Dionne Warwick, Cake, Robin Thicke to headline Artscape
Alt-rockers Cake, R&B diva Dionne Warwick and acclaimed singer/songwriter Robin Thicke will headline this year's Artscape Festival, organizers announced this morning.
The free arts and music festival is scheduled for July 17-19 in the Bolton Hill and Station North Arts and Entertainment District.
Robert Randolph and the Family Band, a funk and soul group fronted by a pedal steel guitar prodigy, will also perform at this year's festival.
The rest of the roster, along with performance times, should be announced later today.
(Getty Images)
I've been The Baltimore Sun's nightlife and local entertainment reporter for a couple years, and it's surprising how much the scene has grown in that time. Most of Baltimore's bars and clubs are unpretentious places with fairly cheap drinks and plenty of character. I like dancing and think this city needs more clubs, but nothing beats having a cold, locally brewed beer with friends in a comfortably full corner bar.
Comments
If it was Alan Thicke, you might have yourself a deal.
Posted by: JTK | June 3, 2009 11:42 AM
You buried the wrong name in the post. Your healdline should be "Robert Randolph and the Family Band will perfrom at artscape"
If you've never seen thier show, you're missing out. Talkin bout a good time!
Dionne Warwick? Robin Thicke? BOORING.
Cake? Yes please.
Posted by: da | June 3, 2009 11:42 AM
Amen to da. Robert Randolph looks like the best thing on that list.
Posted by: ATD | June 3, 2009 12:00 PM
@da - Agreed
Thought Artscape tends to pull some surprisingly good indie artists to the non-headlining slots. Looking forward to who else is playing.
Never seen Cake live before, are they any good?
Posted by: NR | June 3, 2009 12:34 PM
considering the fact that I have paid money to see Cake previously, I'll probably also make a point to see them for free!!!
Posted by: Evan | June 3, 2009 12:40 PM
da, I agree with you -- I think Robert Randolph and the Family Band will put on a great show. I saw them in 2001/2002 in D.C. when their tour bus was bigger than the venue.
As much as I admire Robert Randolph, he isn't nearly as popular or mainstream as Cake, Dionne Warwick or Robin Thicke. That's why he came last in the headliners list.
NR, I've never seen Cake, but I've heard they put on a great show. They usually draw a lot of people when they come to town, too. You'd think they'd be playing big clubs like Rams Head Live, but they actually perform at larger spots like Pier Six.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | June 3, 2009 12:43 PM
Robin Thicke is not boring nor is Dionne Warwick. The Robert Randolph and the Family Band sounds boring.Who wants to listen to funk and steel music, not I. The band sounds like a bunch of noise.
Posted by: Maritza Stancil | June 3, 2009 1:03 PM
I'll go out on a limb and say that booking Robert Randolph might be the smartest thing this city has done in the past year. Good band and it should draw an eclectic crowd rather than splitting up the people the way Dru Hill and Rusted Root did last year.
Posted by: ed | June 3, 2009 1:04 PM
Sam, save the "mainstream" headlines for the paper and the website. Since you write your own blog headlines you should promote the bands that YOU think deserve the attention.
If thats Dionne Warwick, then so be it.
Posted by: da | June 3, 2009 1:05 PM
I'll go out on a limb and say that booking Robert Randolph might be the smartest thing this city has done in the past year. Good band and it should draw an eclectic crowd rather than splitting up the people the way Dru Hill and Rusted Root did last year.
Posted by: ed | June 3, 2009 1:06 PM
No A-listers there, and as a hip hop fan I hope someone from that genre will be performing at Artscape as well.
Posted by: Corey | June 3, 2009 1:06 PM
If Artscape wasn't up against Otakon, I'd be there. I always miss Artscape for one reason or another.
Posted by: Tyler | June 3, 2009 1:19 PM
When did our lady from East Orange, Dionne Warwick escape being classified as anything other than Adult Contemporary? And probably regarded as a BOF (Boring Old Fart) by the ungenerous.
I wonder if her niece, Whitney Houston still is enough of an attraction to be part of this line up?
Posted by: GDA | June 3, 2009 7:45 PM
Artscape is perhaps the best event Baltimore has. Sadly,it's usually so damn hot to really enjoy it. I'll miss it this year because I left crabtown for good. Some really great artists have played Artscape. Rodger Daltrey,Aretha, Ray Charles,and of course Patti Labelle...Have fun!
Posted by: mike flynn | June 4, 2009 5:46 PM
I DISAGREE THAT ROBIN THICKE IS BORING APPARENTLY YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A ROBIN THICKE CONCERT. I SAW ROBIN THICKE PERFORM RECENTLY IN NEW ORLEANS AT THE MUSIC ESSENCE FESTIVAL AND I MUST SAY, I WAS SUPRISED AS TO HOW WELL HE PERFORMED. IT WILL BE A TREAT TO SEE HIM AGAIN.
Posted by: D.LAWSON | July 19, 2009 9:03 AM
@ DL - Might want to let up on that caps lock key.
Posted by: Tomato Head | July 19, 2009 1:53 PM