Compuware 4th Fridays in the Park Returns To Campus Martius
DETROIT -- The highly anticipated "Compuware 4th Fridays in the Park" returns to Campus Martius on June 28 with headliner Average White Band, presented by Meridian Health Plan. July features Thousand Foot Krutch and the series culminates in August with the late Bob Marley's legendary reggae band The Wailers.
Originally started as a monthly downtown music celebration at Campus Martius Park, the Compuware 4th Fridays have now expanded to include a marketplace for food and artisan shopping. This year's 4th Fridays in the Park will now carry over into Saturdays as well, with the marketplace, more music and a new KidZ show. This is all part of the Quicken Loans Summer in the Park 2013 season, which is kicking off music, entertainment and activities in five downtown parks and spaces.
The first of the 4th Friday series, June 28 and June 29, will also launch the opening of The Beach @ Campus Martius Park. The Beach will debut with the creation of six-foot by eight-foot sand sculpture by the Sand Lovers, which will be completed by 2 p.m. on Friday. The Beach, created with a grant from Southwest Airlines and other downtown Detroit business supporters, will be open through September and includes a large deck with a variety of open seating options, umbrellas and tables, making it a perfect destination for those looking to have a little fun in the sun while staying in Downtown Detroit this summer. Food and drinks on the deck will be available daily with the Beach Bar and Grille.
"The scene in downtown is becoming more and more interesting and exciting every day," said Bob Gregory, senior vice president of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. "Where else can you enjoy great Detroit music for free in a beautiful setting, sit on a beach in the heart of downtown, experience an ever changing variety of street food options and a new artisan marketplace?"
The downtown music celebration kicks off Friday, June 28 at noon with singer-songwriter Emilio Basa and company. Basa will fill the plaza with his musical mix of pop, funk and folk until 2 p.m on the McDonald's Stage.
The opening performance for the evening portion, Sin Hielo, made up of guitar giants Wayne Gerard and Sean Blackman, will begin at 5:30 p.m. Sin Hielo's Latin, jazz and rock sounds infused with percussion will serve as a foot-tapping and hand clapping prelude to Monica Blaire's 7 p.m. performance packed with expressive vocals and her diverse, eclectic sound. At 9 p.m., the night's headliners, Average White Band, will take the stage. This six-man musical ensemble is the Scottish funk and R&B band that had a series of soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980. They are best known for their million selling song, "Pick Up the Pieces" and their albums AWB and Cut the Cake.
The 4th Fridays series continues on July 26 with performances by JC Heard JazzWeek@Wayne, Steffanie Christi'an and Taproot. The headliner of this all-day musical celebration is Thousand Foot Krutch, an award-winning Canadian rock band presented by 89X.
On Aug. 26, the 4th Fridays series will come to a close with musical guests Eliza Neals, the Nyce Band, the Infatuations, and the legendary reggae band The Wailers, presented by T-Mobile.
More at www.campusmartiuspark.org.
