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Public Enemy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now this was a headline-worthy, festival-closing show.
Hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy pulled the curtain on the Hot-107.9 stage Sunday night with a show with as much decibel power as anything on the rock stage, a crowd as diverse as anything throughout the 42-acre site and a set more cohesive than any on the rap bill Saturday night at Vibe MusicFest.
Not that it wasn’t as inflammatory as anything Ludacris or T.I. said at Vibe. Except Enemy’s Chuck D, Flavor Flav and Professor Griff assail the establishment and institutions instead of women or people who scuff their new tennis shoes.
“[Expletive] George Bush,” they said from the stage. And the all-ages crowd cursed along in unison. Then — ever the instructors — Atlantan D explained why he led that taunt: “The government will send your [expletive] to war in a minute.”
Later on he excoriated radio program directors who play music during the day that make “fourthth-graders want to be up in the strip club…In the name of James Brown, please, please, please look out for the babies.”
But the bulletproof baritone was just as deadly when he was rapping “Welcome to the Terrordome,” “Don’t Believe the Hype” and the crackling closer, “Fight the Power.”
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Coca-Cola/Verizon Wireless/Hot 107.9/Fox 5 Stage
Devo
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yes, Music Midtown booked its share of hot young acts this year, but one of the best sets came from none other than Devo. Yes, Devo — the oddball quintet you may know best (or only) for the angular pop song “Whip It.”
The band got that little number out of the way early on the 99X stage, clearing the way for a staggering set of jittery, pulsating rock. The men of Devo came out wearing matching yellow uniforms with their signature red flower pots as hats. They later stripped to matching black ensembles, including shorts and kneepads.
Sometimes they rocked like a conventional guitar band. Sometimes they played the bass parts on a keyboard. At one point they performed their cover of the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” giving the original a fabulous gutting.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Best Buy/99X Locals Only Stage
Def Leppard
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Def Leppard is the perfect outdoor festival band. The British ’80s rockers carry a testerone-driven, guitar-crunching sound merged with a hook-laden sensibility that generated 15 top 40 hits, more than enough to fill a one-hour set. Beer-buzzed, tank-top wearing fans can sing along badly to the simple lyrics and nobody cares.
This is the band’s second trip to Music Midtown in three years, and lead singer Joe Elliott said he had so much fun the first time, they came back. (Promoter Peter Conlon probably gave the band a great financial incentive, too.) And as he sang, “Let’s get rocked,” the crowd obliged with much gusto.
Though Elliott’s voice sometimes got swallowed by the fine guitar work of Phil Collen and Viv Campbell, the big hits still carried a full-bodied heft. And while predictable, the final three songs in succession â€â€? “Photograph,” “Rock of Ages” and “Pour Some Sugar In Me” â€â€? was pop-rock heaven.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Ford/Best Buy/96 Rock/UPN Atlanta Stage
Montgomery Gentry
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At long last, sunshine finally visited the mud-encrusted Kicks 101.5 stage in time for Montgomery Gentry’s set early Sunday night. With substantial sound bleed coming from Def Leppard across the park, the country duo had its work cut out for them.
And then threatening skies returned and not even free Hooters beachballs could distract a sizable crowd that was kept waiting for more than 30 minutes because of “technical difficulties.” So it helped that comic Larry the Cable Guy was brought out to introduce the act.
Faster than you could say “Get er done!” the guys blasted onstage with “Gone” from the MG album “You Do Your Thing,” and “She Couldn’t Change Me.” Clad in black leather, jeans and hats, country’s resident tough guys gave off plenty of heat from the stage.
“The party officially starts now!” they assured the crowd before blasting into the barroom bawl, “Lonely and Gone.” Singing “We’re gonna be a tough act to follow,” MG proved precisely that. The act was the last band booked on the Kicks stage Sunday night.
Permalink | | Categories: Hooters/Kicks 101.5 Stage
Common
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chi-town emcee Common exploded onto the Hot 107.9 stage Saturday night with a surprising ferocity. Although his catalog of songs aren’t as popular as mainstream rappers, they were more than enough to keep the crowd bouncing through the first three songs, which included the title track off his new album “Be.” Shortly after, the crowd went ballistic when Common’s fellow Chicago rapper Kanye West blessed the stage for a few tracks of his own, including “All Falls Down” and “Jesus Walks.” Together, the two made something that fits their “Good Music” campaign: a “Great Hip-Hop Show.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Coca-Cola/Verizon Wireless/Hot 107.9/Fox 5 Stage
Alan Jackson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cowboy hats, NASCAR apparel, Braves caps, ponchos and Polo shirts converged near the Kicks 101.5 stage late Saturday night for Newnan’s own Alan Jackson.
Despite a driving rain and a Tom Petty concert across the field, country fans immediately punctured a hole in the notion that country acts just don’t draw at Music Midtown. Thousands upon thousands packed in to see the country artist.
Jackson, who arrived on stage in his hat, tan Western shirt and blue jeans, launched into “Gone Country” and didn’t look back.
The country icon, who’s sold 43 million records over his 15-year career, plowed through a big chunk of his catalog of 31 No. 1 hits.
Upon hearing Jackson favorites “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Livin’ On Love,” “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” and “Drive (For Daddy Gene),” fans forgot about the set-long torrential downpour.
“It’s good to be back here with the skyline of Atlanta, pine trees, dogwoods and the Varsity’s chili dogs,” the singer told the throng.
And by the time he got to his massive hit, “Chattahoochee,” the water and the red clay mud near the stage matched the images in the song.
Permalink | | Categories: Hooters/Kicks 101.5 Stage
Cowboy Crush
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What do you get when you add a bass, drums, keyboard, fiddle and five country girls? If you are a record executive, you are hoping for The Dixie Chicks plus two.
The answer, however, is Nashville’s Cowboy Crush — a country group that doesn’t hold a candle to the Chicks. The girls played a loose set of typical country arrangements marred by sound and microphone problems.
While each member is fairly proficient with their instruments — especially fiddler Renae Truex — as a band they are not tight enough to be impressive. Crush does, however, have a couple songs that might make it on country radio. The rest are lackluster and predictable.
Permalink | | Categories: Hooters/Kicks 101.5 Stage
Whodini
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The loyal and dedicated old-school hip-hop fans showed up early and were ready to party, and Whodini delivered. They performed some of their hits, including “Friends,” “Freaks Come Out at Night” and “One Love.”
They are one of the few rap groups from the early ’80s that are still together. How MTV fails to mention them when retracing hip-hop’s history is beyond my understanding. But as the sign from a fan said, “Whodini Forever.”
Permalink | | Categories: Coca-Cola/Verizon Wireless/Hot 107.9/Fox 5 Stage
Jo Dee Messina
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The fiery country redhead from Massachusetts came out swinging, belting out the words “let me entertain you, we’re gonna have a ball.â€? The sizable crowd at the Kicks stage, finally soaking up sun instead of rain, seemed more than willing to let her do just that.
“Heads Carolina, Tails Californiaâ€? followed, and it was just the second memorable tune of a solid, hit-packed hour with a side trip back to Motown for a cover of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours).â€?
The sound problems that plagued some of Saturday’s sets on the country stage didn’t reappear.
“We love Atlanta. You guys are so awesome,� Messina shouted at one point, sounding genuinely thrilled at the rousing reception. It was just more evidence that bringing country back to Music Midtown was a brilliant move.
Permalink | | Categories: Jo Dee Messina
Collective Efforts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Like many hip-hop performers, Atlanta’s Collective Efforts brought out guest stars you wouldn’t know if you ran into them tomorrow. But you would remember this group because they pumped out what old-schoolers used to call music to nod your head to. There was plenty of that throughout the crowd, mostly because of catchy hooks and DJ Creashun’s turntable skills, but don’t look here for that club record. The socially conscious MC’s rock the house in their own way.
The quartet’s lyrics and everyman demeanor are reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest with a dash of Common. After some teasing old-school rap posturing and Ben Hameen’s double duty as singer and rapper, the set ended far too soon.
Permalink | | Categories: Best Buy/99X Locals Only Stage
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That was the highlight of the festival. The rain pouring down was a perfect topping to a great night. The music was incredible!... read the full comment by Tina | Comment on The Pixies Read The Pixies
Bloc Party rocked!! I was blown away. This is trully what music is about.... read the full comment by Tina | Comment on Bloc Party Read Bloc Party
I really enjoyed the show, considering I haven’t seen Joan play live since the mid-90’s. I really think it was the heat that made them seem lackluster, it felt like 110 out there. What made me laugh was when a fan behind me screamed “Jesus... read the full comment by Patti | Comment on Joan Jett Read Joan Jett
Jon, I can see how you’d want them to play a different set from a show you saw a year ago. But as a long time fan who has never had the chance to see them, that was about a perfect set. It realied more on the guitar-based tunes… which means... read the full comment by David | Comment on Devo Read Devo