If you were to take a helicopter across the city of Richmond on a Friday night in the summer, you would have to imagine that all we do here is celebrate.
From our love of food, cultural and street festivals to the concerts that sprout up all over town the minute the sun comes out and the weather heats up – our river city turns into celebration city, overflowing with fun.
And this Friday is no different, marking the kickoff to another one of Richmond's favorite events.
Up the hill from Brown's Island, home to Richmond's free concert summer series Friday Cheers, is a seemingly similar yet vastly different music series that began 13 years ago known as Fridays at Sunset.
As the sun sets over the city, the Kanawha Plaza becomes a buzz with the rest of downtown Richmond, complete with live music from some of the bigger names in the industry, various food vendors and all the friends one could ask for.
And although it comes with a price – it's not as much as you may think.
"Not to down play our great local and regional acts, we use those for openers, but we go to the major national and international acts who are touring who otherwise would not be stopping off in Richmond," said Jeannette Walker, vice president of communications for Johnson, Inc. who hosts the vent.
"We've had the Neville Brothers, Al Green, last year we had The Roots. We've had Isaac Hayes, Buddy Guy and Seal. The list just goes on and on. Every year we set the bar just al little bit higher for ourselves for the next year."
The folks running Fridays at Sunset pride themselves not only on bringing such high caliber acts to city, but for truly being a mainstay in the economic development of Richmond.
"We've held steady through good, bad and rain," Walker said.
The atmosphere of Fridays at Sunset is one of familial community and relaxation, where attendees are invited to head over to the Plaza directly after work with lawn chairs, blankets and a pocket full of cash for to purchase food and drink.
If you've never been to a Fridays at Sunset show, there's no better time to try it out then tonight. And if you just can't make it for the kick off concert, don’t' worry – Richmond.com has your official line up for the Fridays at Sunset 2008 season below.
May 30 – Wyclef Jean
The series kicks off with one of the biggest names in the hip-hop industry, both as part of one of the most beloved hip hop groups, The Fugees and as solo performer, Wyclef Jean. Born in Haiti and sometime labeled as "hip-hop's unofficial multicultural conscience," Wyclef promises to deliver an eclectic first show.
June 6 – Wayman Tisdale
This NBA star-turned-musical-performer, Wayman Tisdale brings his believe in hard work and determination off the court and onto the stage as a passionate bassists. With the release of his new CD "Way Up," Wayman strives with each performance to bring his audience all the way up with him.
June 13 – Chrisette Michele and Raheem DeVaughn
These two performers will team up on the "Art of Love" tour, helping to bring a little R&B, "neo-soul" to the Richmond community. With Chrisette's "old soul" appreciation deeply rooted in gospel and jazz paired with Raheem's intensity and storytelling in his music, the pair will surely heat up the stage.
June 20 – Mario
This R&B artist began his career at the young age of fourteen and has been climbing the Billboard charts ever since. Mario is best known for his hit singles "Just a Friend 2002" and "Let Me Love You."
June 27 – Nas
Since the mid-90s, Nas has been an every present force in the American hip-hop and rap industry, known as one of "hip-hops most profound lyricist," for his work on his debut album, "Illmatic."
July 4 – Chuck Brown
"The Godfather of Go-Go" will make his appearance at Fridays at Sunset with enough grooves to go around. This 74-year old artist will deliver all the toe-tapping, body-moving, funky-rhythms that come straight out of our nation's capital and right down to the heart of Richmond.
July 11 – Yolanda Adams
Richmonders from all walks of life can appreciate the passionate lyrics, intensity and impressive musical range with which Yolanda performs. A powerful stage presence, Yolanda combines her love of gospel with the soul and fervor of R&B music.
July 18 – Boyz II Men
This four-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul group has been bringing us popular hits like "End of the Road," "I'll Make Love to You," and "One Sweet Day," with an energetic stage presence one can only hope to see during Fridays at Sunset.
July 25 – David Sanborn
Renowned for his impressive and inspiring saxophone playing, David Sanborn's music spans the genres of rock 'n' roll, R&B, pop, jazz and beyond. Not only has David helped define the saxophone's modern sound, he has influenced a generation of fans and artists alike.
August 1 – Jill Scott
Beginning her career as a spoken-word artist, Jill Scott has taken her love of poetry and transitioned it into lyrical honesty and integrity. Using vivid imagery and metaphor analogy, Jill paints a picture of upfront, in-your-face emotion with every performance.
August 8 – Anthony Hamilton
With roots deeply set in the soul of "hallelujah praisin' and tell-it-like-it-is storytellin'," Anthony Hamilton combines a sensual voice with the honestly of soul music to produce emotion-filled vocals with a truth-telling approach.
August 15 – Ledisi
Ledisi, meaning "bring forth" in Nigerian, certainly brings forth a number of touching songs to do with life, love and intimacy. Emotions vary throughout her albums, from finding love, to loosing love and long journey in between.
August 22 – Teena Marie
For nearly three decades, this soul stirring songstress has been capturing the hearts and spirits of her audiences. Known as the "Ivory Queen of Soul," Teena has a strong African-American influence from her godmother and expresses her passion for love and raw emotion throughout all of her music.
Fridays at Sunset is held at Kanawha Plaza with opening acts taking the stage at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20 for performances but are subject to change and may be purchased the night of the show or in advance at the Fridays at Sunset office located at 201 W. Broad St. between noon and 2 p.m. on the day of the show. Season passes and VIP tickets are also available for purchase. Parking is available at the Retail Merchants Association (RMA) deck located at 9th and Canal streets.
In the event of inclement weather, the show will either be cancelled or moved to the Landmark Theatre. For more information, visit fridaysatsunset.com.