Concert of Colors: Celebrating diversity in Detroit

Posted by DominiqueKing | Filed under events, music

I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be at 8:30 p.m. on July 18 than at “the Max” in Detroit.

Be there as Don Was takes the stage to present an all-star Super Session spotlighting some of the best, brightest, established and emerging Detroit-area musical talent in one fantastic package during Detroit’s annual diversity festival—the Concert of Colors.

The Concert of Colors is a free (yes, FREE) July 18-19 festival at the Max M. Fisher Music Center on Woodward, presented by the Arab American National Museum, New Detroit, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and ACCESS (Arab Community Center of Economic and Social Services).

Musician and producer Was worked with the Concert of Colors last year to orchestrate the festival’s first electrifying Super Session. That eclectic bill included classic Detroit talents like jazz sax player Faruq Z Bey, 60s counter culture icon John Sinclair and Mitch Ryder (who closed the show with a killer rendition of the old Jimmy Ruffin Motown classic, “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted”). Check out those moments and clips of performances like the young Muldoons powering through “Chubby Bunny”, the Ramrods’ Ivan Suvanjieff dancing atop the DSO’s $150,000 Steinway piano and more at Was’ My Damn Channel video collection.

Check out this year’s bill and links to lots of great Detroit music after the break…

I wondered how Was could top last year’s Super Session, but a quick look at this year’s line-up shows that Was has another killer line-up for Super Session II, including: Sir Mack Rice (Mustang Sally); Amp Fiddler (soul/funk); Scott Morgan’s Powertrane (60s/70s rock); Question Mark (96 Tears-we saw the, um, unique Question Mark perform a few years ago at a previous Concert of Colors); blues diva Thornetta Davis; Teegarden & Van Winkle (God, Love and Rock & Roll); Blanche (alternative country); Gorevette (pop punk rock); The Go (60s-influenced rock, I’d swear I was listening to an old vinyl slab from about 1968 when I heard some tunes from this band!); The Upscale; The Layabouts (reagge); and Mick Bassett and the Marthas (rock).

Faruq Z Bey at 2008 Concert of Colors

Super Session II is just one show during a weekend that features still more great acts like Grupo Fantasma (Latin Funk), soul/R&B master Aaron Neville, West African Blues from Vieux Farka Toure, Royal Oak’s own kid-friendly punkers the Candy Band (think they’ll play their “Monkey” song?), Yo La Tengo, traditional East Indian jazz and folk from Galitcha and more on two different stages—the Main Stage, where the DSO calls home, and a smaller stage in an adjacent room with a jam-packed dance floor.

Outdoor activities along the street and plaza south of the Max include plenty of music, dance, food and merch. You can join a drum circle, watch belly dancers or visit vendors to grab a quick snack or shop a selection of multicultural products.

Michelle Shocked at 2008 Concert of Colors

New Detroit and ACCESS established Concert of Colors in 1993 as an outdoor festival at Chene Park on the Detroit riverfront.

We loved Chene Park, with the stage backed by a beautiful view of the Detroit River, but when venue rent became an issue, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra stepped in to offer The Max as an alternate venue for the Concert of Colors.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo at 2006 Concert of Colors

The DSO joined the presenting team in 2006, and the symphony’s acoustically superb and beautiful home at The Max became the Concert of Colors’ new home.

Check out a few photos from previous years at Tim’s The Wandering Photographer blog and my most recent Photo Friday post at Midwest Guest.

We worried when the festival lost Chrysler as its major sponsor due to the crappy economy this year, but organizers managed to field enough support to stage a two-day festival (down from last year’s four-day music-a-thon) and keep the price to an amazing F-R-E-E.

Super Session I curtain call at 2008 Concert of Colors

If you’re as jazzed as we are about this event and want to support the continuing tradition of bringing the world of music to Detroit with the idea of celebrating diversity and fostering unity through music, you can become a Concert of Colors Groupie ($60 each or $100/couple). Groupies enjoy reserved seating, an artist reception and the satisfaction of supporting a real gem of a Detroit event.

Concert of Colors

Saturday July 18—2 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Sunday July 19—3 p.m. until 10:15 p.m.

The Max, 3711 Woodward, Detroit

Be there!

Tags: Concert of Colors, Detroit, Don Was

Permalink | July 11th, 2009

11 Responses to “Concert of Colors: Celebrating diversity in Detroit”

Tim Marks Says:
July 11th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I can’t wait!!!!!!
Matt Dibble Says:
July 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Holy s**t. I had no idea this was happening again… thanks for bringing it to attention, Dominique.

This is going to be awesome… I’m a huge fan of Don Was and the things he’s done for the city of Detroit (is that a case of stating the obvious?) but the acts that he’s got here are top notch. I’m shocked to hear Yo La Tengo is going to be involved in something like this… those guys are an amazing live show.

Can’t wait to see Blanche for the first time… Dan Miller is one of the great characters in the history of Detroit music and if you’ve never heard of them, you’re in for a great “find.”

And the Candy Band is a riot if you’ve never seen them… bring your kids! All hard hitting, rocking, fairy tale music. It’s great.

Awesome post Dominique!
Matt Dibble Says:
July 11th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Go here to check out a bit of Blanche’s music:

http://www.myspace.com/blanchedetroit

I’m such a big fan of theirs… You SHOULD have heard of them, unfortunately, many people haven’t.
DominiqueKing Says:
July 11th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I can see you’re as enthused as we are about this, Matt!

We last saw the Candy Band at The Henry Ford during the opening for the Stars’ Cars & Guitars 2 show I wrote about here earlier. The kids there that day looked like they were having a blast!
We’ve seen Thornetta Davis numerous times (Detroit Festival of the Arts, at the Blue Goose and at the Concert of Colors last year)–she’s always a great show, too.

We always seem to find some uber cool and new (to us) music every time we go to the Concert of Colors.

BTW, did you check out the link to Don Was’ video site in my post and see the free mp3 download available for a remake of “Stand By Me” with Andy Madadian and Bon Jovi with the first verse in Farsi? It’s meant as a show of solidarity for the Iranian people.
bne Says:
July 12th, 2009 at 9:16 am
church. then back home to pack. then alexis’ house for Jonas party. CONCERT TOMORROW!! :DD
Kevin Says:
July 12th, 2009 at 10:39 am
You guys getting some spam? (bne, above)

As always, great local coverage! Thanks, Dominique.
DominiqueKing Says:
July 12th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Kevin-
I guess Eric will have to check things out.
Hope you consider going down to the festival. It’s really a great event, and I’m so glad they managed to put the event on this year. It looks like Don Was really came through for them again!
Kevin Says:
July 12th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Yeah, I think we really have to appreciate it now whenever these local events are pulled off. I don’t think people realized in years past how much sponsorships, etc. mattered and took it for granted. Carmakers have pulled funds for a lot of things — like GM from Affirmations in Ferndale.
John S Says:
July 14th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Matt, have you seen Dan Miller’s part in Walk the Line? He filled the role of Luther Perkins perfectly.
Matt Dibble Says:
July 14th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Yeah, one of my favorite parts of that movie. And a pretty big one for a relatively unknown.
DominiqueKing Says:
July 21st, 2009 at 11:31 am
Anyone interested in seeing a recap of this year’s Concert of Colors with a few photos, check out my article, “Sizzling Concert of Colors does Detroit Proud” at Midwest Guest http://www.midwestguest.com/2009/07/sizzling-concert-of-colors-does-detroit-proud.html

As always, an amazing time and talent…and just the sort of positive experience we need here in the Detroit metro area these days.

the urbane life