On a Cold May Day, Parkfest Action is Hot

By DAVID MALACHOWSKI, Special to the Times Union First published: Monday, May 2, 2005

ALTAMONT -- Brief rays of sun rewarded the wet and cold crowd as a dozen diverse bands blasted away outdoors for Parkfest at the fairgrounds Sunday. A storm rolled through minutes before rap artist Ludacris jumped onstage, with wind and rain blowing around the stage canopy and even on some sound equipment. But with Ludacris shouting "Through rain, sleet or snow ..." the skies cleared.The Atlanta-based rapper was a welcome departure in the guitar band-based day. He dropped in by helicopter and hit hard with his latest, "Number One Spot," as the crowd went crazy. What followed was a fast-paced show as the fans soaked up Ludacris' charisma and energy. Most of the songs had lyrics and titles not quite suitable for this paper, but it pushed the party atmosphere higher.

With bright-yellow hair tied up in a bun, reggae/dancehall artist Elephant Man got the crowd fired up and then some with his rapid-fire raps like "Jook Gal." Hard rockers Hoobastank -- led by the wiry, green-capped Doug Robb -- plowed through a satisfying set that included mega-ballad "The Reason," a huge crowd-pleaser.

All Simple Plan had to do was step out of the dressing room to get the crowd up front screaming. When they actually took the stage, it was pandemonium. Like their new release, "Still Not Getting Any ...," the set started off with the fast and furious romp of "Shut Up!," which set the tone. The band and the crowd were leaping during "Jump" and "I'd Do Anything," and they triumphantly closed with the half-acoustic, half-electric "Perfect." After shouting out "I love New York, baby!" they were gone.

The locals had moments to make us proud: SUNY student Ben Tyler offered a superb set of his moody tunes; Ten Year Vamp -- with the captivating Debbie Gabrione -- tore the place down with a high-energy set that included a wild ride through "Devil Went Down to Georgia." In a debut band performance, Tom Templeton served up sweet, well-crafted songs.

David Malachowski, a local free-lance writer, is a frequent contributor to the Times Union.

PARKFEST
Where: Altamont Fairgrounds
When: Noon Sunday

Troy's Earth Day Music Acts Announced

(TROY, NY) April 16, 2005 - Six regional musical acts will take the stage in Troy's Riverfront Park during the eighth annual Earth Day celebration sponsored by Rensselaer County and the City on May 1.

The acts cover a range of musical styles from rock to blues to country. The acts will share the stage with a number of speakers from environmental organizations and local elected officials as part of the largest Earth Day celebration in the area. The celebration runs from noon - 6pm and also features a number of vendors, community organizations and advocacy groups.

The schedule of musical acts is as follows: Idette and The Sunrunners, Mojo Lightning, The Back 40 Band, The Groove Syndicate, Jackinany and Headbump. The Earth Day celebration follows a day of clean-up efforts throughout the city and the county. Community organizations, schools and residents will help clean up parks, open spaces, roadsides, cementeries and other areas throughout April 30 and the celebration was conceived as a way of thanking volunteers.

Parkfest Lineup Features a Number of Local Acts

Ten Year Vamp is one of several local acts scheduled to appear at Parkfest 2005

Parkfest 2005 is shaping up to be one of the biggest local concert events ot the year with Ludacris, Simple Plan, Hoobastank and Elepant Man all scheduled to appear. Along with the national acts, more than ten local bands will perform during the day long 'MegaFest". In addition to local favorites The Burners UK, the local lineup includes Ben Tyler, 7 Stories Falling, Candid, Bishop, Tom Templeton, Goin NoWhere, Ten Year Vamp, Rich Ortiz and The Sofakingz. Parkfest is presented by the UAlbany Student Association and Fly 92.3. The concert will be held at the Altamont Fairgrounds on Sunday, May 1st. Gates open at 11am. Tickets for Parkfest 2005 are on sale now, and are available through all Ticketmaster outlets.

The Captain JP Sets Sail For a Benefit Cruise With The Burners U.K. and Huge Johnson On Board

The Captain JP will host a special cruise on Sat. April 30th to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Benefit organizers, Jenn Sheeran and her sister Maureen have seen first hand the toll cancer can have on a family and organized the fundraiser in honor of their mother, who was diagnosed with cancer several years ago.

Jenn tells us "Watching someone we love battle a disease like cancer left us feeling helpless. We are raising funds for and in awareness of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and its mission of enhancing the quality of life for those living with, through, and beyond cancer."

We hope you'll join us on April 30th aboard the Capt JP. The Burners and Huge Johnson & The Immorals will be on deck to provide entertainment all evening for this great cause. Contact the Captain JP at (518) 270-1901 for ticket information. Click here to learn more.