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By J. MATTHEW COBB
ON THIS PAST FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND, the energy level was definitely high as thousands flocked their way into the gates of Birmingham’s world-class music festival City Stages. With extra help from AC Entertainment, co-producers of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, City Stages organizers aimed to bringing in fresh energy and necessary hype to compete with the growing world of music festivals. And with super head-liners across a line of music genres including the Flaming Lips, Diana Ross, the Roots, Sean Kingston, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Shooter Jennings, Anthony Hamilton, Israel & New Breed, the Wailers, Al Green and Ledisi on board, City Stages made a serious leap into history with one of their hottest line-ups in its entire twenty year history. While the support of Bonnaroo organizers helped in bringing even bigger acts to the Birmingham festival, thousands across the region also emerged on the 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee for the Bonnaroo festival - featuring super bands and acts including Metallica, Pearl Jam, B.B. King, Kanye West, Chris Rock, Willie Nelson and Robert Randolph’s Revival. Neighboring city Gadsden also held their Riverfest this past weekend featuring Clint Black, Billy Ocean, Sister Hazel and the Last Goodnight. But 2008's version of City Stages rose beyond critics’ expectations - even reinventing itself from its quieter beginnings of booking smaller, 50's-60s oldie-goldie groups. This group’s fascinating pick featured a rousing selection of legends including the original Dreamgirl and Motown diva; Miss Diana Ross. Ironically, many translated Ross’ performance at the festival as a bittersweet homecoming of her early roots in the neighboring community of Bessemer - located about 18 miles outside of Birmingham. Ross’ father moved his children to Alabama to live with relatives for a brief period of time when she was seven years old while his wife recovered from a battle with tuberculosis. Super-groups including the Wailers (Bob Marley’s former band), psychedelic-rock band Flaming Lips, R&B/funk sensations Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and the eclectic hip-hop sounds of the Roots and Galactic also brought in a super-charged party crowd across the region and ended any doubts of a low turnout. Regardless of whether we made money, I think there's a vibe and an electricity out here that's been missing for some time," McCullough said. By booking the Lips and Ben Harper, acts that have played Bonnaroo, City Stages drew new fans from across the country, he said. "It's been an amazingly well-behaved crowd." With beautiful weather and one of the hottest line-ups in its festival’s history, City Stages blossoms with great intentions of becoming one of the most anticipated music gatherings in the Southeast. The Chicago Sun-Times recently called City Stages “the best music festival you’ve never heard of.” After hearing the forecast and rewarding components of this year’s events, City Stages probably won’t have to wait too long until it becomes a household name.
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