton) take funksters on an exciting ride on the Mothership. Let’s hope the band, which has been around in one form or another since 1970 and is legally enjoined from using the name Parliament, at least has the rights to perform hits like “Flashlight” and “P-Funk.” 3:40-4:40 p.m. (Baraka)

Image LUDACRIS — Show love to another hip-hop star and native ATLien. Late-night shifts and gophering for Ryan Cameron and the crew at 97.5 paid off for the former Chris Bridges. Now everyone’s kissing his ass and trying to do his omnipresent MTV dance. Throw dem bows. 5:20-6:20 p.m. (Whitaker)

RUN DMC — With in-fighting and religion in the mix, Run DMC (and Jam Master Jay) are still trying to maintain some sort of relevance to the current market. But of late, they’re more like the washed-up, aging rap duo played by Horatio Sanz and Tracy Morgan on “Saturday Night Live.” At least Aerosmith’s still kicking. See article, p. 85. 7-8 p.m. (Whitaker)

CARL THOMAS — While Puff Diddy bounces in and out of jail, someone’s got to keep the cheese rolling in at Bad Boy Records. Aside from Puff’s teen pastries Dream, Chicago balladeer Carl Thomas is the Daddy’s current big, well, gun. Still riding the success of last year’s single “I Wish,” Thomas is reportedly readying his follow-up. 8:40-9:40 p.m. (Whitaker)

Ford Focus/Fox 5 Stage
DAN HICKS & THE HOT LICKS — The San Francisco scene in the ’60s was a wide-open haven for musicians and Hicks made a name for himself with his unique blend of parlor music and classic jazz. Throwing a bit of off-kilter humor into the mix, he created a timeless and entertaining act that’s just as much fun today as it was back then. See Show ‘n’ Tell, p. 77. 1:15-2 p.m. (Kelly)

LIL BRIAN & THE ZYDECO TRAVELERS — Houston accordion whiz Brian Terry leads an outfit pushing zydeco’s frantic energy into a new era by incorporating elements of funk and hip-hop into the mix. Welcome to the Z-Funk era. 2:30-3:15 p.m. (Sarig)

Image SONIA DADA — A personal favorite of Music Midtown producer Alex Cooley, this large and diverse ensemble, formed in Chicago in the early ’90s, manage to mix horn-driven funk, soul and gospel-tinged rock without pandering to the obvious frat crowd. Festive and satisfying. 3:45-4:45 p.m. (Smith)

MARCIA BALL — Austin’s queen of the boogie-woogie piano packs a punch whenever she hits the stage. The statuesque Ms. Ball sits ever-so-ladylike on the stool but rips through a rollicking setlist like a tornado. Every ass in the place will be shaking. 5:15-6:15 p.m. (Kelly)

Image JOHN HAMMOND’S WICKED GRIN — Possibly the only chance you’ll get to hear bluesman Hammond’s incredible new Tom Waits covers album played with the band who made it. His sound infuses gospel, rock and blues into a swampy mix oozing with soul. Creepy and forbidding, like the blues is supposed to be. Not to be missed. Hammond also backs the Blind Boys of Alabama’s Saturday performance. 6:45-7:45 p.m. (Horowitz)

Image STEVE EARLE — Steve Earle’s harrowing back-from-the-dead drug saga has been repeated so many times, it’s lost all potency. Fortunately, the same cannot be said for his music. His ever-expanding palate of roots-rock, country, folk, blues and, most recently, psychedelic pop, actually draws on his darkest days without making them sound like cheap “Behind The Music” voyeurism. 8:15-9:30 p.m. (Peisner)

Jose Cuervo/ 96 Rock Stage
SLANGBANGER — Self-described “electro-rockers,” Slangbanger sling some hard rock, some funk and some rap against the wall and the result slowly slides to the ground, leaving a trail of sticky goop. 1-1:30 p.m. (Smith)

LESS THAN JAKE — The decade-old Florida outfit Less Than Jake play snotty, three-chord punk-rock with horns — it ain’t ska, but it’s nothing if not competent. Radio play has more or less eluded them, which might be one of the reasons why their relatively formulaic (though energetic) stuff still sounds a little fresh. 2-2:45 p.m. (Peisner)

DEREK TRUCKS BAND — Precocious-novelty-turned-guitar-prodigy, Trucks hung up the baseball cleats and picked up the acoustic at age 9. Since, he’s performed with the likes of Bob Dylan and John Lee Hooker. His band plays basic Southern boogie/jam rock, but Trucks takes them over the top with a deftness that shames contemporaries Jonny Lang or Kenny Wayne Shepherd. 3:15-4:15 p.m. (Arieh)

ERIC JOHNSON — As guitar shredders go, the Prince-discovered Johnson is classier than most, tempering his lightning-fast fret runs with subtle excursions into folk, prog and even spacey blues. Not as flashy nor as aggressive as his G3 touring mates Joe Satriani or Steve Vai, Johnson is just as talented and far tastier. 4:45-5:45 p.m. (Horowitz)

GOV’T MULE — Recovering from the death of Allen Woody and a change of label scenery, Gov’t Mule can still pack a Southern-fried wallop. Fans of the Allman Brothers (Woody and Mule co-founder Warren Hayes both played for the brothers) and black concert T-shirts surely will find a lighter-flicking experience here. 6:15-7:45 p.m. (Allen)

JACKYL — Betcha didn’t know these local metalhead yahoos were even still around. Probably best remembered (and deservedly so) for their chainsaw solo on 1992’s “The Lumberjack,” Jackyl should satisfy those with a craving for sub-AC/DC boogie-rock riffs and self-consciously offensive lyrics. 8:15-9:45 p.m. (Robertson)

Mercury Mountaineer/99X Locals Only Stage
SOMETHING LEFT AFTER MISFORTUNE — A Sunday afternoon is not the time to hear music this heavy, but it will be worth showing up just to watch the soccer moms scatter with their baby carriages once S.L.A.M. starts playing their dark and cerebral brand of hard rock. It’ll be like a scene straight out of a “Beavis and Butthead” episode. 1-1:30 p.m. (Guthrie)

Image NILLAH — Sunny harmonies, chiming Rickenbacker guitars and good-natured Southern charm make Nillah one of the Atlanta’s best-kept pop secrets. Fans of The Byrds, Let’s Active, early Replacements and U2 should enjoy this trio, led by spiky-haired bassist Eli Eickhoff. See Earshot, p. 87. 2-2:30 p.m. (Smith)

AERIAL — Enjoy a rare chance to catch nocturnal, acidic breakbeat act Aerial out of the smoke-filled clubs and under the smog-filled sky. The band’s squelchy synth lines, haunting sax, delay-laden vocals and overall after-hours vibe play like the perfect soundtrack for Jacques’ Roadhouse (from “Twin Peaks”), but expect Aerial’s beats to rock like a block party. 3:15-4:15 p.m. (Ware)

MINUS — This Marietta-based heavy-rock foursome has earned major-label interest based on its self-titled indie debut last year. Call ‘em children of the Korn. 4:45-5:15 p.m. (Sarig)

KENNY HOWES & THE YEAH! — Whether they’re aping The Who circa 1967 or Big Star circa 1974, Howes and band are hardcore devotees to the sounds of classic rock and power-pop, and produce a better-than-average interpretation of those styles. 6:30-7 p.m. (Sarig)

SOUP — East Coast regional favorites Soup have honed their sound the time-honored way: through road testing. They throw acoustic hooks, vocal harmonies and tales of mystic places into a jam-packed bouillabaisse. For fans of Ramen, ‘cause you’ll need to like a little noodle in your Soup. 8-8:30 p.m. (Ware)

Radio Disney Kids Stage
RED FEATHER DANCE CO. — This Native American troupe highlights the music and dance of a number of tribes, with an emphasis on education. 2:30-3 p.m. (Sarig)

RICK HUBBARD’S ALL KID KAZOO BAND — Hubbard gives out free kazoos (I’d like to see Night Ranger do that) and forms a Kazoo Band of children, their parents and whoever else cares to join in. More entertaining than Loverboy and probably sexier, too. 3:30- 4:15 p.m. (Smith)

Unite Georgia/ Z93 Stage


GHOST TRANE — As winners of the Z93’s Next Level competition, this local jam band that bills itself as “An Atlanta Family” earned the right to open for the big boys. 1:30-2 p.m. (Sarig)

GABE DIXON BAND — Unlike this band’s boring moniker and somnambulistic recent album, Dixon’s live shows supposedly are energetic and lively. Fans of Ben Folds and Billy Joel should enjoy this piano-based combo, otherwise now might be a good time for some lunch. 2:30-3:15 p.m. (Smith)

O.A.R. — A quintet of Ohio State students, horn-added rock outfit O.A.R. has managed to parlay its music — tightly arranged, enthusiastically presented and completely inoffensive in a cap-wearing middle-class frat-friendly sort of way — into quite a college following. 3:45-4:30 p.m. (Sarig)

NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS — Brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson, along with bassist Chris Chew, play Oxford, Miss., blues on amphetamines. It’s like they were baptized at the Mississippi Delta and have been drinking Alabama red clay-tainted water their entire lives, because the blues’ muddy waters and swampy slide voodoo are in their blood. These are the explosive “bloooos” of Jon Spencer’s wet dreams. 5-6 p.m. (Ware)

LITTLE FEAT — The heyday of Little Feat is long past, and its recordings receive scant attention, but this stellar outfit continues to tour in a style more befitting a powerhouse hit band. The current set list is generously sprinkled with highlights from the glory days, keeping alive the spirit of Lowell George. 6:30-7:45 p.m. (Madigan)

GALACTIC — The New Orleans-based sextet has been serving its own blend of muggy, Meters-style funk and jazz since the mid-’90s, and building a considerable fan base in the process. And like it or not, Theryl DeClouet will be on hand to belt out his hothouse R&B numbers that tend to get the lovers grooving — and the doubters strolling to another stage. 8:15- 9:45 p.m. (Arieh)

Additional Slideshows

A3C Through the Years 

This year, A3C celebrates its 10th anniversary as an independent, hip-hop festival Oct. 8-12, with performances by more than 500October 1, 2014

CounterPoint Music Festival 7 

September 28-29, 2012 - The first CounterPoint Music Festival took place last weekend at the 350-acre Bouckaert Park outside ofBy Eric Cash and Dustin Chambers 

Awkward Odd Future Loiter Squad Interview 6 

Pictures from Chad Radford’s awkward interview with Odd Future at Adult Swim’s headquarters. They barely responded to Chad’s questions butBy Joeff Davis 

Terminal West at King Plow 

March 20, 2012 - An 18-and-up crowd christened the new Westside music venue, Terminal West at King Plow, with glowBy Brandon English 
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