Huge Artscape thrives without superstars
Jul 21, 2005


Columnist

Rashod D. Ollison
Music Notes column

By Rashod D. Ollison
Sun Pop Music Critic
Originally published July 22, 2005
Artscape always feels like a family reunion.

You spot folks you haven't seen since ... who knows when? Children run free, chasing one another, bumping into adults. Organizers try to have a little something for everybody. There's so much food: barbecue, hamburgers, gyros, kettle popcorn. Sugary confections abound.

Entertainment also is usually family-friendly and diverse. There is generally a fine mix of music at Artscape - a burgeoning alternative rock band shares the stage with a soul great; a traditional jazz musician follows a progressive rapper.

This year at Artscape, which starts tonight, the lineup is indeed diverse but the headliners on the main stage aren't particularly interesting. The biggest draws are acts who have been MIA for a while: Eighties funk relics Morris Day and the Time and '90s pop crooners Boyz II Men perform tonight. Rapper-actor Q-Tip hits the stage tomorrow, and Shaggy closes the festival Sunday.

Each headliner is long past his commercial peak.

Day and the Time haven't been hot in more than 20 years. And even then the group was overshadowed by its association with a short, flamboyant musical genius named Prince. In the early '90s, Boyz II Men, seemingly overnight, became one of the most successful R&B groups period. With the yearning ballads "End of the Road" and "I'll Make Love to You," the Philadelphia quartet owned the No. 1 spot on the pop charts for months. But just as quickly as they embraced them, pop audiences, by the end of the decade, kicked the clean-cut guys and their mushy, overblown love songs to the curb. Although their harmonies remain tight and impressive, Boyz II Men can't buy a hit these days.

Q-Tip, one of hip-hop's more intelligent, charismatic rappers, hasn't been able to establish much of an identity since leaving the classic, ground-splitting collective, A Tribe Called Quest. His 2002 sophomore album, the highly experimental and much-talked-about Kamaal the Abstract, never saw the light of CD shops.

Five years ago, Shaggy was a major crossover reggae sensation with ubiquitous, good-time smashes like "Angel" and "It Wasn't Me." But the handsome performer wasn't able to maintain the momentum and has since slipped into pop oblivion.

To headline Artscape, a heavily attended Baltimore event for the last 25 summers, acts certainly don't need a current hit. Last year, iconic Memphis soul pioneer Isaac Hayes, whose last chart smash was 1979's "Don't Let Go," closed the festival. "We try to do a variety of acts: old-school and up-and-coming," says Sheilia Goodwin, director of special events for the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, the nonprofit organization that has produced Artscape the past four years. "A lot of who we get is based on our budget."

The budget this year was $800,000, Goodwin says. The total annual budget for Artscape since 2002 has been between $732,000 and $800,000. Out of that amount, which comes from grants, scholarships and fundraising, BOPA has to pay not just the talent that graces the main stage but also for things like picnic tables in the food court, portable toilets and an expanded children's area. The festival, along the Mount Royal Avenue cultural corridor, is usually packed. Crowd estimates over the years have exceeded a million.

"When we're planning Artscape, I send an e-mail around the office here to see who [BOPA employees] want to see at Artscape," Goodwin says. "It's funny. I get back [suggestions like] Elton John and Prince. But it's about who we can afford and the size of the place. Artscape isn't in an arena."

If the headlining acts on the main stage this year don't seem all that thrilling, Artscape offers more vibrant, lesser-known performers on the other stages. The DJ Culture Stage at Mount Royal Avenue and Charles Street will feature the Platinum Pied Pipers tomorrow afternoon. The Detroit duo, whose latest album is Triple P, deftly splices the old with the new: obscure soul grooves bolstered by snapping hip-hop beats and overlaid with organic jazz samples. Tonight on the Festival Stage at Mount Royal near Lafayette, Danielia Cotton, a talented indie rock artist with an appealing gospel edge to her vocals, will play cuts from her just-released debut, the excellent Small White Town. Local group Swingin' Swamis, a quirky, spicy stew of a band mixing jazz, worldbeat and funk, closes the University of Baltimore Stage at Oliver Street and Mount Royal Sunday night.

"We try to keep a big variety at Artscape," says Goodwin, a Baltimore native. "I always look forward to going and seeing so many people. It's always fun no matter who's on stage."

I'm only going to see 'The Time' everyone else I'm cool on - but I defintely can't wait I know they are gonna rock Mt Royal

hi kreme! you know, everytime something happens in baltimore, it' s always just you and me against the world, lol. maybe we need to move to England like Madonna don't forget Van Zant's coming to hopkins plaza next week for free

BTW, you know i caught a damn summer cold sitting in that thunderstorm last week waiting for Frankie Beverly and Maze to come on

That critic acted like a butt. He disses the Time--even though I am sure he has yet to see them live--not knowing a damn thing about how great they still are. He makes a big deal about groups being commercial and having hits, then he goes on about some obscure hip hop stuff. Just like a lot of rock critics, they have a confusing interplay between the commercial and the more obscure.

But Baltimore sounds like a riot.

meltwithu said:

Hey baby! you know that's right! I plan on moving to Jamaica in the next 5 years - you can come with me then! -- - I was sniffling the whole weekend - definitely when I went to the Carribean festival at Dru Hill -- it was raining off and on and they wanted to have a mud band throwing wet mud everywhere -- mad as shit foreal! LOL
Oh thanks for reminding me about Van Zant -- I forgot twice!

vanzantreminder edit
[Edited 7/22/05 8:25am]

SweetKreme said:

we must be both smoking..it's van hunt not van zant lol...no more natty boh's for me

don't forget about chuck brown in september
[Edited 7/22/05 8:38am]

meltwithu said:

LMAO---- oops! -- I'll quit tommorow - because tonight I hav eto deal with all those folks that wanna see Boyz II Men while I'm trying to enjoy the time -- IT's my anger management - LOL
we must be both smoking..it's van hunt not van zant lol...no more natty boh's for me
[Edited 7/22/05 9:08am]

SweetKreme said:

Hey, where do U guys live?

I live in Laurel (30 minutes from B-More) and I want to see the time. I don't want to deal that crowd though and those gheto ass teenagers.

What time do U guys think we need to get there to see the time. Because we also have to get in good position.

I doubt Guetto ass teenagers will want to see the Time...lol

goat2004 said:

i think the time come on at 7 or 730...it shouldn't be that bad if you get there around 6 or 630..friday usually has the smaller crowd than saturday--holla at me sometime--i work right in arundel mills (you gotta go past me to get to bmore, but ilive in downtown bmore, 9 blocks from the festival)

goat2004 said:

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The Time will be at The Stone Soul Picnic at RFK next Saturday.

laurarichardson said:

That maybe better because it's Metro Acesible!!! and I won't have to rush from work to try to see it.

The SSP is more of a concert right?..I mean, they don't have all the arts and craft that the Artscape has?

goat2004 said:

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Yes, it is an all day concert from 12:00 to 7:00 pm. They have food vendors and craft vendor. Of course corp sponsers trying to sell you crap but no art.

I am going to contact one of the Radio One stations next week to see if I can find out the line up time. I don't want to bake in the sun all day waiting to see Chuck Brown and The Time.

laurarichardson said:

OMG - Toni Braxton will be there!!!!


See Article:

Stone Soul Picnic

Majic 102.3, State Farm Insurance, Ford Motor Company, Choice Hotel Internationals, and Colgate Palmolive are the title sponsors of the 15th Annual Stone Soul Picnic Saturday, July 30th, 12n-8pm! Get ready for a day of family fun and entertainment on the grounds of RFK stadium starting at 12 noon! Enjoy music entertainment from DC’s own Chuck Brown, Morris Day & the Time, Dwele, Toni Braxton, and don’t forget about some great gospel from Dr. Charles Hayes. Music from local recording artist Trouble Funk and so many more! It’s the 15th annual Stone Soul Picnic brought to you by Ford Motor Company, Choice Hotel International, State Farm Insurance, Budweiser
And of course DC’s #1 R&B station, Majic 102.3. For information on sponsorship or securing vendor space for Stone Soul Picnic please contact, Debra Morris-Young at dmorris@radio-one.com or by phone at 301 429-4629

meltwithu said:

I live Downtown too - on St. Paul

So did anyone else go? The Time was incredible and I'm really not that much of a fan. They had the entire crowd on their feet. And they played pretty much all of their best stuff. Interesting to see Morris pull up in a limo and the rest of the band in a rental van.

The next night was great as well. A Tribe Called Quest performed to the surprise of everyone. There was a sign language translator on the stage each night. Was funny to see her doing "The Bird" and "Can I Kick It".

pkidwell said:

LMAO! -- We were all trippin off the sign language lady!

Another funny moment was when Morris and Jerome were doing a dance back to back. They went down low and the floor must have been really slippery because they then both fell flat on their asses but at the same time so it looked staged but they got up very slowly and were both cracking up.

Hey guys, I didn't make but will attend the Stone Soul picnic @ RFK on Saturday.

Be sure to check out The Time. Maybe it is just me but they were the best thing to hit Artscape since MeShelle Ndegeocello. Trouble Funk and Chuck Brown will be there as well? How much is it?

pkidwell said:

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It is free from 12:00 to 7:00

laurarichardson said:

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Did anyone go to the Stone Soul Picnic in D.C. yeterday. Did the Time show up?

pkidwell said:

That is a regular part of their choreography and show, and it has been for a while now.