Riverfest Friday: Roam if you want to
607 is doing a short set at Cool Shoes.
For my money, Friday's the big night at Riverfest this year. From kick-off to headliners, I want to be in two to four places at once. Where are the Segways!
I've given capsule previews of all the headliners and short ones on a lot of the local acts in this week's cover package, but here are the conflicts distilled.
6:30 p.m.
Frown Pow'r (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. The Salty Dogs (Bud Light, Clinton Center) vs. Gina Gee (Arkansas Tent, NLR)
The styles couldn't be more different — lo-fi garage-folk, classic honky tonk and smooth R&B. All are super charismatic and worth seeing, but I bet most people, like me, are thinking logistics more than anything at this point. I'm coming into the festival from the River Market, so I'll probably catch Frown Pow'r first.
7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.
American Princes (Triple-S, NLR) vs. the Moving Front (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. Eclipse Glasses (Arkansas Tent, NLR) vs. Brittany Quaranto (Bud Light, Clinton Center)
For a lot of folks, particularly local music fans of a certain age, the choices are getting tougher. The Princes are Little Rock's biggest band on the national scene. The Moving Front's fiery post-punk should sound great on huge speakers, and Eclipse Glasses groove-focused genre-mishmash is bound to have people squeezing into the Arkansas Tent (particularly if it's raining). If you want a decent view of Willie, you gotta catch a little of Brittany Q. I'm planning on starting with the MF and making my way gradually through North Little Rock.
9:30 p.m.
The B-52s (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. Gavin Rossdale (Triple-S, NLR) vs. Willie Nelson (Bud Light, Clinton Center) vs. Cool Shoes (Arkansas Tent)
Unquestionably the hour filled with the most interesting conflicts of the festival. Most, I imagine, won't need any help from me making up their minds. But here's my thinking: Willie's, without a doubt, the big name at the festival. He'll draw heavier than anyone else, and I've seen him enough that I don't want any part of that crowd. Instead, I think I'll start with Gavin Rossdale (I need to hear soft-grunge live) before gradually working back to Little Rock, first stopping by Cool Shoes, hopefully filled with muddy kids getting after it, before, if I time everything right, catching enough of the B-52s to do the Shu-ga-loo, Shy Tuna, Camel Walk and Hip-o-crit.
I've given capsule previews of all the headliners and short ones on a lot of the local acts in this week's cover package, but here are the conflicts distilled.
6:30 p.m.
Frown Pow'r (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. The Salty Dogs (Bud Light, Clinton Center) vs. Gina Gee (Arkansas Tent, NLR)
The styles couldn't be more different — lo-fi garage-folk, classic honky tonk and smooth R&B. All are super charismatic and worth seeing, but I bet most people, like me, are thinking logistics more than anything at this point. I'm coming into the festival from the River Market, so I'll probably catch Frown Pow'r first.
7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.
American Princes (Triple-S, NLR) vs. the Moving Front (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. Eclipse Glasses (Arkansas Tent, NLR) vs. Brittany Quaranto (Bud Light, Clinton Center)
For a lot of folks, particularly local music fans of a certain age, the choices are getting tougher. The Princes are Little Rock's biggest band on the national scene. The Moving Front's fiery post-punk should sound great on huge speakers, and Eclipse Glasses groove-focused genre-mishmash is bound to have people squeezing into the Arkansas Tent (particularly if it's raining). If you want a decent view of Willie, you gotta catch a little of Brittany Q. I'm planning on starting with the MF and making my way gradually through North Little Rock.
9:30 p.m.
The B-52s (Miller Lite Amphitheater) vs. Gavin Rossdale (Triple-S, NLR) vs. Willie Nelson (Bud Light, Clinton Center) vs. Cool Shoes (Arkansas Tent)
Unquestionably the hour filled with the most interesting conflicts of the festival. Most, I imagine, won't need any help from me making up their minds. But here's my thinking: Willie's, without a doubt, the big name at the festival. He'll draw heavier than anyone else, and I've seen him enough that I don't want any part of that crowd. Instead, I think I'll start with Gavin Rossdale (I need to hear soft-grunge live) before gradually working back to Little Rock, first stopping by Cool Shoes, hopefully filled with muddy kids getting after it, before, if I time everything right, catching enough of the B-52s to do the Shu-ga-loo, Shy Tuna, Camel Walk and Hip-o-crit.
