The 14th Annual Ford Arts, Beats & Eats Festival landed in Royal Oak for the second time this Labor Day weekend. From September 2-5, 2011 the downtown streets of the suburb were filled with local and national music on ten stages, hundreds of artists from across the country and dozens of local eateries providing samples of their cuisine.
I had never attended this event before while it was in Pontiac and looked forward to finally having a chance to check it out. Our first stop was the Robert Mondavi Wine tent for the fifth annual Robert Mondavi Discover Wine Tour. Here one was able to gather knowledge of the distinctive brand and sample the various wines. Their wine experts on staff were quick to guide you in the right direction in making your selections. Being a wine "fan" not an aficionado, I had never experienced Mondavi wines before and was pleasantly surprised by the superb taste and variety of California wines they offer. I had a taste of their refreshing Private Selection Riesling and went back for more! I highly recommend selecting a bottle or two for your next soiree. Their other attractions throughout the weekend included a Wine and Cooking Stage with local guest chefs preparing food and wine pairings, wine tasting seminars and an interactive iPad station for guests to watch videos, get recipes and view the story of the winery.
It was off to check out the music on the Michigan Lottery Stage where the retro swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy finished up their set of originals and classics such as "Minnie the Moocher." I was here to see The Psychedelic Furs - the '80s English post-punk turned pop band. I was eagerly awaiting their performance when I heard prior that they were playing songs from their extensive catalog. This quickly turned to disappointment when they failed to do so and relied heavily on a set that centered on their mid-'80s albums "Forever Now" and "Mirror Moves," with the exception of their hit "Pretty in Pink." The outdoor setting and sound didn't do them justice, as this is a band that needs to be heard in a dark club more suitable for their music.
Next up was the legendary funk band George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. It took forever for the main event to take the stage but that just made the crowd more excited when he did appear. When P-Funk take the stage they literally TAKE IT OVER! The band features about a dozen musicians and various guest stars throughout the show. The master himself, George Clinton, definitely brought the funk for their epic set that had the crowd dancing the night away way past closing time!
By the time the music ended the artists were already packing up their works, so I didn't get a chance to view much artwork. The exhibitors I did see ranged from glass to handmade jewelry to photography.
Venturing through the streets to find food that wasn't carnival fare, we settled on a dish from Boukie's Grill, a Middle Eastern restaurant who have recently opened a new Royal Oak location. It was very good and fresh or maybe we were just really hungry. We noshed while listening to a cover band butcher the Elvis Costello classic "Watching the Detectives." I wondered why they would book a cover band while there are so many local original bands that would have loved the opportunity to play to a sizeable audience such as this, but then I remembered where I was at.
While I didn't get a chance to check out all that the festival has to offer, there is always next year.
(Photos: Peter Schorn - Rock Out Shots)
