How to go
What: Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival
When: Noon to 11 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9
Where: Three stages in downtown Dayton
Tickets: $75 for two-day pass; Children ages 10 and younger can attend the event free of charge when accompanied by a pass-holding adult.
More information: www.downtownrevival.com
Schedule of events*
Saturday, Sept. 8 (Doors open at noon)
Budweiser Stage
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Bronze Radio Return
3-4 p.m.: Griffin House
5-6:15 p.m.: Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
7:15-8:30 p.m.: Guster
9:30-10:45 p.m.: John Legend
—-
CareSource Stage
1-2 p.m.: Burnt Sugar
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Kristy Lee
4-5:15 p.m.: The Werks
6:15-7:30 p.m.: Cowboy Mouth
8:15-9:30 p.m.: Guided by Voices
—-
Monster Stage
12:15-12:45 p.m.: Prima Luce
1:15-1:45 p.m.: The Giant Steps
2:15-2:45 p.m.: Customer Service & the Gem City Horns
3:15-3:45 p.m.: The Right Now
4:15-4:45 p.m.: Crusher
5:15-6 p.m.: Wheels
6:30-7:15 p.m.: Motel Beds
7:45-8:30 p.m.: Jordan Hull
9-10:15 p.m.: Needmore
—-
Sunday, Sept. 9 (Doors open at noon)
Budweiser Stage
1:30-2:30 p.m.: Heartless Bastards
3-4 p.m.: Andy Grammer
5-6:15 p.m.: Rusted Root
7:15-8:30 p.m.: Mat Kearney
9:30-10:45 p.m.: Train
—-
CareSource Stage
1-2 p.m.: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers
2:30-3:30 p.m.: Red Wanting Blue
4:15-5:30 p.m.: Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
6:15-7:30 p.m.: The Ohio Players
8:30-9:45 p.m.: Robert Randolph & the Family Band
—-
Monster Stage
12:15-12:45 p.m.: Good English
1:15-1:45 p.m.: Lauren Eylise
2:15-3 p.m.: Bad Sines
3:30-4:15 p.m.: Green Light Morning
4:45-5:30 p.m.: Buffalo Killers
6-6:45 p.m.: The Cliftones
7:15-8 p.m.: Brent James & The Contraband
8:30-9:45 p.m.: Tony Lucca
*Schedule subject to change
Source: www.downtownrevival.com
John Legend, the nine-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter who was born and raised in Springfield, is coming home.
Legend, who was the keynote speaker at the Wright State University 2012 Freshman Convocation on Aug. 24, will be one of the headlining acts at the first-year Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9.
Legend (John Stephens) is slated to perform from 9:30 to 10:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on the Budweiser Stage in downtown Dayton.
We talked to Legend about these local appearances and his musical career.
Q: You were the keynote speaker at the Wright State University 2012 Freshman Convocation on Friday, Aug. 24. Why was it important to you to speak at this event near your hometown?
A: "I love coming back to my hometown and to the area that I've grown up in. I've had family that went to Wright State. … I have a lot of affection for that community and a lot of roots there. And so it's always a pleasure to be back in the Dayton area. And I love speaking to college students; it's fun for me. I do that quite a lot. And it's always an honor to know that I may have something to say that will help them think about their future, think about what they want to do in their careers and think about how they want to contribute to the world."
Q: You will be one of the headlining acts at the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival. What should we expect from your performance?
A: "It's going to be so much fun. I'll be excited to see so much family around. And excited to be back in my home area. I don't think I've ever done something big like this in Dayton. It will be a lot of fun for me."
Q: This will be the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival's inaugural year. Festival organizers hope the event brings Dayton into the national music scene. From your perspective, why is this event important for the Dayton region?
A: "I think it has been a long time since we've had like a major festival in that area that I can recall. And I think it does help put Dayton on the map in a way, that maybe a lot of artists will come to Columbus, a lot of artists will come to Cincinnati, but often, Dayton doesn't make it to the tour itinerary, a lot of times. I think it's really cool that Dayton's putting on this festival to kind of really excite people about Dayton. I think the idea of doing it downtown is really great, too, to encourage people to come downtown and hang out."
Q: In addition to your performance, other musicians expected to perform at the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival include Train, Guided by Voices, Guster, Rusted Root and Tony Lucca. Are there any performers you are looking forward to meeting at the event?
A: "I hadn't thought about it. But Rusted Roots's great. Train is great. I think it'll be fun to be part of a festival with all of those great artists involved."
Q: You were born and raised in Springfield. What are your favorite memories of growing up in our local area?
A: "I have a huge family. And they're all still based there. All of my musical experiences as a child and everything I did, the whole foundation of who I am, all that happened in Springfield, Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus and all these cities. … And so, for me, it's always exciting when I'm able to come back home and see a lot of my family, invite everyone to the show and really connect in the way that you can't really connect in other places."
Q: What do you love most about our local area?
A: "For me, it has to be my family. Just because when I'm coming home, that's what I'm coming home to do, is hang out with my family and spend time with them."
Q: Let's talk about your music. What are you working on now?
A: "I'm working on a new album called 'Love In The Future.' It's almost done. It's … produced by me, Kanye West and Dave Tozer, and it's basically the same team that made 'Get Lifted' and 'Once Again.' I'm excited to put out some new music with some people that I've been working with for years now."
Q: You were a judge on the first season of the ABC show "Duets." What was your favorite part of being a judge on this new music show?
A: "I loved it. I had a great time. It was fun being on TV every week. It was fun mentoring new talent. It was fun performing every week, too, because that was the cool thing about the format — we got to perform some cool cover songs every week, and that was different for me, not something I do all the time. And so I think it was a fun departure from the normal things I do in my music career."
Q: What's next for you and your career?
A: "A lot of it is around the new album, 'Love In The Future.' I'm going to start touring, and actually the show in Dayton will be a bit before my fall tour starts, but it will be kind of an early manifestation of what the fall show will be. And then, I'll tour all next year. It will be a busy, fun year promoting the new album, and that will be the main focus."
Q: What else do you want to tell our local readers?
A: "I'm excited to come home."
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