Full Day Of Music And Sun Closes Out Music Midtown

Gates opened at noon Saturday for the second and final day of Music Midtown 2015. As the day went on, people  flooded into Piedmont Park to get a good seat for their favorite acts. Headliners for the night included Vance Joy, Lenny Kravitz, Van Halen, and Sam Smith.

There were so many groups performing throughout the park that it really was a chore to catch each one. First out of the gate was Colony House, performing on the Electric Ballroom Stage. The alt rockers hail from Franklin, Tenn.

Fans arrived early at the Electric Ballroom to claim their spots for Sam Smith, who wasn’t set to come on stage until 9:30 that night. In between the opening and closing acts were Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and rap group Run The Jewels.

Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness followed Colony house and put on a nice performance underneath the heat of a glaring Georgia sun. McMahon (formerly of Jack’s Mannequin) and his band presented the crowd with their folk pop set. He spent the majority of the show going back and forth from his grand piano at center stage to the sides to mingle with the fans.

One of the great things about this festival is not only can you see a long list of top-rate artists, but you also get the chance to catch up-and-coming groups that you otherwise might not discover. While Midtown did a fantastic job of getting solid main acts, they also brought in some great newcomers as well. Of particular note for that subject were indie rockers X Ambassadors. The native New Yorkers already have experienced some radio success with their recent hit “Renegades.” Their performance on the Honda Stage proved that there is much more where that came from. X Ambassadors exhibited a very interactive and adrenalin-filled stage presence with a strong setlist.

Billy Idol put on another great performance worth noting. It’s sometimes worrisome when festivals book artists that are a few decades past their prime. Idol, though, took the stage like it was still 1983, and Rebel Yell just hit the shelves.

Later that night, classic rockers Van Halen took the Belk Stage. Surprisingly, the crowd was not nearly as large as it was the night previous when Elton John performed at the same stage and billing. I would have thought the name Van Halen alone would pack in the crowds. Evens so, David Lee Roth took his lead spot and belted out all the hits. The exceptional guitar shredding of Van Halen also couldn’t be denied.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Piedmont Park, British crooner and pop idol Sam Smith was closing out the night for the Electric Ballroom Stage. Smith, famous for quite a few radio hits now, was backed by a full band and backup singers.  He had a huge audience in attendance for what would be the final act of Music Midtown 2015.