Missed a show, didja? Check out Waterfront Wednesday Revisited!

Cracker (approx. 9pm)

A brief rundown of Cracker’s history: Lowery, in the mid-80s, in Santa Cruz, California, formed Camper Van Beethoven, and their “Take the Skinheads Bowling” became an instant college radio staple. When CVB disbanded on tour in Sweden, following their second major label release, Lowery formed Cracker with his longtime friend Johnny Hickman. (The pair had met on the local music scene as teenagers in Redlands, CA.) Cracker’s emergent sound had less in common with Camper’s exotic excursions and was more in synch with the Kinks and Southern roots music. They released their self-titled debut on Virgin, and following the #1 Modern Rock hit “Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now),” the band became a minor commercial sensation (complete with then-significant MTV exposure). The platinum-selling Kerosene Hat contained the enormous, era-defining hit single “Low,” as well as “Get Off This,” and “Eurotrash Girl.” When the dust settled, Cracker found themselves with an ever-growing, devoted following both in the U.S. (where fans refer to themselves as Crumbs) and throughout Europe. Today the band stays well connected to yet another generation of fans via internet, many of whom were kids when these alt-rock godfathers were first ruling rock radio.

 

Read more at their web site

 

Will Hoge (approx. 7:30pm)

Hoge’s sacrifices are second nature to him. He is what some refer to in the business today as a “career” artist, a dedicated, straight-talking guy more interested in longevity than a hit single, in building a fan base than winning a Grammy. Five years from now, you will not find him making sandwiches at Quiznos or copies at Kinko’s. He will be playing music. “In my mind I don’t have a choice. I want a career in music, and to me, a ‘career’ is not five years, but 35.”

In life, and on his brilliant new album, Draw the Curtains, Hoge follows in the footsteps of musical archetypes like Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Hank Williams, Van Morrison, Patty Griffin, Neil Young and Bob Dylan. These artists inspire him not just for their work, but for their approach to their art. They exist outside the traditional economic constraints of “success” and “failure,” and do their own thing on their own time. “They would all be playing music whether there was money in it or not,” says Hoge. “All of them would be homeless rather than do something else. In my mind, you’re either a musician or you’re not.”

In a way, Hoge himself is homeless. That is, if you don’t think of a tour bus as home. That’s where he spends most of his time, 200 nights a year, zig-zagging the country, doing what the good Lord put him on this earth to do. He headlines most of those dates, but has also played supporting slots for the Black Crowes, My Morning Jacket and the Drive-By Truckers, among many others, as well as dates at Bonnaroo and the Austin City Limits festival.

“I’m embarrassingly in love with rock and roll,” he admits. “It’s disgusting. We ride around and play rock and roll. On the bus after shows we listen to records and turn each other on to new music. When we get home we spend a little time with loved ones, but within about 72 hours of being home we’re back together listening to records again, or looking for guitars, or something. I can’t lie about it, it’s all-consuming.”

 

Visit the official website

  

Great Lake Swimmers (approx. 6pm)

When Great Lake Swimmers’ Tony Dekker wrote the song “Everything is Moving So Fast,” he couldn’t have predicted that it would foreshadow the rapid success of the Toronto band’s fourth album, LOST CHANNELS. For a project that has seen a slow upward trajectory since its humble beginnings in 2001, the Great Lake Swimmers are suddenly getting exponentially more attention across North America and Europe, entrancing newcomers to the band with Dekker’s unforgettable voice and compelling songwriting.

That LOST CHANNELS was a success in Canada is no surprise: Great Lake Swimmers have long been a word-of-mouth favourite for whom critical mass was inevitable, and they are regarded as a national treasure by the country’s public broadcaster, the CBC; LOST CHANNELS recently topped the chart on CBC Radio 3 (which is also broadcast in the U.S. on Sirius Satellite Radio). It also sat at #1 on iTunes’ Singer/Songwriter chart.

Read more at their site

ABOUT WATERFRONT WEDNESDAY
Waterfront Wednesday is presented by 91.9 WFPK and Waterfront Development Corporation with support from Friends of the Waterfront. This seasons sponsors include Commonwealth Bank and Trust, Goose Island Brewing Company, Hornitos Tequila and Spalding University. The show is on the Harbor Lawn at Waterfront Park and FREE to all! Gates open at 5pm. Start times are approximate.

No outside alcohol, No glass and please, no pets.