Keyshia Cole Last Night

Macy's Music Festival a big hit

Easy to find at the first night of the Macy's Music Festival Friday: Fans dressed in white linen and bold graphic and floral prints, women teetering down the steps of Paul Brown Stadium in high-heeled sandals, and people dancing in their seats from the moment the first act, the Zapp Band, took the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Harder to find: Fans from Cincinnati.

Organizers of the annual R&B, jazz, soul and hip-hop festival, the Santangelo Group Inc., estimate that 70 to 75 percent of the crowd every year comes from out of town, from cities like Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta.

Why? Linda Bussell and Carol Taylor-Lagredelle of Chicago, who were among the first to take their seats Friday night, had a theory: Because people get so busy with work and life, they don't go out as much where they live.

"I come because I'm a nursing educator, and it's a chance to get away and relax," said Taylor-Lagredelle, 55.

The two longtime friends were among six busloads of people from a step-dance group in Chicago who came to the festival. With performers including Frankie Beverly and Maze, Charlie Wilson, the Whispers, Chaka Khan, Kem, El DeBarge and Keyshia Cole, it was expected to draw 25,000 people Friday night and again tonight, said Fran Santangelo, director of marketing and public relations. By 9 p.m. Friday, a crowd of 24,800 had filled the stadium, and people were still buying tickets, she said.

Beverly canceled a Friday afternoon appearance at Macy's Downtown because of a family emergency but is still scheduled to perform tonight, Santangelo said.

Attendance at the festival, which drew 47,500 people last year, has inched up since 2005, the year the festival returned after a three-year hiatus prompted by the civil unrest in the city in spring 2001.

The festival began in 1962 as an all-jazz event.

Although festival regulars such as Frankie Beverly and Charlie Wilson draw a big baby boomer-aged crowd to Macy's every year, the festival is not without its younger fans. Ashley Meadows of Dayton, 22, was attending the festival for the first time Friday with her mother, 45-year-old Michelle Easterling.

Easterling came primarily to see KEM and Charlie Wilson, while soul singer Anthony Hamilton was the big attraction for Meadows.

"I can't wait to see Anthony Hamilton because his songs are probably the only ones I'm going to know," Meadows said. "Everybody else, they're before my time. But him? I'm gonna be up there singing.

Keyshia Cole Joined Onstage By Husband And Son | Bossip

@nika tha diva, yea she’s the non mutha effin factor but she has a music career, a husband thats as finnee as hell, a beautiful son. While you on the other hand are on a gossip blog writing about her, showing your jealousy. Yea your right, she’s the non mutha effing factor *rolls eyes* any way, beautiful family. I’m so happy for her. She finally seems to have the love shes always wanted

[...] Keyshia Cole treated fans to a special guest appearance at her Chene Park show last night. During Keyshia Cole’s performance in Detroit last night, she stopped her set to dedicate a remixed rendition of the Isley Brother’s “Voyage To Atlantis”. Just as she began to intro the performance her son DJ ran out on stage. They were later joined on stage by her husband Daniel “Boobie” Gibson. Aw how precious. Props to @itsyagirlAC of HOT 102.7 for the vi … Read More [...

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