www.roanoke.com

Clark and the Superpowers tore it up at FloydFest.

Check out this q&a on our So Salem blog: http://blogs.roanoke.com/sosalem/2008/07/adam_clark_finds_epic_sound_wi_1.html

Jim Quick & Coastline show at Elmwood Park, downtown Roanoke.
Today - time changes below:
Gates open at 6 p.m.; music from 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Admission $6.00 at the gate. Children 12 & under free.

Star City Performance Series:
Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration, with Booker T. and the MGs, and Eddie Floyd
Kathy Mattea -- Moving Mountains
Allen Toussaint
Skaggs Family Christmas
Arturo Sandoval
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
An Irish Homecoming
Check Jeff Center's Web site for more details: http://www.jeffcenter.org/starcity

Jazz Club:
Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra
Robert Jospe & Inner Rhythm w/ Royce Campbell
Esperanza Spalding
Rene Marie
Joey Defrancesco Trio
Catherine Russell
http://www.jeffcenter.org/jazzclub

From new channels guru and sundries Dwayne Yancey:

>For the second week in a row, "OxyContin Rock" by the Roanoke Allstars has claimed the top spot on the MusicCast. So that now makes three weeks in a row that The Seed have been out of number one, after holding it down for nine weeks. "Demijohn" by the Pickin' Buds had the other week. They're still around, and so is Red Clay River, which has made a return to the Top 5. But Jimmy Danger, featuring Neanderpaul, has fallen out. Will "Nothing But Wrong" return? Likewise, "Blacksburg," by Mike Roos, another former number one video. Stay tuned. We base the MusicCast Top 5 on who gets the most plays so if there's someone you like, just keep on clicking.

>If you think your band's video should be in the Top 5, well, post it to our site, and maybe it will be. Three of these are videos the artists shot themselves and sent in to us. Details are below.

>Here’s the week's Top 5:
1. "Oxycontin Rock," by the Roanoke Allstars
2. "No More," by The Seed
3. "Can You Understand," by The Seed
4. "http://blogs.roanoke.com/musiccast/user_submitted/your_videos_truenoke_music.html," by the Pickin Buds
5. "http://blogs.roanoke.com/musiccast/r/red_clay_river.html" by Red Clay River

Next update coming: August 6

Go here for the review: http://www.roanoke.com/entertainment/wb/xp-171162.

Even at 82, King still has chops, a great voice and showmanship skills. The fact that he's not as fiery a player as he was 20 years ago didn't bother his audience on Tuesday night.

FloydFest, like any other big music festival, is like a massive amusement park -- it's impossible to ride all the rides, or in this case, hear all the bands.

If you went, who were your favorites? Who did you miss that had you kicking yourself?

Here are some from out S.W. Roanoke County blog ...
http://blogs.roanoke.com/swoco/2008/07/photos_of_swoco_people_at_floyd_fest_2008_1.html

FF organizers said on Sunday that they had estimated between 12,000-15,000 showed up. UPDATE: By Tuesday, the final estimate was about 12,000, according to spokeswoman Linda DeVito.

Even at the low end of that estimate, the festival's 7th incarnation would finish atop its previous attendance figures. An estimated 10,000-12,000 went last year.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to see attendance get much higher. The grounds are on Saturday were pretty full, but not obnoxiously so. There's plenty of elbow room, no frustratingly long lines anywhere -- including most of the food and drink vendors -- and camping is not overcrowded.

I'll try to find out the festival grounds' capacity this week. UPDATED: FF spokeswoman Linda Devito says that organizer believe the grounds would max out at about 14,000 people.

I was planning to post a lot this afternoon, but my laptop tanked, a power issue at the Internet kiosk just killed an entry, and I want to see the Avetts. So here's a quick post, and the last one today.

First, The Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band just flat rocked it. Four shows here, and the group became the buzz of the festival. Someone has got to bring them in for a date in Roanoke, Blacksburg or Floyd before the next fest. Please.

The reverend's Piedmont blues on acid, wildly varying tempos and musical sidekicks -- his wife on washboard and his brother on drums -- are strengthened by the force of his personality. Peyton wants singalongs on every song, and plenty of new fans at FloydFest complied.

Check this act out!

If you're a big fan of the Avett Brothers, then you know that today's final act recently signed with Columbia/American Records, and their next CD will be a Rick Rubin production. Now I'm going to catch the rest of the band's set, and look forward to what happens with the Avetts and Rubin.

If you're not in Floyd to catch the band, they'll be at Jefferson Center on September 19.

There are a ton of people I'd like to mention here, and I'll try to wrap that up tomorrow. But for now, I'm out.

Earlier this week, I ran into John McBroom, bassist for Blue Mule. Turns out, he's a production honcho here at the fest, and has been volunteering here for several years.

As we spoke, a young woman drove up in one of the fest's many golf carts. McBroom introduced me to his daughter, Melissa, 18.

"She's going to be the youngest production manager at FloydFest," he said.

Since about year two, Melissa and her mom, Chastity McBroom, have been volunteers at the merchandise tent, where Melissa worked for Chastity, or Chaz. The next year, Melissa McBroom was assistant manager at merch. She was 13.

"She absolutely just rocks it, and takes care of it in a beautiful way," mother said of daughter.

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