::RECAP:: SUMMER SPIRIT FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

::RECAP:: SUMMER SPIRIT FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
by Daniel Harris
Photos by Edith Williams

In its 10 year history, the Summer Spirit Festival has featured an amazing lineup of R&B, Soul and Hip Hop artists. Names like Common, The Roots, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Sharon Jones have all taken part in the annual summer festival at Columbia, Maryland's Merriweather Post Pavilion. In years past, the festival has experienced record number attendance and this year's festival was no exception.

The Merriweather Post Pavilion was jammed packed both under the pavilion and on the lawn with concert goers waiting to hear Phony Ppl, Avery Sunshine, Estelle, Junkyard Band, Tony Toni Tone, Floetry, Anthony Hamilton and Erykah Badu. The full day of music was a great experience for the area.

The festival started promptly and the first act, Phony Ppl, was ready to go and give a great show. That they did. The Brooklyn, NY fusion band (jazz, hip hop and R&B) were a great start to the entire day. Their energy and stage presence helped those who decided to come early, prepare for the day's activities.

As up and coming artists, Phony Ppl were tight, polished and engaging. Three things you look for when attending a major concert. As the band wrapped their set and as more people begin to fill Merriweather, it was becoming clearer why this is one of the area's biggest events.

Next to take the stage was Avery Sunshine. In a simple statement, Avery Sunshine is an artist full of life and her energy and presence was literally her namesake, Sunshine. Beginning her set with her hit, "I Got Sunshine," very fitting. Her best quality (besides her amazing voice and wonderful lyrics) was her ability to engage a large festival crowd, at one point, teaching the entire crowd parts to "I Got Sunshine."

As her set progressed, Avery took time to give
thanks with a soul stirring renditions of "The Lord Is Blessing Me" and "Safe In His Arms." Both songs showed her deep appreciation for her faith and the opportunities her gifts and talents have afforded her. The concert crowd was moved and it showed this reviewer that Avery is able to reach and meet her audience on a spiritual level.

As the afternoon began to transition to early evening and the Merriweather began to seemingly reach Estelle took the festival stage. The "American Boy" singer was well received by the crowd as she took the stage. Her blend of Hip Hop, R&B and Soul was the perfect vehicle to bring the audience with her on a journey of love both its triumphs and defeats.
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As she progressed through her set, which included hits like "Thank You" and "You Are," it became apparent that Estelle prefers a more intimate setting. Frequently pausing her set until the crowd got involved (even calling out a fan for his low energy dance moves) was a hold not only to the crowd's enjoyment but to the overall schedule of the festival. Gradually, she won the crowd over and was able to progress through her set.

Perhaps one of the major highlights of the evening was the performance of Washington, DC legends, Junkyard Band. Go-Go as a music form has its roots in DC which aided JYB in the anticipation of their set. The band didn't disappoint at all. When it came time to hit a Go-Go classic like "Sardines," the festival crowd (already at a fever pitch) pretty much took over delivering the lyrics. JYB's performance was a true testament to the genre's history and roots in the area.


The time came for CD Enterprises to reveal their special guest to the audience. Prior to the festival, people were wondering who this guest could possible be. To much anticipation, legendary R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! hit the stage to a very warm audience reception. Rightfully so, during the late 80s and early 90s, Tony! Toni! Toné! electrified audiences all over the world.

As the group moved through classics like "House Party II," "It Never Rains" and "Feels Good," the
crowd's energy began to change. The novelty and nostalgia began to fade as the group realized that one important Tony! was missing. Lead singer Amar Khalil did his best to carry the burden of front man.

However, the shoes of the group's first front man, Raphael Saddiq, are hard to fill. Maybe one of the most oddest moves during the group's set was having old music videos play in the background as they performed. The music videos only served as a reminder to the crowd that Saddiq was not performing with the group.

As the sun set, the evening progressed and temperature began to drop, the festival stage was just beginning to heat up. Following Tony! Toni! Toné!'s lackluster performance, a group whose reunion has been years in the making was set to take the stage. 8 years ago, Floetry announced that they would no longer perform together. This announcement came as a shock to many fans as the duo was beginning to hit their stride in the industry.

While Natalie and Marsha enjoyed some solo success, it was really good to see them back together as Floetry. Truthfully, it didn't seem like they missed one step. They are still as in sync as they were since their debut. While performing hits like "Sunshine," "Getting Late" and the crowd favorite "Say Yes," you got the sense that they've put the past behind them and are moving forward. Hopefully festival performances and concerts will lead to new studio material? One can only hope.


Under the night sky, the heavy traffic of festival goers to support food and merchandise vendors slowed as Summer Spirit welcomed two of music's biggest stars. First, Anthony Hamilton, who seriously knows how to put on a show. The way he commanded the festival stage, his ability to
engage the audience under pavilion as well as on the lawn, showed why Hamilton personifies cool.


The best moments of his set were the moments between he and his background vocalists. Those
moments gave his set a level of depth that hadn't been felt all day. The background vocalists are amazing artists in their own right and their chemistry with Hamilton made for an amazing evening. Anthony Hamilton's set, which included hits like "Charlene" and "Pray For Me," was enough to end the entire evening.







Knowing that Erykah Badu was next and would round out an entire day of great music still filled the festival with as much energy as was present at the beginning of the day. Erykah took the stage to thunderous applause and cheer that pierced the night sky. What else would you expect? Erykah Badu has been a Summer Spirit Festival favorite since the beginning. She is staple, ending the festival with one of her signature shows.

This year was no exception. While her set wasn't perfect (by her own admission), Erykah was real, honest and raw. These are all qualities that fans have come to know, love and respect about the soul star. And don't get it twisted, even on her worst day, Badu is still near flawless.

New arrangements and takes on hits like "My Life," "...And On" and "Cleva" reminding the audience that the nearly 20 year veteran still has what it takes. Right before her performance of "Danger," she reminded the crowd that she is the original 'Trap Queen.' What an amazing way to end a perfect day of music and fun.

Overall, The 2015 Summer Spirit Festival proved why it is the area's favorite and most successful festival. CD Enterprise selects great artists to fill its lineup. With such skill, it is easy to see why the DMV and surrounding areas flock to this festival. The Summer Spirit Festival will be around for a long time, further solidifying its position as a staple event in the area.