Live on the Levee: Which year’s lineup is the best?
This summer’s Live on the Levee lineup is the strongest yet, believes organizers at the Fair St. Louis Foundation.
And with Black Crowes, One Republic, Lonestar, Boyz II Men, War, Rusted Root, O.A.R., and Umphrey’s McGee/Sound Tribe Sector 9 booked for the free St. Louis riverfront concert series that begins in July, a decent argument can be made.
But it may also a tough argument best left up to individual interpretation and taste.
2007’s version of Live on the Levee featured Bruce Hornsby, Musiq Soulchild, Emmylou Harris, Ani DiFranco, John Michael Montgomery, Robert Randolph, Los Lonely Boys, and Steel Pulse.
2006 was the first full year of Live on the Levee after a truncated preview in 2005. Concerts were Cameo and Morris Day and the Time, Better Than Ezra and Sister Hazel, India Arie, Big Head Todd and Toad the Wet Sprocket, Cheap Trick, Lyle Lovett, Grand Funk Railroad, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Edwin McCain.
Looking at all three lineups, real pluses can be found with each. But does year’s lineup outweigh the others?
Which year is Live on the Levee’s best lineup?
Photo: Black Crowes
Kevin C. Johnson has covered the St. Louis' music and nightlife scene for the past decade. 
Love the Black Crowes and War. Boyz II Men…good solid family oriented show. Depending on the opening acts, there should be some good audience participation this year.
2006 with India Arie was incredible. Cameo and Morris Day, Cheap Trick and Lyle Lovett were no brainers. So that was a pretty solid line up.
2007’s Musiq Soulchild was great because of the openers, STL fav Lamar Harris and the “next big new soul artist” Chrisette Michelle. Coupled up with Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Ani DiFranco, Emmylou Harris (LOVE HER!), Steele Pulse and Bruce Hornsby I think overall last years lineup was actually pretty doggone good. Probably the best so far (relative to what we are comparing), although I think it would have been even hotter if they had traded Musiq in for somebody who does a hot live show. Sort of like this year - Boyz II Men, like Musiq, has a solid repetoire of hits that the audience love to sing along with, but the actual show energy is blah. And we know this going in. A note to whomever makes these choices: Please try somebody like a Raphael Saddiq (Tony, Toni, Tone), Anthony Hamilton or Maxwell for the “R&B/Soul spot”.
They have done okay in my opinion. They can do way better but the audience has got to be more vocal to get who we want here. Okay, rant over. Sorry for the blog inside the blender! LOL!