Marc Lawson Opens Streetfest

Basement rehearsal began at 7 p.m. Wednesday for Marc Lawson and his band as they geared up for the festival on East Main Street this coming Saturday.   

Marc Lawson is the opening performer for the event and will be playing at 12:30 p.m. He will surely set a rockin’ atmosphere for the other fantastic bands playing that afternoon including Brent McDonald, Scott Puckett Band and The Vibes all leading up to the headlining band, Drivin' N Cryin'. 

Another Night Alone is the name of Lawson’s new EP, which he plans to release this summer.  After five months of recording and producing in the studio, this week he released the first track “Letting Go” on YouTube.

Lawson who is a long-time resident of Woodstock, will perform all of his new music from Another Night Alone, and other original songs not yet recorded, along with crowd-pleasing covers from O.A.R. and U2. 

The performance is sure to set an energetic tone with Atlanta veteran musicians Mike Haid on drums, Steve Florczykowski on bass guitar and Scott Shackelford on electric guitar. And of course, Lawson will front the band on keys and vocals. 

The main stage will be set up on East Main and Chambers Street between and . Admission to the festival is free, but donations will be accepted for the Alliance.

Streetfest 2011, which will close down East Main Street between Wheeler Street and Hubbard Road with a crowd anticipated to double last year’s attendance of 5000 plus, is a festival being sponsored by First Cherokee State Bank to benefit Greenprints Alliance, an organization self-described as dedicated to fostering an awareness of North Georgia’s “natural resources and connecting everyone to them.” 

Tony Eyl, vice-chairman of the Greenprints Alliance Board of Directors, said he is looking forward to the event.

“Streetfest is a great opportunity for members of the community to have tremendous fun walking around with friends and neighbors, enjoying the atmosphere of downtown, hearing live music, meeting local vendors and artists,” Eyl said. “Additionally, it gives them the opportunity to change the future of our community infrastructure with their donations.”

This event is the largest fundraiser for Greenprints Alliance.

“To raise funding for the construction of 60 miles of multipurpose trails around Cherokee, which is truly the largest economic development tool for community tourism, and to raise community awareness and involvement of this great endeavor which can benefit the community, the environment, the economy, and of course, our children,” Eyl said. 

As a non-profit organization just two years in the making, they’ve already added eight miles of trails.

“We are new, but we have big dreams for our community,” he said.

The day will begin with a 22-mile race sponsored by the Cherokee Outdoor YMCA, beginning at 7 a.m. The festival is filled with an artist market, food by local restaurants, including PURE, Canyons and beverages sponsored the New Belgium Brewing Company.

Lawson, who has been performing in Atlanta since 2006, beamed when asked about kicking off the event on Saturday.

"To open for a national act like Drivin’ N Cryin' is an amazing opportunity with perfect timing for me, having just finished my studio project.”