Music Midtown Informations

Music Midtown is a large music festival that was held in Atlanta annually from 1994 to 2005, and after a six-year hiatus, returned in 2011. During its original run, the festival ran on one weekend each year. The event drew in excess of 300,000 attendees per year during its peak years. Music Midtown started as a two-day event with three stages. It later grew to three-day event. During the years that Music Midtown had a three-day run, the event had six main stages. Each of these stages were typically sponsored by a local Atlanta radio station which were used to present dozens of bands playing a wide variety of musical genres. Due to a decline in attendance and rising expenses after the 2005 Music Midtown, promoters placed the festival on hiatus in 2006. The hiatus ran through 2010. The festival returned as a one-day event in 2011, and expanded to its current two-day format in 2012.

The festival was conceived by Atlanta-based music promoters Alex Cooley, Peter Conlon and Alex Hoffman who sought to create an event similar to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The intent was to present a wide variety of music that both men had come to enjoy during their careers in the music industry.

In 1994, the festival launched on a parcel of undeveloped land at Peachtree St. and Tenth St. in the heart of Midtown's business district. After a few years at this site, the festival was forced to move to make way for the construction of the new Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The new festival site chosen was in downtown just north of Centennial Olympic Park and consisted mainly of closed-off streets and surface parking lots which made for a hot and somewhat unpleasant experience for daytime concert-goers. This site is now home to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola museum. This led to a brief stay of two years after which the festival moved to the 42 acre (170,000 m²) location adjacent to the Atlanta Civic Center and now closed SciTrek. After finding this new home, the festival grew dramatically and attracted around 300,000 attendees during its peak years.

In 2000, the festival featured its largest show to date. They increased their stage amount to six and featured over 130 bands.Although independent promoters when the festival was created, Cooley and Conlon sold their company, Concert/Southern Promotions, to Clear Channel Communications' subsidiary SFX Entertainment in 1998. In November 2004, Alex Cooley was released by Clear Channel Entertainment in part due to his unsuccessful assimilation into the corporate culture. His age and health problems (diabetes) prevented him from working full-time which also played a role.

Traditionally on the first weekend in May, the 2005 festival was moved to June 10–12. This was supposedly done for better weather, although this ended up being counterproductive, as it put the festival into even more heat and humidity and at a greater risk for thunderstorms with dangerous lightning. Most of the 2005 festival was rained on by remnants of Tropical Storm Arlene, repeating many of the May rains it was rescheduled to avoid. Special outdoor tiles were put down in front of the stages to protect the grass and keep it from turning to mud.

The 2005 festival also doubled the talent budget and raised 3-day ticket prices from $45 to $75. Conlon cited media reports of potential traffic problems from Music Midtown and the concurrent Vibe MusicFest at the Georgia Dome as "killing" advance ticket sales in the weeks before the event. Others believe that the higher ticket prices may have exceeded the affordability of younger concert-goers. The slated 2005 dates were also concurrent with the increasingly popular Bonnaroo music and arts festival in neighboring Tennessee, which may have affected both attendance and artist booking.

On January 5, 2006, Conlon announced that there would be no Music Midtown in 2006 due to the growing expenses of the festival in its current form and location. Although Conlon left open the possibility of a return at a different location in the future, this ultimately left Music Midtown in limbo and on hiatus through 2010.

On July 6, 2011, Mayor Kasim Reed and Conlon announced that the festival would return for 2011 as a one-day event on September 24, 2011 at Piedmont Park. Ticket prices for the event were $55, with two stages and The Black Keys and Coldplay headlining. Additional acts included Cage the Elephant, Manchester Orchestra, Young the Giant, The Joy Formidable and others.

On September 21, 2011, Conlon said due to the success of advance ticket sales for 2011, he was already planning for a 2012 version of the festival. "Next year will definitely be two days, a little more diverse," he said. "I felt that getting something [produced] this year was important. It's gotten people focused again. But I'll start thinking about next year the week after this one. It takes a year to plan these things right." Following the event, local media estimated attendance at 40,000.

In 2015, a fourth stage was added to the summer festival. This year they spent almost in $18 million in production. They also donated $100,000 to the Piedmont Park Conservancy. According to the research center at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, attendee spending brings over $11 million of income to Atlanta.

In 2016, the creators decided to change the format of the festival. In previous years, the shows took place on Friday and Saturday. The new format moved the shows to Saturday and Sunday due to the large amount of traffic from the neighboring Henry W. Grady High School and the rush hour time period posing a risk.

Friday, May 3, 1996 - Sunday May 5, 1996 - One Day Pass: $17; Weekend Pass: $27.00

3 lb. Thrill, 3 Lost Souls,Aimee Mann, Adrian Legg, Anti Heros, Anders Osborne, Becky Sharp, Big Fish Ensemble, Bill Morrissey, The Black Crowes, Bob Dylan, The Bobs, Bone Pony, The Bottlerockets, Brother Cane, Buddy Guy Big Band, Cake, Catfish Jenkins, Chambers Brothers, Chief Seattle, Clay Harper and The Rhythm Tyrants, Cornershop, Cracker, Dallas County Line, Dash Rip Rock, Dirty Dozen, Doublewide, Dry County, Edwin McCain, Evan and Jaron, Fiji Mariners, Fishbone, Fleming and John, For Squirrels, Francine Reed, Fred Schneider, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie, Goose Creek Symphony, Gracie Moon, Gren, Groundscore, Gurufish, Hip Heavy Lip, Howard Jones, HoHum, Ian Moore, Jake, Jan Smith, Joan Baez, Joe Ely, Joe Satriani, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, John Wesley Harding, Johnny Hyde Quartet, Josh Joplin Band, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Kool and The Gang, Larry McCray, Law of Nature, League of Decency, Leftover Salmon, Lift, Lisa Loeb, Lil Red Rocket, Lonesome Jones, Loudflower, Lounge Flounders, Luther Allison, Mary Fortune Express, Memory Dean, Moonwater, Morris Day and The Time, Norman Blake, NRBQ, Ohio Players, One Without, Poe, Ride the Wood, The Roches, Robben Ford and The Blue Line, Root 88, Ruby, Saffire and The Uppity, Blues Women, Schtum, Shadowcaste, Shawn Colvin, Sightseers, Sister Hazel, Snapdragon, Sparklehorse, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Steel Pulse, Stir, The Stowes, Super X13, Syd Straw, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Tender Idols, This Living Hand, Toadies, Umajets, Uncle Mark Reynolds, Urban Shakedancers, Vertical Horizon, Wailing Souls, Wanderlust, Zachary Richard

KIDS STAGE: Planet Earth Inc. Lee Bryan's Premier Puppets, Juggling Dou Dan Thurman and Philip Solomon, Joanie Bartels from the Disney Channel, Mario "The Laff Master",Rick Hubbard and His All Star Kazoo Band, Plus Activity areas with arts and crafts, games and more.

May 2, 1997 - May 4, 1997 - Weekend Pass: $27.00

Number 1 Family Mover, 3 Lost Souls, 702, Acoustic Workshop, Alicia Bridges, Al Jarreau, Angie Aparo, Automatic, B Rock and The Bizz, Barenaked Ladies, BeauSoleil, Ben Folds Five, Better Than Ezra, Billy pilgrim, Boobytrap, The Boo Radleys, Cake, Cheap Trick, Christion, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Continentals, Cool For August, Cowboy Envy, Cowboy Mouth, Cravin' Melon, Dash Rip Rock, David Ryan Harris, Dayroom, Delbert McClinton, Dinosaur Jr., Edwin McCain, Kevn Kinney and Warren Haynes (together in a rare acoustic appearance), Emmet Swimming, Eric Johnson, Expanding Man, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Fernando Aragon, File´, Five-Eight, Fleming and John, The Floyds, Francine Reed, Fuel, funky Meters, Geno Delafose and French Rockin Boogie, George Clinton and The P Funk Allstars, Gibb Droll, Glass Candle Grenade, Gov’t Mule, Gravy, Hazel Virtue, The Hazies, Hip Heavy Lip, Hobex, Jonny Lang, Johnny Hyde Quartet, Jonatha Brooke, Jump Little Children, K's Choice, Kelly Hogan and Lee Jeffrey, Leroy Jones, Local H, Lonesome Jones, Lonnie Brooks, Los Lobos, Los Straitjackets, Madfly, Michelle Malone, Mishap, Modern English, Monica, Muse, Musique, Neilson Hubbard, The Nields, Pascal Bokar, Patty Griffin, People Who Must, Radiant City, Reuben Anderson, Rockapella, Root Doctors, Royal Crown Revue, Santana, Saw Doctors, Seek, Sevendust, Shinehead, Shock Lobo, Silverchair, Sister Hazel, Six Ways To Sunday, Skirt, Slim Fatz and Uprighteous, Sons of the San Joaquin, Soul Miners Daughter, Sounds of Blackness, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Steve Miller Band, Stir, String Cheese Incident, Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band, Tender Idols, treehouse, Trinket, Velmer Watkins and The Angelic Community Choir, Vigilantes Of Love, Wallflowers, War, Wild West Picture Show, Young Gary, ZZ Top

May 1, 1998 - May 3, 1998 - Ticket Price $30

2 Skinnee J's (5/1), A Flock of Seagulls (5/3), Agents of Good Roots (5/3), Alana Davis (5/2), Alejandro Esoveda (5/3), Al's Not Well (5/2), Andy Offutt Irwin (5/1), Anne Murray (5/3), Another Man Down (5/3), Anson Funderburgh (5/3), Athenaeum (5/3), Austin Lounge Lizards (5/2), The Backsliders (5/2), Bela Fleck and The Flecktones (5/3), Beth Wood (5/3), Big Wreck (5/3), Billionaire (5/2), Bio Ritmo (5/1), Blue Mountain (5/1), Booker T and The MG's (5/3), Charlie Mars Band (5/2), Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band (5/2), Cracker (5/2), Creedence Clearwater Revisted (5/3), David Byrne (5/2), Day By the River (5/3),Dayroom (5/2), Dee Snider's S.M.F’s (5/2), Dee Dee Bridgewater (5/2), Derek Trucks Band (5/1), Destiny's Child (5/2), Dixie Hummingbirds (5/3), drivin’ n’ cryin’ (5/2), Duke Ellington Orchestra (5/2), Econoline Crush (5/3), Emm Gryner (5/1), Etta James (5/3), Evan and Jaron (5/2) Eve 6 (5/1), Fastball (5/2), Foo Fighters (5/2), Francine Reed (5/3) Freddy Jones Band (5/2) Fuel (5/2), Garrison Starr (5/1), The Gary Steer Ensemble (5/2), God Lives Underwater (5/2), Goodie Mob (5/1), Gov’t Mule (5/2), Gra’ (5/3), Gracie Moon (5/2)Haynes, McCain, Kinney (5/3), Henry Murphy and the son's and brother's band (5/3), The Iguanas (5/1), Indigo Girls (5/1), Isaac Curry (5/1), Jagged Edge (5/2), Jimmie Dale Gilmore (5/2), Jolene (5/1), Josh Joplin Band (5/2), Juggling Sons (5/1), June Victory and The Bayou Renegades (5/2), Jupiter Coyote (5/2), Keb’ Mo’ (5/3), Kenny Wayne Shepherd (5/2), King Slender (5/1), Kingsized (5/3), Koko Taylor (5/2), Kool and The Gang featuring JT Taylor(5/2), La Bottine Souriante (5/2), Letters To Cleo (5/3), Little Jack Melody and His Young Turks (5/2), Loud American Tourists (5/2), Lysette (5/1), Marvelous 3 (5/2), Mavis Staples (5/3), Memory Dean (5/1), Michelle Penn (5/2), The Mike Karp Band (5/3), Montel Jordan (5/2), Morphine (5/1), Neilson Hubbard (5/1), Overlook (5/2), Pain (5/3), Paula Cole (5/1), Paydirt (5/2), The Penetrators (5/1), The Pleasantdales (5/2), Reggae Cowboys (5/1), The Road Hawgs (5/2), Rick Hubbard and His All Kid Kazoo Band (5/2 and 5/3), Robert Cray Band (5/1), Robustos (5/1), Sam Salter (5/2), Larry Johnson and Adam (5/3), Semisonic (5/2), The Silent Kids (5/2), Sister Hazel (5/2), Sixteen Horsepower (5/1), Sixty Cycle Hum (5/2), Skwzbxx (5/3), Son Volt (5/1), Speech (5/2), Tinsley Ellis (5/3), Tito Puente (5/3), Tonic (5/3), Troutfishing In America (5/3), Tuscadero (5/3), Ugly Americans (5/2), Urban Grind (5/2), Velmer Watkins and the Angelic Choir (5/3), Violent Femmes (5/3), Vonda Shepard (5/1), Wild West Picture Show (5/3), Wil’'s Drama (5/2)

Friday 30 April 1999 – Sunday 2 May 1999 - $30.00 Three day weekend ticket

60 Cycle Hum (5/1), 98 Degrees (5/2), Aaron Hall (5/1), Amanda Jones (4/30), Angie Aparo (5/1), B*witched (5/2), Bare Jr. (5/2), Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals (5/1), Berlin (5/2), Big Atomic (5/1), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (5/2), Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys (5/2), The Black Crowes (4/30), BlackPerl (5/1), Blacklight Posterboys (5/2), Bloque (5/1), Blueground Undergrass (5/2), Bobby Blue Bland (4/30), Boozoo Chavis (5/1), Branford Marsalis (5/1),Brave Combo (5/1), Buck Cherry (5/2), Burlap To Cashmere (5/1), Chris Duarte Group (5/1), Count Basie Orchestra (5/2), Cubanismo (5/2), Dance Contest/Deney Terrio (5/1), Deney Terrio (5/1), Deney Terrio and Motion (5/1), Destiny's Child (5/1), Digital Underground (4/30), Double Drive (5/2), Dovetail Joint (5/1), Dr. John (5/2), The Duke Robillard Band (5/1), El Caminos (5/2), Everclear (5/1), Fairfield Four (5/2), Fiji Mariners and Col. Bruce Hampton (5/2), File’ (5/1), Film (4/30), Francine Reed (5/2), The Funky Meters (4/30), Galactic (5/2), Gary Steer (5/1), George Thorogood and the Destroyers (5/1), Gibb Droll (5/2), Goodie Mob (5/1), The Gufs (5/2), Hole (5/2), Iggy Pop (5/1), Isaac Hayes (5/2), Jessica Simpson (5/2), Jonathan Richman (4/30), Joshua Redman Band (4/30), Leftover Salmon (5/1), Lizardmen (5/2), Mandorico (4/30), Marvelous 3 (5/1), Mojo Nixon (5/1), Musique (5/1), New Immortals (5/1), Norman Blake (5/2), Otis Day and The Knights (5/2), Outkast (4/30), PJ Olsson (5/1), Peter Frampton (5/1), The Pleasantdales (5/1), Poor Little Fools (4/30), The Prodigals (5/1), Push Monkey (4/30), Randall Bramlett (4/30), Reel Big Fish (5/2), Reel Tight (5/1), The Rent Boys (4/30), Rick Springfield (5/1), Robin Trower (5/1), Ruthie and the Wranglers (5/2), Salt-n-Pepa (4/30), Shock Lobo (5/1), Soul Miner's Daughter (5/1), Soup (5/1), Sponge (4/30), Stereo Popsicle (4/30), Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys (4/30), The Tendor Idols (5/1), Toots and The Maytals (4/30), Train (5/1), The Trammps featuring Earl Young (5/1), Trinket (4/30), Truckadelic (5/1), Ultraphonic (5/1), Urban Grind (5/1), Vedado (5/2), Velmer Watkins and The Angelic Choir (5/2), Vinyl (5/2), Virgo's Merlot (4/30), War (5/1), Widespread Panic (5/2), Wilco (5/1), Willie Nelson (4/30), Xavier Cugat Orchestra (4/30)

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