`YESTERDAY' RETURNS TO RIVERFEST; DIXIANA WILL PERFORM COUNTRY MUSIC FRIDAY

Mainstage entertainment at Riverfest promises some local favorites along with some better-known, up-and-coming performers.

The group, Yesterday, as the Beatles, is the headline act on Saturday. The group was a hit last year, and Riverfest organizers say that's why they asked the fab-four impersonators back.

"I think it targets the demographics that are Riverfest," said Tracy Childers of the Riverfest Entertainment Committee.

"You've got parents who may remember listening to the Beatles, and their kids who may be introduced to it for the first time. It's a real family show. It went over very, very well last year and is worth repeating."

The headline group on Friday is Dixiana, a South Carolina-based group that is just beginning to make its mark in country music. The five-member band has a female lead singer, Cindy Murphy, and has just released its first self-titled album.

"The consensus was that country is real hot right now," Childers said. "In fact, if there is a booming business in 1992, it's country music.

"As a result of that, there are a lot of virtually unknown artists who are hitting the charts with their top-40 country sound. Dixiana is one of them. I think they're going to be a driving force in country music."

The first single from Dixiana's album, "Waiting for the Deal to Go Down," is receiving national airplay. The group has made several videos, and the one for "Waiting" is being featured on Country Music Television.

Childers said the Riverfest committee felt country would be a bigger hit than a rock 'n' roll band for Friday's entertainment.

"We felt like we could please the masses better with the top-40 country," he said.

Other mainstage entertainers on Friday include Bruce Zimmerman and the Downtown Blues Band at 6:30 p.m., followed by the All-Star-Blues Band at 8 p.m. Dixiana will perform at about 9 p.m., Childers said. All performance times are approximate.

On Saturday, activity on the mainstage begins at noon with The New Humans, a contemporary Christian group. They will be followed by the Heartland Songwriters at 1 p.m. and Volume 2, a teen country act at 2 p.m.

The Riverfest Queen contest then takes the stage, until 6:60 or 7 p.m., when Waterstreet 6, a Dixieland jazz group, will perform. Yesterday, as the Beatles will take the stage at approximately 9 p.m. and play two sets, one before and one after the fireworks.

Several acts will also perform off the main stage at the two-day festival. Strolling acts include magician Bill Coomer and the Girardeau chapter of the Sweet Adelines with Heart Accord. Also on the grounds, Steve & Stevie, a fiddle and guitar group, The Cape German Band and the Southeast Squaredancers will perform.

In the beer garden, Night Shift will appear on Friday night and Bill Barnett will appear on Saturday night.