7 Walkers will headline new Afterbend event

For you folks who wish that Riverbend, or at least the music, would continue on into the night, the folks at Subversive Activities have created Afterbend, a late-night concert featuring 7 Walkers.

It will take place June 18 at First Tennessee Pavilion after Riverbend Festival's final performances of the evening. Afterbend is an official after-party being presented through a partnership with Subversive Activities and Friends of the Festival.

7 Walkers features drummer and co-founder of the Grateful Dead Bill Kreutzmann along with bluesman and voodoo electronic pioneer Papa Mali, bass virtuoso George Porter Jr. of The Meters and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard. The band will be making stops at select markets and festivals throughout the country.

Their music's a mix of Grateful Dead classics with some Papa Mali originals and New Orleans funk interpretations.

"We have typically closed down the festival around 11 p.m. to midnight each night and called it a day," said Andy Tallent, Riverbend director of public relations. "The Afterbend show is an incredible way to keep the music playing and the party going, and you couldn't pick a better act to kick off late-night shows than the 7 Walkers. We are looking forward to seeing this grow and become a can'tmiss event."

Subversive Activities is new to the area. A news release describes the enterprise as "a group of individuals who support the uprooting of music from the plight of establishment by revolutionizing the entertainment experience for the Chattanooga region."

Tickets are $15 with the showing of a Riverbend Festival pin, $18 for general admission.

This is not the first time Riverbend has tried something new or something off-campus, so to speak. Years ago, they tried booking a concert at McKenzie Arena during the festival.

Last week, I wrote about a book David Carroll is putting together to celebrate the many folks who have informed and entertained us on local radio and TV airwaves over the years.

On May 23, the 12th annual Tommy Jett Entertainers Reunion, featuring many of those same people, will take place at the Town & Country/Bourbon Street Blues Club on East 23rd Street.

Jett created the event 17 years ago - it missed a couple of years for a variety of reasons - as a way to bring his friends and colleagues together. It has developed into a communitywide reunion, concert and fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

The program will start with the reunion from 1 to 3 p.m.

The doors will be open to the public beginning at 3 p.m. with a suggested donation of $5.

Live music will begin at 4 p.m.

Among those expected to perform will be Jimmy Harris, Jimmy Talwater, Paul Smith, Jeff Cook, Convertibull and Roger Alan Wade.

E-mail Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress. com.

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