Jack Johnson Music Midtown: Headliners Abound Call 584-3402

Page 18 Arts & Entertainment May 9, 2002 Blues music: Jack Johnson Music Midtown: headliners abound Samiha Khanna Samiha Khanna Johnson started singing two years ago when he wrote some of A&E Editor A&E Editor the songs featured on his 2001 debut “Brushfire Fairytales.” The Diehard music fans who weren’t It’s 54 degrees and rainy. He artist fuses a funk/reggae vocal around for Woodstock, or even wears flip-flops and they show style (think Sublime’s Brad Woodstock 2, had another chance oIThis tan feet. He speaks softly, Noweii) with sweet lyrics (think to get in a mud fight and sway glee but he’s a monster in the water ■Dave Matthews) and has a voice fully for three days of rock and roll. and an godsend on guitar. similar to one of his collaborators This time it was a little farther south Hawaiian native Jack Johnson Ben Harper. He also wrote one of than New York—in midtown At started surfing professionally at G-Love and Special Sauce’s lanta to be exact—where about 120 14, when most teenagers were catchiest tracks, “Rodeo Clowns.” bands from every genre entertained hanging out at the mall. While he Johnson also worked with the more than 300,000 people at the never flinched in the face of com Neville Brothers and DJ Logic Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic petition, he suffered a significant while playing at Jazz Fest in New Center May 3-5. ' injury at 17 that took him out of Orleans, La., last month. Fans gathered for the ninth year the water. Johnson says he wants to work of Music Midtown, a festival with At the same time, he started with Taj Mahal, a rnusician he too many headliners to count. Some Samiha Khanna/Photographer playing guitar on his front porch knows from the 2002 Blues and of the biggest acts booked were Kid Adam Duritz and David Immergluck of Counting Crows jam at in Oahu. Roots Festival in Byron Bay, Aus Rock, Bonnie Raitt, Bela Fleck and Music Midtown. About 120 bands performed over three days. Johnson’s high-school punk tralia, the Flecktones, Mystikal, Bo band, Limber Chicken, covered Some of Johnson’s most Diddley, Ja Rule and No Doubt. stage, one of the seven old school legends such as heartwrenching songs are Music Midtown had something total stages, was hard to Fugazi, Minor Threat and Bad “Bubble Toes” and “F-Stop for every generation. For ’70s ba beat. Religion, Blues ” He leans more toward the bies, Jethro Tull and War made ap Solo artist Pete Yom He took his guitar to college reggae influence on “Middle pearances. For the ’80s kids, there kicked off the attractive while studying film at the Uni M an” ” was the hair-apparent—Journey, schedule with songs versity of California at Santa Bar Johnson’s artistic talent contin David Lee Roth and femme-rocker from his Epic debut, bara where he Joined a band, ues to the big screen^ as he was Joan Jett. One of world music’s big “Musicforthe- “I was just a rhythm guitar cinematographer for the ac gest stars, Zimbabwe’s Oliver momingafter.” His gut player,” Johnson said. “I’d hide claimed film “Thicker Than Wa Mtukudzi, performed, along with tural vocals and origi off on the side. I wasn’t singing ter,” starring famous surf masters r the unmistakably Cajun Rosie nal musical style kept yet.”; Kelly Slater and Shane Dorian, Samiha Khanna/Photographer Ledet. the crowd in awe. Still, He says he is Solo artist Pete Yorn performed a moving Incubus inaugurated the festival, Yom offered to take off eager to start set before Counting Crows took the stage. his vintage “Mr. Bill making films playing popular singles, as well as older tracks such as the hardcore Show” T-shirt to evoke more cheer- love, show us some love...” For the again, “Certain Shade of Green.” Lead mg. sake of entertainment, Rossdale “I ’m kind of singer Brandon Boyd gave the per Counting Crows followed on the tried silly dance moves and cited just rolling with 99x stage, arriving to the deafen “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg in the tmusicj. as much formance an intense rock energy ing cheers of a rain-soaked crowd. middle of “Machinehead.” as I can," Johnson with his emphatic vocal style. Saturday’s lineup on the 99x The band appropriately played Stone Temple Pilots finished the said, “Fm not go “Rain King,” broken apart evening and presented a cohesive ing to fight it with a sing-along to “Oh performance. To open, vocalist when it starts to Susanna.” The set list fea Scott Weiland summoned the liv go downhill, tured tracks from their fourth ing spirit of Syd Barret with a cover which is inevi album, “Hard Candy,” of Pink Floyd’s “Shine on You table, Eventually Samiha Khanna/Hiotographer which will be released in Crazy Diamond.” The rail-thin things fade. Jack Johnson performs at Music Midtown. June. singer made circles around the stage At one point, front man while the band revisited its ar Adam Duritz stopped his chives, playing four songs from dramatic act when members 1992’s “Core.” One Bedroom Aparl'ment of the audience began to Other acts, whose appearances fight. Things settled down will do wonders for their blossom 10 Minuses From Campus! and the San Francisco-based ing careers, were hard-rockers band finished off with Puddle of Mudd, Adema and “Hanginaround.” Hoobastank. Remy Zero and Dishwasher, Range, Refrigerator, Deck. Water/Sewer Flickerstick sated the appetites of Samiha Khanna/Photographer Bush’s formerly solemn Included. Lawn Maintenance included. singer Gavin Rossdale took the non-thrash-seeking rock lovers. Stone Temple Pilots’ singer Scott $365 per month. a more interactive role and Atlanta local Michelle Malone, who Weiland wore his trademark fedora encouraged the crowd (in his has independently released eight during the band’s cover of Pink Floyd’s British accent): “show us albums, was also an inspiring tal “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.” Call 584-3402 some love, show us some ent worth watching..

Load more