Celebrate St. Louis with Musical Mediocrity

So the line-up for Live on the Levee Summer 2009 was announced recently, and it's good. Maybe mediocre in the header is a bit harsh, but what can I say, I like alliteration.

No huge names, but overall I'm impressed and excited.

Many might not agree, but I am a really big fan of Counting Crowes. They'll take the stage July 4th.

Some say they never lived up to their potential or dreadlocks, but I disagree. Butterfly in Reverse, Round Here, Color Blind and of course Mr. Jones were great songs, and reamain so today. Sure their set list is fraught with covers that appeared on Shrek Soundtracks and easy listening radio, but hey... you gotta make money these days. I still like them and am proud to say it.

The rest of the list looks good as well:

Lupe Fiasco
Sonic Youth
Guster
Train
Gretchen Wilson
Angie Stone
Nat and Alex Wolff (for the kiddies)
Little Feat

I'll be there for at least 4 of these. 50%; thats a good percentage.

It's always free, fun and perfect on a nice St. Louis evening.

Let me know if I'll be seeing you there.

Hey! Remember the VP Fair!

We were pining for the Fourth of July on a cold February morning the other day, and the conversation turned to the quality of concerts that have performed at the VP Fair (Now Fair St. Louis/Live on the Levy) through out the years. I knew I had seen some greats in my childhood, but I wanted to find out exactly who was there. I found this recap of 81' through 91' here.

Were you there?

1981 – Rained Out – Loreta Lynn

1982- Chuck Berry, Bob Hope, Dionne Warwick, Roy Clark, the Beach Boys, and Elton John

1983 – Harry Belafonte, the Charlie Daniels Band, the Osmond Family and Linda Ronstadt, as well as 100 additional acts running the gamut of musical styles from Dixieland to rock, jazz, blues, and country.

1984 – Chuck Berry and John Denver performed “Roll Over Beethoven” on the river overlook. len Campbell, Helen Reddy, John Denver, Nancy Wilson, Buddy Rich and Tom T. Hall. NBC weatherman Willard Scott also attended.

1985 – Ray Charles, Doc Severinsen with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Liza Minnelli, and Up With People

1986 – Dolly Parton on the main stage Saturday, July 5. Disney characters, charity fund-raising concerts by Ben Vereen and Lola Falana.

1987 – Tony Bennett, Suzanne Somers, Bernadette Peters, Chubby Checker, Natalie Cole, Peter Allen and the Rockettes. [68] Robert Urich and Oprah Winfrey co-hosted the show.

1988 – Patrick Duffy and Joanna Kerns, and featuring Glen Campbell, John Hartford, Kool and the Gang, Leroy Reems, Restless Heart, Judy Tenuta, Michael Winslow and Pia Zadora.

1989 – TBD

1990 – two actors from television’s Sesame Street. Fairchild, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Natalie Cole, Juice Newton, the Temptations and the Four Tops, the Grass Roots, Johnny Rivers and the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

1991 – The 1991 Veiled Prophet Fair was moved to the Labor Day weekend. Mary Wilson (formerly of the Supremes), Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Huey Lewis and the News, Styx, Bill Cosby, Smokey Robinson and Kenny Rogers performing.

1992 – 2008 – TBD