Sweetwater Festival 2008
This year, the Sweetwater Festival is trying to establish a multitude of music genres so everyone can find something they can enjoy. Sponsoring the Music MainStage performances this year is the Bellamy Student Apartments, Miller Lite and Georgia Music Magazine.
The group headlining the concert will be Robert Randolph & The Family Band, a Grammy-nominated music group. Their newest album, Colorblind features performances by Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and LeRoi Moore. This and their previous albums, Live at the Wetlands, and Unclassified, all showcase their unique music style. It was this style that got Jimmy Holder, this year’s Sweetwater Festival Music MainStage chairperson, to consider them to be the headliner.
“Robert Randolph, with his mix of gospel and get off your ass and dance, is sure to entertain,” Holder said. “Not to mention he is the master of the pedal steel guitar and ranked in the top 100 by Rolling Stone. His show will be a must see.” The other band members are Danyel Morgan, bass and vocalist, Marcus Randolph on drums, and Jason Crosby on the Hammond organ and piano. One of the purposes of the album Colorblind is to take the band from being a good live band to being a good recorded one as well. In making this album, Randolph was inspired by famous artists such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Wonder. The band is currently on tour and is still set to perform in Boston, Mass. and Baton Rouge, La. before it plays at 9:45 p.m. in Milledgeville.
Bomb Chewey, set to play at 8 p.m., is a group that originated in Milledgeville. The current band members are Jon Joiner, Cordell Stalker, Kyle Christmas, Brad Weaver, Andy Pollett, Laura Dees, and Terry Bragg. The drummer, Jon Joiner, is also involved in the majority of the organization and management of the band.
“We pretty much play music that people like to dance to, it’s energizing,” Joiner said. “We’re a young, rather new band and we’re honored to be a part of Sweetwater this year.”
The band is already getting their name out. Their first gig was February 2007 and since then their popularity has grown. They are influenced by many bands and genres through the individuality of their band members.
“The great thing about Bomb Chewey is that we all have musical backgrounds, if you total the number of bands all of us have played in, it’s like 35-40,” Joiner said. “With this many different genres and so many influences coming into the band we are willing to try almost anything.”
Bomb Chewey is hoping to be a crowd pleaser at Sweetwater with their local ties and refreshing style.
“Anyone who attended our first year knows we have come a long way- I mean a long, long way. Our first year of music was on two flatbed trailers, at separate heights, and we didn’t have any lights,” Holder said. “I wanted to make a nod to our roots and fill the stage will Milledgeville music.”
At 5:45 p.m. the Blackout Farmers are scheduled to appear at Sweetwater. The first band of the night is also a band with roots in Milledgeville.
The Blackout Farmers band members consist of Bob Yeti, Andrew Cooper, Don Lord and Jason Martin. Influenced by musicians like Neil Young and The Band, the genre the group plays is rock ‘n’ roll and Southern Americana.
“This year we have bluegrass with Oconee River Boys, Oldies with 120/80 Vocal Band, Country Alt/Classic Rock with Blackout Farmers, and High Energy Disco Funk Party Machines with Bomb Chewey.” Holder said.
With these three bands, the goal this year was certainly to attract bands that play a large variety of music genres. Sophomore Joseph Hoyt attended Sweetwater last year and thinks the variety of bands that were chosen this year will be excellent.
“One of the great things about Sweetwater is that you can enjoy it with your friends,” Hoyt said. “I enjoy a lot of music and I feel like Sweetwater is giving such a variety this year that there will be something for everyone.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 17 2008. Filed under Features.
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