Summer's dog days can be dull. And so Bele Chere coordinators are calling this, the three-day, 80-band-strong festival's 27th installment, the "Year of Surprises."
But the source of two of 2005's most promising special events is no surprise: KISS Country's Asheville Star Competition and the Bele Chere Boot Camp Urban Challenge were clearly inspired by popular reality-TV shows American Idol and Survivor, respectively.
The Urban Challenge, the festival's newest special event, pits pre-qualified contestants against each other in a series of presumably grueling "athletic, mental and creative challenges." Coordinators were coy about outlining the parameters of the above-mentioned contests. The prize, though, is clear enough: That man or woman who survives three days "stranded" on the specially roped-off island between City/County Plaza and Pack Square will leave with an all-expenses-paid, seven-day cruise.
Squeamish readers, please note: Coordinators promise there will be no Survivor-style eating of creepy-crawly ground-dwellers during the Urban Challenge.
However, there's plenty of grit to chew on when it comes to this year's live-music lineup.
The roughly gorgeous melodies of rising stars the Drive-By Truckers, combined with the genre-cementing anthems of the Marshall Tucker Band, mark an unprecedented march home of Southern rock: Dig out your lighters and prepare to be moved.
Blues rock also makes an especially vivid showing for Bele Chere 2005 -- expect not only Susan Tedeschi, supporting her raved-about new album Wait for Me, but also her scandalously young husband, prodigy guitarist Derek Trucks. Atlanta's favorite bluesman Tinsley Ellis will also expose his chops at Bele Chere.
It'll be a small world for jam band fans this year -- improv-rock lovers are likely to meet each other at numerous high-profile outings, including appearances by Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon, John Hiatt featuring members of the North Mississippi Allstars, the Codetalkers featuring Col. Bruce Hampton, SeepeopleS, and more.
Sure, there'll be plenty of authentic surprises at Bele Chere (look and listen for giveaways, unexpected events and surprise performances, appropriately signaled by a giant jack-in-the-box).
But for now, we'll just settle for the sweet surprise of a heretofore-unequaled Bele Chere band roster. (The addition of Blues Traveler with Derek Trucks on the festival's first ticketed stage came more in the shape of a shock for some -- rest assured that all other live-music acts will be free, as usual.) For a real-world glimpse at some of the most momentous acts -- as well as a local-centric peek at food and art offerings -- we present our Insider's Guide in these pages.
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