Music Midtown returns for two nights with Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters will headline the first night of Music Midtown.
Last year’s exploratory return has evolved into this year’s full-fledged declaration that Music Midtown is back.
The long-running Atlanta music festival, resurrected in 2011 after a five-year break, will again claim Piedmont Park as its locale this fall with a two-day lineup stocked with star power and diversity.
Veteran rockers Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam will headline Sept. 21 and 22, respectively, while acts including T.I., Florence & The Machine, Ludacris, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Avett Brothers, Girl Talk, Van Hunt, Civil Twilight, LP and Oh Brother will fill in the rest of the slots on two stages erected at the park.
Initially, tickets will cost $55 for one day, $100 for both, with VIP packages ringing in at $250 and $500 and a “Super” VIP option for $1,000 for the weekend. They go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday via Ticketmaster. Prices are expected to increase – likely $65 for a one day pass and $120 for the weekend – during the summer.
“The thing we didn’t have time to do last year was [work on] diversification. This year we have a very diverse lineup,” said Peter Conlon, president of Live Nation Atlanta, in an exclusive interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I also wanted an Atlanta feel because this is an Atlanta festival.”
Ludacris, T.I. and Van Hunt fulfill that niche.
The 2011 version of Music Midtown drew 38,000 people to the park for a one-day concert spearheaded by The Black Keys and Coldplay. Conlon began preparing for this year’s event two weeks later.
Since he announced the festival’s return last year, Conlon has been resolute about his intentions to rebrand Music Midtown slowly.
“We had to be two days [this year]. It’s impossible to do what we need to do in one day – that’s what I learned last year. But we put on last year’s in 90 days, which is pretty hard to do. I’d give us a big A,” he said.
Still, don’t expect the days of Music Midtown past — multiple stages and dozens of acts – to ever be restored.
“I’d like to grow a little more, maybe three or four stages, but we’ll never get up to six stages again,” Conlon said. “It got unmanageable. We were programming stages for the fact of programming them.”
Music Midtown 2011 cost more than $4 million to produce and Conlon projects this year’s will run in the $6 million range.
The promoter was so happy with the setup at Piedmont Park last year – and said he received positive reinforcement from the city and neighborhood about the smooth running of the event – that another site was never considered.
Pearl Jam's Music Midtown performance on Sept. 22 is expected to be their only public live concert in 2012. Photo credit: Danny Clinch
“Piedmont is the only place that can do an event like that,” Conlon said, citing the amount of green space, as well as proximity to mass transit and name recognition.
As for this year’s headliners, this will be the Foo Fighters’ second Music Midtown appearance – they last played in 2004 – and is expected to be Pearl Jam’s only public U.S. concert this year.
Conlon said it was almost effortless to corral acts this year, based on the good word of mouth among music agents who attended last year’s gig.
“They were telling everybody, ‘This is cool,’ and at that point, you don’t have to sell yourself. You just have to have the availability and the money,” Conlon said. “We had to build our base back, show people what we do. I had to make it better. And I think we’ve got the best lineup in the country.”
What you need to know about Music Midtown
When: 4 p.m. (gates) Sept. 21 for Foo Fighters, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, T.I., Avett Brothers and Van Hunt.
Noon (gates) Sept. 22 for Pearl Jam, Ludacris and Florence & The Machine. Girl Talk, Civil Twilight, LP and Oh Brother.
Where: The Meadow at Piedmont Park, 10th St. and Charles Allen Drive, Atlanta.
Tickets: $55 (one day) and $100 (weekend pass); $250 (VIP one day) and $500 (VIP weekend); $1,000 (super VIP weekend pass). On sale at 10 a.m. April 28. 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
Follow me on Twitter @ajclifestyle
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94 comments Add your comment
Just for clarification
April 24th, 2012
10:11 pm
@ Shoulda Stayed in the River City- That link shows “Brad” and “Flight to Mars” playing U.S. shows, and Pearl Jam only playing two shows in the U.K.
Steaming Pile
April 24th, 2012
10:11 pm
is the VIP worth it? How close are you to the stage?
N
April 24th, 2012
10:14 pm
They want two days so they can sell 2 days worth of tickets. Funn how other concerts like this with more bands are done in one day.
Pearl Jam, Van Hunt, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts & Others play Atlanta this fall « MortarNBrique
April 24th, 2012
10:16 pm
[...] Check out more from AJC.com Share this:ShareTwitterFacebookEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]
Nope
April 24th, 2012
10:17 pm
@ Steaming Pile- No @ N- So true! This whole thing is a sham. Boycott!
bloggirl
April 24th, 2012
10:34 pm
how did a blog about a good city concert in up with a racist overtone? people stay home and shut the hell up!
Comment Here
April 24th, 2012
10:35 pm
Im diggin this chit.
Kris Jones
April 24th, 2012
10:36 pm
THE ATLANTA DOGWOOD FESTIVAL IS A “FESTIVAL” MUSIC MIDTOWN IS A SCAM RAN BY THE MAYOR AND HIS CRONIES!!!!!! DON’T BUY TICKETS TO THIS TRASH!!!!
ATL Doggie
April 24th, 2012
10:39 pm
To all patrons and would-be music lovers, your concerns about violence because of the rap acts are valid and justified……i suggest you all just skip this event because as you may or may not know, T.I. will most certainly bring his acclaimed “Bullets In Yo Ass, Whitey” crew and Ludacris never performs without his “Chase Dem White Hoes” posse……these crews are buck wild and unpredictable so I definitely understand y’all stayin home for this one…….if you want, I can tweet y’all some feedback just so you can how the fest is goin…….I actually have a Freaknik VIP pass so I’ll be there with my BP vest and stunner shades on, blastin fools and clockin bitches……..fun times, for sure……go braves!
MattMD
April 24th, 2012
11:00 pm
Ludacris has always been straight-laced unless you are some Bill O’Reilly fanboy.
T.I. on the other hand…
SLiver
April 24th, 2012
11:03 pm
Hahahah. That Micheal guy said PJ and the Foos were only ok at best in the 90s? Bring out God smack and Hell Yeh?? Dude you gotta lay off the pipe if you think God smack and Hell Yeh even remotely compare talent wise to PJ and the Foos. Thanks for the laugh though.
Also @Not Fooling Me!, dude go troll somewhere else. your taste in music is obviously bad so give your opinion somewhere else where it may be wanted.
jazamm
April 25th, 2012
12:43 am
Pearl Jam will be playing the Deluna Fest in Pensacola Beach…Last I checked Pensacola is in the United States.
http://www.pearljam.com/news/pearl-jam-perform-deluna-fest-2012
Jason
April 25th, 2012
12:44 am
Not super excited about the line up but maybe that’s because I’ve already seen some of the bands in concert before. At least the name is geographically honest. Music Midtown was in Downtown more years than it was actually in Midtown.
As far as the problems with Screen on the Green go, I think that was a failure of the PPC to have more than token crowd management. When it moved to Centennial Olympic Park there were no problems but that park was designed with crowd management in mind and they have lots of experience doing it. Hopefully PPC has learned from past mistakes and Conlon will use his experience to make sure that security and crowd management is done right. I think the most dangerous thing I ever encountered at Music Midtown at the Civic Center/Central Park location was Courtney Love. Now that truly was frightening.
daemonova
April 25th, 2012
12:57 am
im a black guy and im only buying a ticket for Florence and the Machine. That second album is legendary.
Snogbert
April 25th, 2012
4:24 am
Too bad Alex Cooley is not still involved, think he was the heart behind the original fest. Back then there was diversity not just in the music but also in age of the performers as well as scale (i.e. smaller stages mixed in with the big ones for local acts, etc.)
Melissa Ruggieri
April 25th, 2012
5:15 am
Regarding the Pearl-Jam-in-the-U.S. sentence: Peter Conlon was under the impression from the band’s management that this would be their only public U.S. date, which is what he told me and what I reported. Neither he nor I is clairvoyant, so there is a chance the band’s plans could change…hence the term “is expected to be…”
Up the E Street
April 25th, 2012
5:48 am
How about Adele or Guns n Roses with a pissed off Axl?
NOTHING LIKE ATL...
April 25th, 2012
7:00 am
TO SHOW RACISM IN A CONCERT TRYING TO SHOW DIVERSITY. OH, THE SOUTHERN CHARM!!!!
I NOT MAD @ IGNORANCE I WELCOME IT!!
April 25th, 2012
7:39 am
Yes everything that all of you commented about should be read no matter how stuuupppiiid it may sound but that’s your opinion and you know what they say opinion are like(@$$hole’s everyone got 1) imagine that. Grow Up!!!! Now the problem I have is that the concert promoters don’t have enough good local Georgia groups and trust me none of you can tell me anthing different I’ve been there done that many of times!!!!!! I KNOW A GROUP FROM COLUMBUS GEORGIA CALLED (MINDBLENDER) THAT WOULD BLOW YOU AWAY AND GIVE YOU SUCH A DIVERSESITY OF MUSIC YOUR HEADS WOULD SPIN WITH AMAZEMENT!!!! I KNOW YOU WOULD SAY WHERE HAVE THEY BEEN!!! The problem with them is they play for the people not some low budget concert promoters!!! I think we need to go outside the Atlanta area sometimes for local talent and give a chance. Listen I Love Diviserty, I Hate Racism, Communism and dumb, crazy stupid people don’t care what color you r and color comes in many forms, so let’s start talking positive and leave the negative in the trash like some of the people wrote stay home!!!!! Price is too toooo much!!!
Jessie
April 25th, 2012
8:09 am
The only bands I really would pay to see are Florance and the Machine, Foo Fighters, and Pearl Jam other than that I dislike the line up. So, I don’t think I’m going to attend on top of the outrageous ticket price, I think I’ll just save my money for something better.
Terry L Smith
April 25th, 2012
8:20 am
Conlon mentions access to pubilc transporation, ie Marta. Hah!!! what a laugh. The streets of Midtown neighborhoods will be clogged with the cars of those attending the festival. Just like with every other event held in Piedmont Park. So I suppose anyone living in the area best begin making plans to go away that weekend.
trey
April 25th, 2012
8:46 am
pearl jam finally back in ATL… first time since 2003
neka
April 25th, 2012
9:49 am
can u hear yourselves?!! No wonder nobody wants to come to the south anymore, you sound like a bunch of backward yokels!!! Rap music entertains violence, come on we are talking about LudaCris, who is the rap worlds next Will Smith, he makes party anthems and dance music, not Gangsta rap…Some could say that Rock Music entertains a certain group of people (you know who you are) getting hyped, high, and sweaty getting angry to a guitar line. Go to midtown, learn and enjoy the music.
MIGUEL
April 25th, 2012
9:57 am
I GUESS THOSE ROCK BANDS WILL BE JUMPING IN THE CROWS THOWING THINGS IN THE CROWD AND ALL THAT OTHER STEREOTYPICAL CRAP RIGHT
PrlJamFrk
April 25th, 2012
10:32 am
As a 15 year member of Pearl Jam’s fan club, I can assure you all that at this time it is their only US tour date. Eddie is doing a solo ukelele tour which was recently postponed and the band has a 6 wk tour in Europe this summer. Yes, they and the Foos are from the 90s but they have put out more albums each than anyone commenting on this article. 10+ for PJ, 8 for FF. In 21 and 17 years respectively. Yep, I’m a product of the 90s and their music has grown and changed as have most of their life long fans. It is a dream come true to see them both in a weekend (I’ve seen PJ 16 times) and I will buy the VIP package and fly from Michigan because I am a nurse. I am so excited I’m kinda sick to my stomach-can’t wait til 10am saturday!!!!
Metal Dude
April 25th, 2012
12:56 pm
Where is Slayer,Judas Priest,and The Stooges?
Concert Lover
April 25th, 2012
2:51 pm
@C… I’d be surprised at how little $$ the promoters make? So surprise me! Give me the stats! And let me know how the PPC and City made out as well. And if you have any historical data on it, including the Green Concerts, I’m all ears!
JR
April 25th, 2012
4:11 pm
this line up sucks.. It is either you listen to 99x or 107.9. Okay the only older than 40 crowd can see Joan Jett. I guess I was spoiled in the past years with Tom Petty, Def Leppard, Joe Walsh, Rat Dog, Lou Reed. HEY PETER WHAT ABOUT THE 40 AND OLDER CROWD?
Shoulda Stayed in the River City
April 25th, 2012
4:31 pm
@PRLJAMFRK, as a 15 year memeber of the Ten Club, you should have got an e-mail on 4.17 about Pearl Jam playing the DeLuna Fest in Pensacola Beach, just like I did. I can assure you that.
trey
April 25th, 2012
4:51 pm
@Shoulda Stayed in the River City – looks like deluna fest has same dates as music midtown. dont think pearl jam is actually playing there
go-BRAVOS
April 25th, 2012
6:16 pm
THANK YOU PEARL JAM..The greatest band in the world has finally come back to the ATL. WOW this is amazing cannot wait to see the guys again. It has been too long, Philly 05.
Shoulda Stayed in the River City
April 25th, 2012
8:11 pm
Seriously folks, http://lineup.delunafest.com/. Pearl Jam is playing, and yes it’s the same weekend. But Deluna’s schedule is not set yet, most likely Pearl Jam will close out the festival on Sunday just as they are doing at Music Midtown on Saturday.
Shoulda Stayed in the River City
April 25th, 2012
8:12 pm
On top of that, the lineup between the two festivals looks really similar, hmmmm. But how can they play both??????
Morning Reads for Thursday, April 26th — Peach Pundit
April 26th, 2012
5:21 am
[...] in Georgia… – In case you missed it, the lineup for Music Midtown has been released. The only band I’d like to see is the Foo Fighters. – Home prices in Metro Atlanta are at a [...]
Music Midtown 2012: Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Ludacris, Girl Talk - Music Festival Junkies
April 26th, 2012
8:00 am
[...] a second day for 2012 makes one wonder, but Peter Conlon, the Live Nation head honcho, said in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “I’d like to grow a little more, maybe three or four stages, but we’ll never get up to six [...]
Morning Reads for Thursday, April 26th
April 26th, 2012
9:26 am
[...] in Georgia… – In case you missed it, the lineup for Music Midtown has been released. The only band I’d like to see is the Foo Fighters. – Home prices in Metro Atlanta are at a [...]
Thomas
April 26th, 2012
3:06 pm
Oh how I love Midtown!
http://thestrandnyc.com/midtown-walking-tour/index.cfm
Digg Child
April 27th, 2012
1:39 am
Kudos to Conlon on setting this up. Nice work!
cheech
April 27th, 2012
10:49 am
This is great to see Peter Conlan/Live Nation take the lead in bringing back great summer musical events, as he has done as far back as the 70’s…………awesome!……cheech
Shay
April 27th, 2012
11:42 am
100 bucks for a weekend pass that includes the Foo Fighters (amazing live), Florence (also amazing) and Pearl Jam (never seen, always wanted too) is actually a great deal. I saw both Ff and Florence last year, paid over 100 and the shows were amazing.
For the record Ludacris is a very fun performer. Sad people can’t get past the race issue. Still.
:: Joan Jett International Fan Club :: » » Joan Jett & the blackhearts and Foo Fighters at Atlanta Piedmont Park Music Midtown 2012
April 29th, 2012
12:14 am
[...] COMPLETE INFORMATION HERE [...]
Praveen
April 29th, 2012
3:18 am
I am sick and tired of the racist cowards hiding behind internet aliases trash talking rappers or anything black. Luda is good.
THis lineup is decent, but nowhere close to the Music Midtown we were used to. What’s missing are those non grungy mainstream-alternative retro acts that would add some fun to the proceedings. Both PJ and Foo Fighters are good, but both have a grungy sound that can get tiring after a while though I like Pearl Jam.
I hope the idiots who used to complain about Music Midtown in the early to mid 2000s realize how good things actually were back then. People were complaining about 70 dollar prices for 3 days of acts that are three to four times the number of acts we see for this edition which is more than 50% expensive. I wouldnt mind paying 110-120 if they had somwhere close to the variety and number of bands they had back then. I don’t know why they don’t bring in some retro filler bands like 60s and70s oldies acts to fill the gaps between the more recent bands. They dont cost as much to book , but will double the amount of quality music available. Also there doesnt seem to be any niche for the Devo-Pixies type fan music. Maybe Chromeo or Shins or Vampire Weekend.
Carlaruth
April 29th, 2012
8:58 am
Here’s how the bands play both shows. They play a show one night, get on a bus or plane and then go to the next town and play another show. It’s called “TOURING”. Foo Fighters headline Music Midtown on Friday, then they’ll go to DeLuna Fest. Pearl Jam will headline DeLuna Friday or Sunday and close Music Midtown on Saturday. Bands do this all the time during festival time. I saw Foo Fighters 4 nights in a row in four different towns during festival season a few years ago. (You can flame me all you want for that, I really don’t give a rat’s rear end what y’all think about my taste in music.)
By the way, Dave Grohl’s DUI was mentioned earlier. He was driving a MOPED from the Big Day Out Gold Coast showgrounds to his hotel in Brisbane, Australia back in 2000. It was mentioned on MTv News and Dave’s made fun of himself about it ever since. So I don’t see how that’s “Sweeping it under the rug”.
If y’all don’t want to go to Music Midtown, then don’t go. If you think you can put together a better music festival on your own, then go right ahead. I love live music and will be more than happy to buy a ticket.
aligirl
May 1st, 2012
12:26 pm
I love the line up! It is going to be insane! This is Atlanta, folks! We have all races- learn to appreciate!!!! I love Foo and Pearl- the reasons I am going!!!! So, if you can’t hang with the Seattle Grunge- then stay yo asses at home!