City of Roses gets Grammy winner for music festival

Christopher Cross, a pop singer who broke out with a 1979 album containing the hits "Sailing," "Ride Like the Wind," and "Arthur's Theme," will headline the 2003 City of Roses Music Festival.

The festival also will present regional bands playing jazz, rock, alternative rock and country music in addition to acoustic folk musicians. For the first time, this year's festival will offer a heavy metal venue.

The eighth annual festival will be presented Sept. 26 and 27 in downtown Cape Girardeau. The main stage once again will be set up on a barge on the Mississippi River. A tent in the parking lot at the south end of the shopping district will be the venue for heavy metal bands the first night and country music the second night of the festival. In addition, 20 to 25 regional bands will perform in downtown nightclubs over the two nights. A Battle of the Bands for younger groups will be held by the River City Yacht Club.

The Common Pleas Courthouse Gazebo will be employed to present singles, duos and acoustic music both afternoons of the festival.

Winning ways

Cross has won five Grammy Awards, an Oscar -- for "Arthur's Theme" in the 1980 movie of the same name -- and has recorded four No. 1 hits, selling nine million albums worldwide.

"We felt he was a great fit for the festival," said Dennis "Doc" Cain, chairman of this year's festival.

Wes Wade, a member of the festival committee and last year's chairman, said Cross should draw a slightly more youthful audience than recent years' headliners Eddie Money and Dave Mason, both of whom became famous earlier in the 1970s.

"I think he's got a little younger demographic than what have had in the past. He's hitting the low 40s and 30s," Wade said.

Booking headliners is always dependent on price and availability, Cain said. The committee's first choice, country star Keith Urban, was too pricey for the festival. Attempts to book younger alternative acts such as Keller Williams and Rusted Root failed because of scheduling conflicts.

Cross' newest CD is titled "Walking In Avalon," a double album that includes both new material and live versions of his biggest hits. It is the ninth album of his career.

The festival's goal is to offer as big a variety of music as possible, Cain said. The first night is being called the River Jam. It will offer four regional bands on the main stage. The decision to stay with local performers on the first night is a result of the small crowd drawn by last year's opening night act, the Nashville band Sixwire.

Though the river stage was sparsely attended that night, the downtown nightclubs with local bands were jammed with people.

Last year's festival averaged about 3,000 people per night, Cain said. "With a name like Christopher Cross, I think we can increase that."

Metal need

The Metalfest on the first night of the festival emerged from a need that arose over the past couple of years, Wade said. "Heavy metal bands and their following were looking for an area to perform their style of music."

The tent provides that without forcing heavy metal on club owners who may not want it in their venue.

Preceding Cross to the stage on Saturday night at the festival will be the Dead Musicians Society, a Southern Illinois jazz fusion band. Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp, a Southern Illinois aggregation that tours nationally, will perform after Cross.

In past years, the festival has presented gospel music on Sundays, but the shows have been poorly attended.

"We decided to forgo Sunday," Cain said. "We just could not get people to participate."

Also new this year will be a talent contest called the KBSI Idol Search. The winner will have an opportunity to try out for the TV show "American Idol." A children's talent contest is planned as well. These events are free.

Tickets will go on sale soon at Schnuck's. They are $10 per day in advance, $12 at the gate. All performances at the gazebo are free.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182