Dark Star Jubilee will feature host and headliner Dark Star Orchestra for six sets over May 22-24, 2020. Held in Thornville, OH, Dark Star Jubilee has evolved into a celebration of the music of the Grateful Dead, as well as a reunion of performers in the broader Grateful Dead scene.
Announced acts for the festival include Oteil & Friends, Galactic (featuring Anjelika Jelly Joseph), Zero (featuring Steve Kimock, Gregg Anton, Pete Sears and Melvin Seals), The Infamous Stringdusters, Jorma Kaukonen, Keller Williams, Marco Benevento, Jeff Mattson & Friends and Holly Bowling. Also performing are Rumpke Mountain Boys, Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads, Dino English & The Progfusionals and Katie Henry Band.
Dark Star Orchestra will close out 2019 with two nights at The Palace Theatre in Albany over December 28-29 and head to The Wellmont in Montclair, NJ for two final nights. More info and tickets can be found here.
The audience was told to hug a neighbor at least five times. Lyrics such as “They say that miracles are never ceasing / And every single soul needs a little release” were heard. This positive vibe radiated from Michael Franti and Spearhead, a hip hop-reggae-funk fusion band from California, as they performed at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ last week. The band also brought awareness to social issues and sparked authentic human interactions in the Garden State.
Carl Young and Michael Franti
The band members include Michael Franti (guitar, vocals), Carl Young (bass), Manas Itiene (Drums), J. Bowman (guitar), Mike Blankenship (keyboards), and an unidentified female vocalist.
Gun violence statistics of every mass shooting in the USA scroll behind Michael Franti and Spearhead.
The positive message and awareness to social issues stood out in a meaningful way. Franti’s recent song “The Flower,” a tribute to victims of gun violence, featured a video with survivors and scrolling gun violence statistics. Songs like “Just Work Hard And Be Nice To People” and “Good To Be Alive Today” brought a positive message mixed with short jams.
Franti and an unidentified vocalist sing “Life Is Better With You”
Strong musical skills were displayed during a flawless switch from Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long” to “Life Is Better With You.” The band was joined by an unidentified guest vocalist for this sequence, which included the original video of “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie on an LED screen behind the band.
Franti was engaged with the entire audience, not just those in the front row. He sang two songs while on the floor, in the middle of the crowd. He also took a quick adventure to the balcony for a few verses. A myriad number of fans were brought on stage, including a couple who got engaged, and all the children on the floor during “Say Hey (I Love You).”
The band has a couple of tour dates left in 2019 and will be on tour with Kenny Chesney in 2020. Head over to their tour page for more details.
On Friday, March 1, rock n’ roll legends Cheap Trick played to a sold out audience at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey. Since the 1970’s Cheap Trick has been blending elements of all musical genres, making their sound and style instantly recognizable throughout music. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-rs, treated the eager crowd to all the hits: “Just Got Back,” ”The Flame,” ”I Want You to Want Me,” ”Dream Police” and “Surrender.” Fans young and old sang every word. Cheap Trick has performed over 5,000 times live, sold 20 million records and bring an amazing energy, keeping these classic songs fresh and fun proving – After 46 years there is still nothing like a Cheap Trick show.
Setlist: Hello There, Lookout, You Got It Going on, Just Got Back, Big Eyes, California Man, She’s Tight, Stick Man of Europe, Stiff Competition>Need Your Love, Daddy Should Have Stayed In High School, Ain’t That a Shame, Baby Loves to Rock, Waitin for the Man, The Flame, I Want You To Want Me, Dream Police, Clock Strikes Ten, Surrender, Goodnight
