Rapper Trey Songz was the last performance for the opening night of the Common Ground Music Festival on Monday in Lansing. The festival runs through Sunday.
As Grammy-nominated hip-hop star Trey Songz took to the stage of the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing on Monday, the young crowd shrieked in anticipation of the Atlantic Records artist.
During his set, Songz hyped his fans with his mainstream songs and made sure more than the neighbors knew his name.
“He’s like on superstar status, that’s it,” said Lansing resident Markus Brown.
Thousands of residents packed the grounds of Lansing’s Adado Riverfront Park for the 12th annual Common Ground Music Festival, which started Monday and goes through Sunday.
Early in the week, the festival will include headlining acts such as Rick Springfield, The Verve Pipe, The Charlie Daniels Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and will feature Theory of a Deadman, LL Cool J and Melissa Etheridge in the following nights.
Malinda Barr, media coordinator and spokesperson for the event, said the demographics of the crowd vary and are heavily based on the performer in a given evening.
“We want to provide something for all kinds of different music genres that are out there,” Barr said. “We’ve got young rock, we’ve got young country, we’ve got heritage country, a little bit of R&B and a hip hop. There’s a cross section of the music industry represented every year at Common Ground.”
Coordinating Common Ground
The festival features two stages, complete with separate lineups of performers slated to appear each night.
Barr said the planning of Common Ground is a process that includes booking talent — a process which begins in January to figure out the touring schedules of various artists — securing volunteers, getting sponsorship and several other elements to make things run smoothly each summer.
“We have over 300 volunteers that do all of the volunteer pieces from walking in the crowds and managing security to hospitality for artists,” Barr said.
In addition to bringing people in the gates for an evening of music, the week of Common Ground pumps revenue into local hotels and businesses.
Brooke Robertson, director of sales at University Quality Inn in Lansing, said Common Ground is one of the busiest weeks of the year for the hotel. Robertson said the hotel will offer special rates for concertgoers along with free drinks, free continental breakfast and shuttles to-and-from the festival.
“We definitely see an increase in business,” Robertson said. “It’s kind of like a homecoming weekend, but for the entire week.”
Musically marvelous
The music of Common Ground often rivals larger music festivals across the country.
Since its inception, the festival has featured acts including rockers ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar and 3 Doors Down to rappers Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and Three 6 Mafia along with parody artist “Weird Al” Yankovic.
This year’s festival is sure to impress various demographics with a different package of local and national artists and many genres performing.
Brian Vander Ark, the lead singer of the Michigan-based band The Verve Pipe, said it’s nice to be able to play a show so close to home. Vander Ark, who rose to fame with the band’s 1996 Billboard Hot 100 hit “The Freshmen,” said although the area lacks venues to play shows, it’s a great experience to come back and play here.
“There’s always being familiar with your surroundings, it’s comforting for a rock show,” Vander Ark said. “To look out in the audience and see familiar faces that are anxious for your show is a great thing rather than playing in Los Angeles where somebody might be more jaded.”
Festival Fun
For the fans of Common Ground, the festival is a landmark in their summer schedules.
Albion, Mich., resident Ken Saville said he got free tickets to Common Ground, so he brought his daughter and a friend to see Trey Songz on Monday night. Saville said he’s come to the event before and he enjoys the atmosphere of it.
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“It’s a great venue, very pleasant,” Saville said. “I think it’s good, it gives people something to do, it’s a good event.”
Besides being a staple in the summer entertainment scene in Lansing, Barr said the festival is the crown jewel of the summer in large part due to the hard work and dedication from the people who put together the event.
“We’ve had a number of music festivals in our area and none of them have been as successful as this one for as long a period of time,” Barr said. “While they all had their place in the progression of Common Ground, Common Ground is the ultimate.”
For more information and for a schedule of the remaining acts to appear at Common Ground, visit commongroundfest.com
