The crowd at Saturday's Music Midtown. Photo: Courtesy of Music Midtown

Five days after Music Midtown and Peter Conlon is still exhausted.

Who can blame him, considering the double-size scope of this year’s event?

Overall, he said he thought the festival went “very well. There are a few things – there always are – that you learn from every event. I watched everything and will make changes next year to reflect that, but it seemed people were having a good time. I’m pleased.”

Though Conlon, the president of Live Nation Atlanta, which produced the event, was reluctant to cite specific crowd numbers, he did say that Friday’s show with the Foo Fighters headlining was about the same size as last year’s main day with Coldplay (about 38,000) and that he made the call to halt ticket sales Saturday afternoon before capacity bordered on uncomfortable.

It’s a safe estimate that more than 50,000 people filled Piedmont Park on Saturday by the time headliners Pearl Jam took the stage.

(For …

Continue reading Peter Conlon recaps Music Midtown »

People rockin' in the free world at Music Midtown. All photos: Hyosub Shin/AJC

We can officially stop wondering if Music Midtown is back.

If you have a sold out crowd of more than 50,000 in Piedmont Park then yes, it’s an unqualified success.

Though Peter Conlon, president of Live Nation Atlanta, the promoter that produced the event, could have been doing a shout-from-the-rooftops victory lap at the end of the night, he simply noted that the “better-than-anticipated success” of this year’s event “has re-established Music Midtown as one of the country’s top festivals.”

While Friday’s lineup packed the park with sets from Joan Jett, T.I., The Avett Brothers and Foo Fighters, among others, the mass of humanity that endured Saturday’s sweaty temperatures (first day of fall? Ha!) for 10 hours of music had an even broader spectrum to sample.

Here’s a rundown in case you missed it or want to relive it. And also, let us know below what you thought of this year’s Music …

Continue reading Music Midtown Day 2: A sold-out musical slam dunk »

Ludacris was happy to bring his eight-album catalog to the Atlanta stage.

By 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Music Midtown was sold out.

Tough promoters couldn’t confirm a crowd total, Piedmont Park can accomodate more than 50,000. The evening portion of Saturday’s two-day event offered performances from Atlanta rapper Ludacris, Florence and the Machine, Adam Ant, Neon Trees, Girl Talk and headliners Pearl Jam.

Before his hourlong set, Ludacris expressed excitement that he was part of this year’s Music Midtown, which Friday night packed the park for sets from Joan Jett, The Avett Brothers, T.I., Foo Fighters and others.

“I had heard about the show for years. This is the city that it all started in, so I’m proud to be part of bringing it back,” he said, later adding, “I think it gets bigger and better every time they have it.”

Ludacris, who lives in College Park, wasn’t the only act with local ties on the bill.

Lawrenceville-based O’Brother opened Saturday’s 10-hour event with a half-hour …

Continue reading Talking with Ludacris, O’Brother at Music Midtown »

If you already purchased tickets, feel free to pick them up at will call.

Otherwise, on-site sales have stopped.

Continue reading Music Midtown is sold out »

Welcome to Day 2 of Music Midtown.

If you were here last night to hear the Foo Fighters rattle the stage with their razor-sharp rock, the Avett Brothers alternately lull and soar, Joan Jett demonstrate that she’s still the kick-butt queen of rock ‘n’ roll and all of the other acts that took to the two stages at Piedmont Park – well, then, like me, maybe you’ve got a little bit of a music hangover.

But tiredness be gone! Today we’ve got an all-day slate starting at 1 p.m. with Atlanta’s O’Brother, followed by Civil Twilight, LP, Garbage, Adam Ant, Ludacris, Neon Trees, Florence and the Machine, Girl Talk and, capping the fest, Pearl Jam.

Walkup tix are still available for $65, and, if you’re on site, make sure to download the Music Midtown app.

I’ll try to update you as much as possible throughout the day about what’s happening here at Piedmont Park, but make sure to follow me on Twitter (@ajc_music) for the fastest …

Continue reading Welcome to Day 2 of Music Midtown »

Shiny, happy people. Photo: Robb D. Cohen/www.RobbsPhotos.com

So Las Vegas has the “I Heart Radio Festival” with Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, Usher, Rihanna, No Doubt, Green Day, Mary J. Blige and a ton of other artists taking over the MGM Grand Arena this weekend.

Apparently, if an act isn’t playing out west, they’re in Atlanta, and that’s cool with us, right?

On Friday night, Music Midtown – back for a second year in expanded form after its five-year hiatus – packed Piedmont Park with the lineup of Van Hunt, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, T.I., The Avett Brothers and Foo Fighters.

I am admittedly terrible at gauging crowds in giant open spaces, but I’m going to take a semi-educated guess that the audience eclipsed last year’s main event night with Coldplay (about 38,000).

And this was the “smaller” night.

Today, the musical festivities continue with Atlanta’s O’Brother at 1 p.m., followed by Civil Twilight (1:30 p.m.), LP (2 p.m.), Garbage (2:45 p.m.), Adam Ant (3:45 p.m.), …

Continue reading Music Midtown Day 1: A seamless start »

Hey folks – I’m trying to cover stuff at the moment, so please check back later tonight for more complete reviews of Van Hunt, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, T.I., The Avett Brothers and Foo Fighters.

Continue reading Music Midtown check in »

The Foos have dedicated fans. Photo: Steve Gullick

Half an hour before gates opened Friday at Music Midtown, Heinrike Eckhart and Julia Wolf still stood patiently.

The friends, who work as German au pairs for Atlanta families, were first in the entrance line at Piedmont Park, a spot they staked out at 9:30 a.m.

The object of their commitment?

The Foo Fighters, who were set to close the first night of the two-day music festival.

“We liked Nirvana, but we were in diapers when they were popular,” Wolf, 20, said.

They weren’t sure if they would return for Saturday’s lineup, which includes Atlanta rapper Ludacris, ethereal British art-poppers Florence and the Machine, throwback Adam Ant and veteran rockers Pearl Jam, and had minimal expectations for the rest of Friday’s event, which included sets from Atlanta’s T.I. and The Avett Brothers.

“I hope the other bands will be good,” Wolf said, adding that obviously, she and Eckhart planned to stake out a spot in the front of the …

Continue reading Foo Fighters fans line up early for Music Midtown »

Hello from Piedmont Park. The sun is shining and Van Hunt will be on in about an hour to get this two-day affair rocking.

Make sure to check back here, as I and my editor, Jamila Robinson, will be providing updates tonight and all day tomorrow. Also follow me on Twitter (@ajc_music) for quicker updates.

And, if you haven’t yet checked it out, Music Midtown has an app this year. Download it now – trust me, it’s a good one.

Continue reading Greetings from Music Midtown »

Finally, after months of speculation, anticipation and, uh, coordination, Music Midtown is upon us.

The festivities kick off today at 4:30 with Atlanta’s Van Hunt and will wrap up tomorrow night with Pearl Jam rocking Piedmont Park (for all things Music Midtown, go here).

While live collaborations among the participating acts isn’t a given, it would be unusual if at least a few musicians didn’t hop onstage with each other to create one of those “didja see when…” moments for people to pass around on their smartphones.

Here are a couple of alliances I’d like to see. How about you? Who are you most looking forward to checking out and hoping might play together?

(Also, make sure to check the Atlanta Music Scene blog throughout the weekend for continual updates from the field.)

Hoping for one of these moments Friday night!

Or how about this combo this weekend? (Warning: language)

Continue reading Friday Riffs: Hoping for some Music Midtown collaborations »