5 Live Music Musts: Friday, August 2nd

Friday, August 02, 2013

Rob Duguay + Ken Abrams, GoLocalProv Music Critics

 

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Natalie Cole is just one of the superstar acts performing at the Newport Jazz Festival this weekend.

Pardon us if we use the word "legendary" more than once this weekend, but it's Jazz Festival time...

Jazz

Greatness arrives in Newport this weekend as the Newport Jazz Festival swings into town. The 59th annual edition features extraordinary talent–you can see and hear Natalie Cole, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, and Terrance Blanchard–real jazz royalty. Be sure to check out GoLocal fave Esperanza Spalding, recent Grammy winner (2011) for Best New Artist–the only Jazz artist to ever win the category. Like others at the festival, she blends various genres; this is not your granddaddy's jazz. Tickets are still available, but with a nice forecast, the Festival will surely sell out. Visit the web site for all the details.

Rock

If you GoLocal tonight, be sure to head to Dusk and see a trio of RI's best rock bands–Torn Shorts, Northern Lands, and Viking Jesus. All three bands will knock your socks off. Catch some local music for only 5 bucks at Dusk at dusk. (9:00 PM). It's a busy weekend for Scituate, RI native Kris Hansen and Viking Jesus. They play Saturday at the Spot, and on Sunday, Hansen opens in Newport for the Under the Sun Tour featuring Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, and the Gin Blossoms. Not bad company to keep!

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The recent improvements at the Twin River Casino mean more concerts as well. Tonight, Twin River is hosting the legendary "prog-rock" group Yes, who will be playing two complete albums: The Yes Album and Close to the Edge. This will be a great classic rock show, as the band is prepping for the "Yestival," a new progressive rock event happening Saturday in Camden, NJ. If that isn't worth a drive on the New Jersey turnpike, we don't know what is. The show is at 8:00–tickets start at $30.75.

Rap

On Sunday, the Met has LA rapper Shwayze, appearing on the heels of his new release, Shwayze Summer. Cam Meekins, Jitter on the Track, and Paul Couture open. Show begins at 7:30, tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

Shwayze has a lil’ competition up the road on Sunday as Lil Wayne appears at the Comcast Center in Mansfield. T.I. and Tyga open–it should be raucous! Show at 7:00–tickets start at $38.75.

 

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