Dr2's Stars & Stripes Preview

Starting this Friday, Downtown Mt. Clemens will play host to the 4^th Annual Stars & Stripes Festival, which has quickly become the Premier Music Festival, and the only major festival to remain free in the Detroit Area. A family friendly event, the festival encompasses the entire downtown district with fireworks, food, shopping, carnival rides and even a petting zoo for the kids. But the main attraction has got to be the music that takes place on 4 stages located through out the

Family Fun For Everyone!

festival, featuring national, regional, & local acts, this festival has become thee fest to play. With the recent announcement that Detroit's "Comerica Taste Fest" will no longer be held over the holiday weekend, Stars & Stripes jumped at the opportunity to move the festival from its familiar last weekend in June, to the July 4^th weekend, while expanding to 4 days. Headlining Friday Nights National Music Stage will be the Rockets, reuniting to bring us their hits from the late ‘70's that include Turn Up The Radio, Oh Well, & Lucille. Opening up for them will be Michigan's own Send More Cops, Stellar Drive, and Dirty Americans to give the night a definitive local flare before newcomers Love & Theft and the Legendary John Waite hit the stage before the Fireworks show that will finish as The Rockets take the stage. The Real Detroit Rock Stage plays host to local upstarts Shockwave, while the Made In Detroit Country Stage (?) welcomes a slew of Detroit Country Artists that includes Stephen Clarke (yes, Channel 7 News Anchor). Julianne, The Wrenfields, and David Shelby, all "made in Detroit" while the lone Nashville resident Ashley Allyson hits the stage around 6:15 pm. Look for local former Motown player, Melvin Davis to drop his blend of Motown over at the intimate Fountain Stage at around 10pm.

Saturday the action continues in overdrive as local

heroes, Critical Bill, riding a huge wave of recent success, including winning the 2010  Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Hard Rock Group, open up a great night of music on the National Stage that will see the recently reunited Fuel and Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil rockin the Clem in front of what will undoubtedly be a huge crowd. The Real Detroit Rock Stage will step it up a notch as it brings in Local MC & Hip Hop Artist HUSH to headline a strong line up that will feature the return of Lies Unknown, the rockin blues of Black Irish, and the sweet pop sounds of Bear Lake during the day. Local Country acts, Red Hill and Austin Scott play the Real Detroit Country Stage on Saturday.

Sunday will bring a bit of that country twang to the National Stage with local country artists JoCaine & Annabelle Road tuning the crowd for John Michael Montgomery, but as an added twist, the rock band Warrant will finish out the night. Be sure to catch the local rock blues group, The Muggs, who you may remember from Fox TV's Great American Band, and who have just recently returned from a sold out headlining tour across Spain, always a monumental performance from these guys opening up in the afternoon! Mike Lombardi of the hit TV series, Rescue Me, headlines the Real Detroit Rock Stage with his New York based band, Apache Stone, along with a couple of other Dr2 Favorites, Us Minus Them and Electric Playground. The Made In Detroit Country Stage also has a few of Dr2's Favorites with the likes of Yankeville, a real foot stomping time, as well as Karen "Red Winged" Neuman, before Longneck Strangler finishes out the night.

Monday it's a free for all, as Jason Derulo headlines that National Stage and will conclude this year's Stars & Stripes Fest. Be sure to hit up the official Stars & Stripes Festival site for the exact times and locations to all the attractions within the fair grounds. Remember too that all the local eateries, pubs, and shops will be open during the festival, so not only can you grab a bite of your favorite festival food, you'll be able to drop in and take a load off the feet at number of our favorite spots in the Clem, and believe me, there is a lot of them! Beside, with the temp's expected to be in the upper ‘80's all weekend long, a nice refreshing stop in the a/c will keep you going through the night! Get Out and Live Mt Clemens, Macomb Counties best kept secret! See ya around!