PERFORMERS SET FOR CITY OF ROSES FESTIVAL

Gospel singers, Native American drummers and classical, folk, bluegrass and rock 'n' roll groups will be among more than 50 musical acts performing at 14 different venues Friday and Saturday when the City of Roses Festival returns for its second year in downtown Cape Girardeau.

The festival will offer music in clubs, restaurants, art galleries, a church, a parking lot, a tea room and on the Main Stage at the corner of Main and Broadway.

Wristbands are $7 for Friday, $10 for Saturday. An advance wristband for both days is available for $15 at Shivelbine's Music Store and at Keys Music. Wristbands also will be available at the Main Stage both days.

The festival will kick off Thursday with the Southeast Missouri Music Awards Banquet at the Show Me Center. Individual musicians and groups will be honored. Tickets to the banquet are still available through Shivelbine's Music Store or Keys Music. The banquet begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m.

Entertainment at the banquet will be by the Southeast Jazz Combo -- Matt Yount, Dennis Mayberry, Mark Hamblin and Craig Marshall -- along with Mimi and John Kinnison, Texas Storm and Southeast Provost Dr. Charles Kupchella, who sings and plays guitar.

The first City of Roses Festival held last October produced a large turnout for the first night's Downtown Walk-Around. Cool weather reduced the expected crowd for the second day's outdoor concert and put the festival in the red. But Bill Shivelbine, the festival's primary financial backer, decided that the response to the first event warranted a second.

This year's festival, which is funded in part by the Missouri Arts Council, is striving for a wider audience than the first, which concentrated on rock 'n' roll. "The focus is on different cultures," says Fara McSpadden, secretary for the sponsoring City of Roses Music Heritage Association.

The goal of the association is to provide awareness and opportunities for musicians, McSpadden says.

Friday's music begins at 5 p.m. and continues until 1 a.m. (See schedule). Among the classical performers will be pianist Diana Weaver, the Paul Thompson Duo, the Faculty Three Jazz Trio, Arioso (Chaddie and Robert Fruehwald), the Carol McDowell Duo and the Becky Swett Duo.

Music for folk lovers will be provided by folk festival stalwarts Dave Para and Cathy Barton joined by 14-year-old Cape fiddler Liesl Schoenberger, and by Shade Tree Folk, a group composed of KRCU "Your Folk Connection" hosts Barney Harline, Jim Hickam and Terry Wright.

The Main Stage headliners Friday will be Bruce Zimmerman and the Shysters, the Rapco Blues Band and Nashville's Stacey Mitchhardt and Blues-U-Can-Use.

Mitchhard is well-known for packing the Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar on Nashville's Printer's Alley and for his high-energy stage presence.

"If you don't have a good time it's your own fault," says Brad Graham, who is in charge of the festival's entertainment.

Saturday's music will be presented from the Main Stage beginning at 12:30 p.m. with Sack Cloth & Ashes, a Christian music group, followed by Cherokee Nation, a presentation of Indian dancing and drumming.

Following in hourly increments will be the gospel of the Ware Sisters, the Latin music of Salsa Decarga, zydeco by Carbondale's Brown Baggers and bluegrass by The Ezells of Marble Hill.

The Main Stage evening will conclude with rock 'n' roll by Cape's Acme Blues, St. Louis bands Kamakazi Cowboys and Purge, Carbondale's world beat band Jungle Dogs and the ska sounds of Cataphasia. Other bands will play in the downtown clubs Saturday night. (See schedule)

A shuttle bus will run both nights from one end of the festival to the other -- the Bel Air Grill to The Edge.

CITY OF ROSES MUSIC FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

FridayArts Council5 p.m. - Diana Weaver, piano7 p.m. - Various classical artistsKelsen Gallery5 p.m. - Paul Thompson Duo7 p.m. - Arioso, flute and harp duoMollie's6 p.m. - Southeast Jazz Combo7 p.m. - Faculty Three jazz trioFirst Presbyterian Church7 p.m. - Dave Para and Cathy Barton, acoustic duo9 p.m. - Shade Tree FolkC.P. McGinty parking lot7 p.m. - House of Hope Praise and Worship Band7:45 p.m. - Sack Cloth & Ashes8:30 p.m. - Manna9:30 p.m. - Under the InfluenceTouch of Grace5 p.m. - Carol McDowell Duo6 p.m. - Becky Swett DuoPort Cape8 p.m. - Month of Sundays9 p.m. - Story Book10 p.m. - Jupiter House Band11 p.m. - St. Stephens BluesMidnight - Acme Blues BandBroussard's8 p.m. - Sonny Ford9 p.m. - Van Gogh's Ear10 p.m. - Brown Baggers11 p.m. - Bruce Zimmerman and the ShystersMidnight - Mud PuppiesRude Dog8 p.m. - 2nd Shift9 p.m. - Solid State10 p.m. - Open Face Grill11 p.m. - Trade MarkMidnight - Frontal NuditySharky's 8 p.m. - Smear9 p.m. - God Machine10 p.m. - Thunder Bay11 p.m. - PurgeMidnight - Turner UpBel Air Grill9 p.m. - Water Street Dixie10 p.m. - Earrelavant11 p.m. - The EzellsMidnight - Water Street Blues BandThe Edge8 p.m. - Dillagence9 p.m. - Thred10 p.m. - I Nothing11 p.m. - Human ZooMidnight - Papa AborigineJeremiah's8 p.m. - One Night Band9 p.m. - Funky Donkey, Cheese10 p.m. - Salsa Descarga11 p.m. - CataphasiaMidnight - Boro City RollersMain Stage7 p.m. - Bruce Zimmerman and the Shysters8 p.m. - Rapco Blues Band9 p.m. - Stacey Mitchhardt and Blues-U-Can-UseSaturdayJeremiah's8 p.m. - Storybook9 p.m. - Thred10 p.m. - Van Gogh's Ear11 p.m. - Funky DonkeyMidnight - Papa AborigineThe Edge9 p.m. - Thunder Bay10 p.m. - All That Matters11 p.m. - Solid StateMidnight - Human ZooBroussard's8 p.m. - Sonny Ford9 p.m. - Jupiter House10 p.m. - Salsa Descarga11 p.m. - Acme Blues BandMidnight - Bruce Zimmerman and the ShystersRude Dog8 p.m. - Frontal Nudity9 p.m. - Trademark10 p.m. - Open Face Grill11 p.m. - I NothingMidnight - PurgeSharky's 8 p.m. - One Night Band9 p.m. - Turner Up10 p.m. - Dillagence11 p.m. - Daddy CoolMidnight - CataphasiaBel Air Grill8 p.m. - Brown Baggers9 p.m. - The Ezells10 p.m. - Water Street Dixie11 p.m. - Shade Tree FolkMidnight - EarrelavantMain Stage12:30 p.m. - Sack Cloth & Ashes1:30 p.m. - Cherokee Nation2:30 p.m. - The Ware Sisters3:30 p.m. - Salsa Decarga4:30 p.m. - Brown Baggers5:30 p.m. - The Ezells6:30 p.m. - Acme Blues Band7:30 p.m. - Kamakazi Cowboys8:30 p.m. - Purge9:30 p.m. - Jungle Dogs10:30 p.m. - Cataphasia