AccessAtlanta > Music > Music Midtown > Blog > Archives > 2004 > May > 01
Saturday, May 1, 2004
Ashlee Simpson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The 9:30 p.m. TBA slot on the Q100/Fox 5 stage listed in the Music Midtown guide turned out to stand for “Tween Becoming Adult.”
With MTV reality series cameras rolling, “7th Heaven ” actress Ashlee Simpson made her debut as a rocker during a 30-minute set. The younger sister of Jessica Simpson arrived on stage with blown-out dark hair, heavy eye-make-up, a New York Herald Tribune half T-shirt and black tank top combo that managed to recall both Chrissie Hynde and Jennifer Beals in “Flashdance.”
"You guys are SO awesome!" Simpson cooed in a little-girl voice before launching into her first single, "Pieces of Me."
Simpson’s vocal range was reminiscent of Rex Harrison’s (albeit with a decidedly more masculine tone). The singer’s back-up band consisted of faux-hawked, wallet-chain sporting, CBGB T-shirt-wearing boy rockers possibly on loan from Avril Lavigne.
Distractingly, an IQ-challenged, tank-topped Q100 DJ managed to cue up his next set of music over the sound system TWICE during Simpson’s 30-minute set.
After dedicating numerous songs to her ex-boyfriend and uttering the word “awesome” between nearly every song, Simpson screeched out “Shadow,” a rocker she said was inspired by growing up with a high-profile sibling.
Introducing a clearly uncomfortable boy named John, Simpson proceeded to dedicate “La La” — “like, you know, the one sexy song I have on the record” — to him. The subsequent dance had all of the sex appeal of a “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” VHS tape starring Richard Simmons.
Simpson’s debut album drops in July if her label doesn’t drop her before then. That noise you just heard was Pat Benatar and Joan Jett sleeping soundly.
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Chris Robinson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Up until Chris Robinson & the New Earth Mud’s performance, it was easy to think the only thing southern at Music Midtown was the hip-hop. But the former Black Crowe changed that notion real quick - make that real slow, with a six-song, hour-long set that bridged rock, melodious jazz, blues, and a bit of funk and country that mostly served as a backdrop for couples to slow dance under the stars. His “Silver Car” cruised along a quite beautiful acoustic guitar and piano combo. And while the final song only seemed to have one line - “People get ready to ride” — thanks to a coaxing and well-played arrangement, the nearly 10-minute tune somehow didn’t feel simple or redundant.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Wyclef Jean
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photos
- gallery: Wyclef & others
Man of the people and musical amphibian Wyclef Jean was limited neither by genre boundaries nor by the physical boundaries of the V103 stage Saturday night. Jean and his band (a DJ, bassist, drummer and keyboardist) played a freewheeling set, much of which was spent with Jean walking through the audience and climbing a scaffolding. Jean — who played guitar, rapped and sang — had a lot to say. His show featured songs from his solo career and his time in the Fugees, plus music by House of Pain, the Jackson 5, Lil Jon, Naughty By Nature and Bob Marley. At the end, running some 10 minutes over his allotted time, Jean asked for a few minutes more: “Either y’all give me the three minutes,” he said, “or I act like a rapper and take the three minutes.”
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Offspring
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If there’s a perfect Music Midtown band, it might be the Offspring. These guys are the obvious choice if you want to throw a booze-soaked festival for a couple hundred thousand of your closest friends. The California party punks made a comeback recently, but even if they hadn’t, the vast expanse in front of the 99 stage would have been full — almost frighteningly so —just the same. Frontman Dexter Holland and guitarist Noodles Wasserman were the partymasters, leading the already rowdy crowd to even greater heights with “Come out and Play,” “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy),” “Self-Esteem” and recent radio favorite “Hit That,” which dropped as easily into their set as if it had been there since the mid-’90s. Not much they do makes you go, “Wow, that’s different,” but it’s their story and they’re sticking to it. And the crowd hung on every word.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Joss Stone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Only 17, and Joss Stone has some of the diva thing down cold. She let her backup band lay down a funk groove for a while and play her on stage Saturday, as she walked dramatically from behind the stage singing “The Choking Kind.”
She can be forgiven the entrance, however, given her almost frighteningly strong voice and her utter lack of pretension during the rest of the show. She giggled, seemed genuinely surprised that her fans liked her and danced as if she were alone and listening to the music in her room rather than putting on a show on a huge stage.
Stone’s music is classic rhythm ‘n’ blues, circa 1970 or so, an odd choice for a white 17-year-old British girl, but a perfect one for her voice and style. Her closest song to a hit is “Fell in Love With a Boy,” a reworked White Stripes tune, but she’s even better on tunes like “Super Duper Love.”
The biggest surprise was not only how well she re-created her debut CD “The Soul Sessions” in a daunting concert setting, but how natural and relaxed she seemed. By the time she tore into her encore, “Some Kind of Wonderful,” she was creating one of those Music Midtown moments.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Fountains of Wayne
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Exhibit A for why so many bands save their one big hit for the last song in concerts: As soon as Fountains of Wayne finished their radio/MTV hit “Stacy’s Mom” Saturday night, a huge chunk of the crowd fled like someone had set off a stink bomb.
Too bad for those who left, ‘cause they missed another half-hour of grand fun. The very next song by FOW, “Mexican Wine, “is every bit as catchy as “Mom,” and funnier. (It starts off, “He was killed by a cellular phone explosion…”)
FOW has a knack for melody, an ear for rich harmony and a quirky sense of humor; if you haven’t bought their latest CD, “Welcome Interstate Managers,” by all means do so. But even that doesn’t have the wacko medley FOW reeled off near the end, when they seemed to be playing as much for their own enjoyment as the crowd’s: Steve Miller’s “Jet Liner” (a tribute to Friday night’s Miller show?), ZZ Top’s “Sharp-Dressed Man,” Foreigner’s “Double Vision” and more, tied together by creative segues.
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
The Strokes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photos
- gallery: The Strokes & others
“You guys look like you’re having a good time,” says Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas in the blankest, most bass-y monotone you can imagine, ” I am, too.” And you believe him. Maybe it’s because his band, despite a stiff demeanor and minimal movement, crank out music that crackles with electricity. Guitars seamlessly interlock over a rhythm section as tight as lycra on Ruben Studdard. Like a nimble freight train, the New Yorkers’ hour-long set was pumping, persistent and powerful. And to top it all off, bassist Nikolai Fraiture’s kitschy Bjorn Borg-esque terrycloth headband was mighty fetching.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Drive-By Truckers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens-based band Drive-By Truckers put Southern in rock with a bass-heavy, 10-song set early Saturday evening. With cigarettes dangling from their lips and smoke drifting across the stage, Mike Cooley, Patterson Hood and Jason Isbell each led songs and ripped hot lead guitar solos, though the crowd seemed to be either really into it or only mildly interested. One thing that did stand out was Hood’s voice, a distinctive mix of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Angie Stone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Technical difficulties tried hard to trip up veteran R&B singer-songwriter Angie Stone, but again, she’s a veteran. So when her four background singers’ mikes weren’t up enough three songs into the set, she looked in the direction of the mixing board and playfully snapped: “Don’t make me have to sound check!” When the sound dropped out again - during a well-received medley including the Ohio Players’ “Skin Tight” and Tom Browne’s “Funkin’ For Jamaica” - she led the crowd in an a capella version of “Funkin’ ” until it kicked back in. Then, in the middle of the powerhouse vocalist’s closer - you guessed it - but Stone maintained her composure; and at least, engendered her audience’s sympathy.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Trapt
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everything about Trapt screams “In your face!â€? Powerful vocals. Strong guitar riffs. Chest-pounding bass and percussion. Singer Chris Brown has plenty of on-stage charisma and talked to the crowd throughout the set. The bare-chested Monty is one of the better drummers you’ll hear live and looks as if he should be on the cover of a romance novel. Aside from “Headstrong,â€? the immensely popular song the band saved for its finale, lesser hits “Still Frame” and “Echo” were the biggest crowd-pleasers.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Heavy Mojo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Related Links
Remember the name Heavy Mojo. (Actually, hope the band changes its name to something that doesn’t sound like a protein supplement — but remember the band.) Saturday’s performance on the 99X Locals Only stage announced the seven-piece hip-hop band as a serious act to watch.
In a compressed time slot, the group brought together the Roots’ live band vibe, early Beastie Boys’ call-and-reponse lyricism and so much more. Heavy Mojo is rap and rock, but not rap-rock. The group’s three MCs can rhyme, and the band’s not afraid to explode into near-punk freakouts.
Everything is in play with these guys. To wit, the band played a tribute to Jimi Hendrix at one point, and at another managed to subvert the Gershwin standard “Summertime.â€? (In their world, “livin’ ain’t easy.”) On top of everything else, the band used its platform to hype its May 6 show at the Hard Rock Cafe. If you care about good local music — or just good music — you’ll be there.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
The Smithereens
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You might not think a group of guys in their mid- to late-40s could move a diverse crowd. But The Smithereens ripped through a 12-song set that had a bunch of middle-aged folks dancing alongside people who could be their children. The black-clad group was led by singer Pat DiNizio, but guitar work by him and lead guitarist Jim Babjak drove the energy on a hot afternoon. Running through familiar songs from their 25-year history — “Girl Like You,” “Only A Memory” and “Blood & Roses” — the band flew through a set that inspired air guitar playing, singing and dancing among the appreciative crowd. “Your music, your way for the past 25 [expletive] years,” said DiNizio. Indeed.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Story of the Year
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Story of the Year gave the crowd a high-flying, entertaining start to the second day of the festival. The 30-minute show featured many synchronized jumps from atop their amplifiers while they belted out hard-rocking tunes from their debut album “Page Avenue.” At times the band’s sound tended to overwhelm Dan Marsala’s vocals, but they played their songs tightly and the crowd fed off their energy. They finished their set with the hit “Until The Day I Die” followed by a crowd-pleasing rendition of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and “In The Shadows,” which features a radio-friendly chorus that could make it their next hit song.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Damien Rice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Related
- link: Damien Rice Profile
- link: Damien Rice Photos
Introspective Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice wore one of those ubiquitous T-shirts with a large mid-chest star. It’s probably never been pulled over a more appropriate head. His quietly evocative songs proved surprisingly sturdy when faced with a huge crowd at the 99X/Miller Lite stage Saturday afternoon. His band — vocalist Lisa Hannigan with cello, bass and drums — showed no fear of a teeming horde of tipsy Southerners or the volume. The music from his critically acclaimed debut album, “Oâ€? might seem fragile, but in the live setting they had a hidden power that slays cookie-cutter modern rock. It’s a noble cause for a beautiful noise. Let’s hope he leaves no survivors.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Smile Empty Soul
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A young couple overheard Saturday afternoon walking to the 96 Rock stage:
She: “Where we going?”
He: “Smile Empty Soul.”
She: “Who’s that?”
He, singing the signature line from their one hit: “I do it for the drugs!”
She: “Isn’t there anybody else playing?”
You can’t make up dialogue like that, but Smile Empty Soul were better than she had anticipated. They’re a 99X band that got stuck at the 96 Rock stage, but a lot of 99X’s young, moshing crowd made the trek.
On their debut CD, the Nirvana-influenced aggro-rock trio can come off as repetitive and petulant — “I don’t want to live like my father,” sings Sean Danielsen CQ. But on stage Danielsen guided a tight, generally exciting set that got the crowd surfers up.
And shirtless drummer Derek Gledhillcq was definitely the buffest drummer at Music Midtown.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
The Tom Collins
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Related Links
Along with The Hiss -- a smokin' Atlanta band that, sadly, isn't playing Music Midtown -- The Tom Collins provides a bridge between early Led Zeppelin and the 2004 local rock scene. Saturday's performance on the Locals Only stage had a by-the-numbers feel to it, but even a diminished Tom Collins isn't bad. We still got a big sound with shape-shifting guitar work, and we caught a glimpse of the combustible energy that seems more likely to catch fire in one of the band's Atlanta club dates.
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Scar
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After the Grammy-winning album of the year “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” few should doubt Atlanta rap duo OutKast’s ear for rhythm and blues. And Saturday’s debut of the first vocalist on their label only confirms their ear. Actually overall, what was really endearing about Scar’s brief set was his motion. Where so many R&B singers look and act like snarling hip-hop performers whose paycheck didn’t clear, here was this guy in a hot-pink shirt bouncing around the stage clearly buoyed by the soul of his six-piece band. (And by some very vocal family members from his native Mississippi front and center.) And while it was hard to tell after the five songs whether the Raphael Saadiq-sounding newcomer is a certain hitmaker, it says a lot about his new material that it fit snugly around the Al Green classic, “Let’s Stay Together.”
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Josh Kelley
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a barely 45 minute set, Josh Kelley tossed in snippets of Kelis’ “Milkshake,” OutKast’s “Roses” and 50 Cent’s “In Da Club.” He’s no hip-hop artist though. The Augusta singer-songwriter was never less than entertaining and seemed to be very much enjoying himself in front of the crowd of a few hundred. The sweet simplicity of his James Taylor-via-Dave Matthews tunefulness was a welcome contrast to the loud and angry sounds emanating from a couple of other stages Saturday afternoon. Why start your Saturday afternoon with anger, when Kelley’s there to soothe?
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Five Eight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As throngs of fans stood in the sun awaiting overwrought rock act Story of the Year on the 99X Stage, a handful of savvy fans caught the leaner local band Five Eight on the nearby Locals Only Stage. Lucky them — they heard the Athens/Atlanta trio play a blistering set, reducing a batch of jagged melodies to their chaotic essences. Singer/guitarist Mike Mantione was more expressive in one unhinged solo than Kenny Wayne Shepherd was in an entire set the night before. “I just want everybody to rock your heads off, please,” Mantione said. Easy to do when his band’s on stage.
Permalink | | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Hoobastank
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southern California rockers Hoobastank finished off the festival’s first night with an energetic show. A light but steady rain began to fall about 20 minutes into the hour-long performance, and it seemed to energize the crowd. The highlight of the show came halfway in with the hugely popular power ballad “Reason,” which has single-handedly pushed their album to near the top of the charts. The band closed with “Crawling in the Dark” — the song that put them on the map a few years ago — but not before singer Doug Robb broke into a pleasing rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Ludacris
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photos
- gallery: Ludacris & other artists
Though it seemed a little, well, ludicrous, the very sweet but very whitebread folks of Q100’s morning show led a cheer of “Luda! Luda! Luda!” before Atlanta rapper Ludacris’ set. It seemed a little strange, but it’s just more proof that race no longer has anything to do with an appreciation of hip-hop. Once the man of the hour took the stage, the field was a sea of waving arms as he confidently led an entertaining trip through his back catalog from “Area Codes” to “Stand Up.” After young rap phenom J-Kwon’s amateur hour, Ludacris’ set was a master class in hip-hop showmanship. Looking for evidence of hip-hop’s market penetration? Just one look at the predominantly white mass packing that field, chanting and waving along, and you know it’s no longer just a black thing. It’s everybody’s thing.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
Steve Miller Band
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
That old joker himself Steve Miller played two sets Friday — one for himself and one for the crowd. Sporting a white Panama hat, Miller opened with “Swingtown” and had the throng singing along and dancing. But then he went into about an hour of blues, his real passion, and while it was impeccably executed and the sort of sweet sound that Music Midtown rarely provides, the audience began to get restless and a lot of the fair-weather fans left. But as the rain picked up a little after 11, Miller ran off his ’70s pop hits that everyone wanted — “Take the Money and Run,” “Jet Airliner,” “Jungle Love,” “The Joker” — and the crowd danced and sang along in the steady rain.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Music Midtown 2004
