The Rebirth Of The Music Midtown Festival In Atlanta
05:01 PM Tuesday 9/27/11
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Contributing photographer John Davisson files this report after spending Saturday soaking up the vibes at the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Ga.
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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For 12 years (1994-2005) Music Midtown was the major festival in Atlanta. I attended several times and it was always an amazing three-day event with at least a half dozen stages. One thing I liked about it was the different music genres showcased by local radio stations; there were stages for urban, classic rock, roots music, and local bands, in addition to 2 stages for headliners.
So when I heard that Music Midtown was returning this year, I had to go. Make no mistake; this was not the same old Music Midtown. The old one died due to changing times and this is a rebirth, an adaptation to the environment. It is like starting from scratch, except there is a brand-name recognition.
Prior versions took up plenty of space in downtown Atlanta, where streets were closed down to make room for the massive event. Music Midtown v2.0 is on a single meadow in the green Piedmont Park in downtown Atlanta. There is less room for staging, which in may hamper future growth (although there is nothing that says the festival cannot change locations, as it already has several times).
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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The meadow will hold more than 50,000 people comfortably and has hosted big concerts before. The huge meadow slopes upward at the back, where there is also shade under some trees. Between photographing acts, I liked lounging on the slope and listening to the bands. I could see both stages from the slope, although the stages were so far away I mostly listened, and the performances were staggered so I could see every set. The shade was nice, although the weather was perfect for the concert, with temperatures going into the 80’s during the cloudless day.
The line-up was tilted heavily towards newer acts. The first band I caught was Walk the Moon, an indie-pop band from Cincinnati. They had some die-hard fans in the meadow who had face-paint to emulate the band. The Joy Formidable played some nice British pop-punk that was nice. Then Atlanta’s own Band of Skulls drew an enthusiastic response from the locals, followed By Manchester Orchestra, another Atlanta band, on the main stage.
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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Young the Giant played next, and they were definitely a standout at the festival. The San Diego quintet, best known for the hit “My Body,” has plenty of good songs. The guitars are in rhythmic funky attack mode, while the songs still have melodies that grab the ears and don’t let go. I’ve seen them several times now and the music digs deeper into me each time as the melodies become familiar friends.
The Black Keys then played the main stage for an all-out blues-rock set before a growing crowd that was starting to fill the meadow. They had a nice looking stage with a spirit-catcher behind the band and a giant tire on one side (the band is from Akron). But it was mainly Dan and Carney making some joyous noise together (sometimes accompanied by organ and bass). They also covered The Kinks’ “Act Nice and Gentle,” which seemed rather obscure, but covering The Kinks is always a good thing.
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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Cage the Elephant closed down the second stage with their usual cacophonous, rowdy performance. Not surprisingly, singer Matthew Schultz seemed drawn to the audience, jumping into the crowd several times. He spent the rest of his time running around the stage and flailing about while singing. They attracted a large crowd despite the impending arrival of Coldplay on the other side.
Music Midtown 2011 was definitely about Coldplay, with many people strolling into the park shortly before their set and filling the meadow. They played an 80-minute set that culminated in fireworks over the meadow during their latest anthem “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” During “Lost,” Coldplay unleashed a shower of colorful balls on the audience, which bounced around over the crowd throughout the entire song.
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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Their huge light show and the giant video behind them were impressive, but it was their music that was the draw. They played plenty of their hits for the fans, and Chris Martin stated (onstage) that they “very publicly love playing in Atlanta.” They also showed their Georgia love by covering R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” as a tribute to the Athens legends who are breaking up.
Music Midtown Festival, Piedmont Park, Atlanta, Ga.
September 24, 2011
(John Davisson)
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My day at Music Midtown was great; a bit relaxing and not too stressful compared to some mega-festivals (as it used to be). It was great to be able to see every set in its entirety rather than choosing which bands to see. Next year Music Midtown will probably be two days, maybe three. Welcome back Music Midtown!
--John Davisson