Bands take stage at St. Pat’s Day celebration Saturday afternoon
The annual St. Pat’s in Five Points festival has been painting the town green ever since it dyed the first fountain 28 years ago. With events like the Get to the Green race and the St. Pat’s Parade, this all-day festival is one of Columbia’s fastest-growing events.
Every year, sponsors including Rock 93.5, the Free Times and Budweiser bring in a variety of acclaimed acts to perform on the many stages stretching from the fountain on Greene Street all the way to Blossom Street. This year is certainly no exception, with 20 different bands kicking off the music at noon and keeping the party going until around 6 p.m. Saturday. Two of the biggest names on the bill this year, Southern rockers Rehab and versatile guitarist Corey Smith, are sure to get the St. Pat’s crowd going with a mix of classic fan favorites and new hits.
“Live shows like this are definitely our strong point,” said Rehab vocalist and MC Demun Jones, who has been with the band since it began lengthy changeups a few years ago. “We keep a lot of focus on our live shows, and that’s what puts us ahead of the curve and keeps Rehab moving forward.”
Rehab, performing on the Budweiser/Rock 93.5 stage at 3:30 Saturday afternoon, recently released a new single, “Talk About,” last fall.
“‘Talk About’ is really a song about being on the road and all that it encompasses. It’s not really a heavy track, but the great thing about it is that it can be played on both country and rock stations,” Jones said.
Jones said although Rehab is often labeled as a rock group, underlying influences in the band’s music range from hip-hop to Motown and jazz. And all of you “Bartender Song” fans need not worry — Jones said their most popular single will definitely be a part of Saturday’s setlist.
“We’ve played the song countless times, but it’s always fun to perform because the fans enjoy it so much,” Jones said.
Corey Smith will also be performing at St. Pat’s, headlining the Miller Lite stage at 4:45 p.m. Smith, who began his career playing in small bars and touring college towns, said he enjoys the diversity events like these foster.
“Festivals are great because they really bring people together,” Smith said. “In a big setting like this, you’re more likely to get a very mixed crowd.”
Smith, famed for hits like the classic college drinking song “Twenty-One,” said he likes to keep a consistent approach to his live shows without plugging into a certain formula. Now complete with a newer, bigger band, Smith keeps things moving with a mix of new and old tracks. Smith also said one of the biggest challenges of the music business is learning how to ride what he calls a “roller coaster of a ride.”
“In my career, I’ve really tried to progress my sound without abandoning what’s been successful for me. I’ve taken chances with some of my records, but in the end I want to feel good about the work that I’ve done,” Smith said.
Smith began his career playing in Athens, Ga., bars while a student at University of Georgia. His early work consisted of covers of some of his favorite artists, who vary from the Eagles to Paul Simon and Hootie & the Blowfish. But he said it was one common thread connecting his work with his idols.
“Every artist I’ve covered or who has inspired me throughout the years all have an element of strong songwriting, which I always like to convey in my music,” Smith said.