Hosting the NCAA Final Four games, Atlanta will be buzzing with activity
No matter what team you are pulling for in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, you should be in Atlanta this weekend. The city will be buzzing with activity as it hosts the NCAA Final Four games and plans to provide more entertainment than basketball games for college sports fans. Starting Friday, and lasting until Sunday, a number of big-time bands will be playing in Centennial Olympic Park, right next to Tech. The best part is that the entire weekend will be free. However, it is estimated that over 100,000 people will cram into the park, so be warned and arrive early. For those who are still not quite sure what internationally popular acts will be headlining each day, here’s a handy breakdown of the event.
Friday
3:00PM – The AT&T block party will open, and crowds will begin flooding into the park.
4:45PM – The band Saints of Valory will begin playing. This quartet rock group has been likened to adult alternative/rock bands like Coldplay or the Killers. Their music is described as “alternative rock with pop and indie influences.” Though fairly new, the group has released an EP album The Bright Lights with the hit “Providence.”
7:00PM – My Morning Jacket will take the stage. The rock band, led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jim James, originated in Louisville, Kentucky fifteen years ago. This group has released five albums and has a psychedelic/roots/southern rock sound. The band has appeared on a number of TV shows, including Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brian, How I Met Your Mother, The Vampire Diaries, House and much more.
Acts include Flo Rida and Sting, promising an unforgettable time for all
9:00PM – Georgia’s own Zac Brown Band will come out to play for their huge gathering of fans. This country and folk rock band, led by lead singer and guitarist Zac Brown himself, is based in Atlanta and began not far from the city. The group has released five studio albums, with nine number-one hits on the Billboard country charts, including “Chicken Fried,” “Toes,” “Highway 20 Ride,” “Free,” “Knee Deep” and more. Over the course of their illustrious career, Zac Brown Band has received 55 nominations and won seven awards ranging from the Grammy awards to those awarded by the Country Music Association.
Saturday
12:00PM – The Park opens.
12:15PM – Atlanta-based Yacht Rock Revue will begin playing. This group covers material from ‘70s light rock artists such as Steely Dan, Michael McDonald and Hall & Oates. The band is unique in that it bonds with its audience through not only spot-on musical covers, but also comedic bits and original acts.
1:45PM – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, known for their hit song and video “Thrift Shop,” will take the stage together. The hip-hop and rap artists have recently been working together, but Macklemore released his debut studio album The Heist in October of last year.
3:15PM – The Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris will perform before a crowd even larger than his previous Atlanta concert last fall (50,000 in attendance). His seven albums have been hugely successful, along with his business ventures and acting career.
4:30PM – Flo Rida will begin his act. This rapper has produced many number one hits including “Low,” “Right Round,” “Club Can’t Handle Me” and “Whistle.” His success and popularity can also be seen through his 47 nominations and sixteen awards from the Grammys, American Music Awards, Teen Choice Awards and more.
8:30PM – The English rock band Muse will take the stage to perform their famous alternative/progressive rock music. There are only three official members in the group, who have together released six studio albums. Known for their international hit “Uprising,” this band has sold over fifteen million records around the world.
Sunday
2:00PM – The Park opens.
2:30PM – Indie folk and rock band Blind Pilot will begin to play. Based out of Oregon, this group of six has released only one studio album to date, which reached Number 13 on the Billboard Top Digital Albums chart. Known for their song “Go On, Say It,” Blind Pilot appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ show this past January on her birthday, as they are one of her favorites.
4:15PM – The Vermont-based Grace Potter & The Nocturnals will perform. This group has released five albums and opens regularly for big-name acts. Lead singer Grace Potter, known for her vocal abilities and compared to famous singers such as Janis Joplin, recorded the country song “You and Tequila” with Kenny Chesney. The band plays mostly blues, folk and country rock.
6:00PM – English musician, actor, activist, philanthropist and songwriter Sting will take the stage. As the leader of former English band The Police, Sting is a veteran to the music industry compared to the weekend’s other acts. With ten albums under his belt, most of which went platinum, he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sting’s music cannot be narrowed down to a single genre, as he incorporates new age, classical, reggae, jazz and rock styles into his productions, but it is always a good listen, and will no doubt be one of the major highlights of the entire weekend.
8:00PM – The Dave Matthews Band will begin to perform, playing in Atlanta for what may be the only time this year. Founded in Virginia, the rock band has been active for over two decades with eight studio albums and a whopping eighteen live records. While the group has only won one Grammy, they sell out the largest venues in the world when they travel (which is almost all the time), and are in the top ten highest grossing bands currently playing. The Dave Matthews Band’s jam-style music has won the support of fans of all ages, and promises a great finale to this weekend’s Final Four concerts. Atlanta always promises great entertainment, and this weekend will continue that trend.