Roots festival keeps blues away
by Abby Grimmet and Andy Phipps, posted Sept. 13, 2007
Roots ’n Blues ’n BBQ transformed downtown Columbia into an outdoor music festival this past weekend to honor Boone County National Bank’s 150th anniversary. Thousands turned out to enjoy 32 critically acclaimed musical acts on three stages as well as sample delicious barbecue served up by teams of local and regional chefs.
The planning of the event began a year ago with the idea that there needed to be a special way to celebrate the bank’s anniversary.
 |
 |
Organizers kick off the Roots 'n Blues 'n Barbecue festival with a ribbon cutting at the main stage in downtown Columbia.
— Andy Phipps photo
Haze from the many barbecue grills clouded the air above Eighth Street, which was croweded with people and vendors from Elm to Broadway.
— Abby Grimmett photo |
“There were certain goals that were important to us at the time and still are,” said Lisa Richardson, vice president of marketing at Boone County National Bank. “One of those was to have an economic impact on the business community. We also wanted to have a way to say thank you to our customers for allowing us to be in business for these 150 years.”
The event kicked off Friday evening with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the main stage on the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway and was followed by a performance by blues artist Kent Burnside. Among the other acts that performed that evening were The East Ash Street Band, The North Mississippi All Stars and even the Grammy award-winning Blind Boys of Alabama.
“The Blind Boys of Alabama were phenomenal,” said Jordan Halane, a junior music major. "The music was not only entertaining but also inspiring in almost a spiritual way. I love the energy that’s all around. [Students] get so caught up with school and exams that it is nice to be able to let loose here.”
 |
Visitors lounge in Peace Park while enjoying the music of Tony Price.
— Abby Grimmett photo |
The festival proved to be a highlight for many students as it gave them an opportunity to abandon their usual Saturday night routine.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” said Amanda Maxwell, a sophomore journalism student at MU. “Being with your friends in the midst of all the live music is something we all can appreciate. I would love to see an event like this come back to Columbia. It’s a great opportunity for MU students to do something different and experience a new kind of culture.”
Although the concerts were free to attend, in order to enjoy the festival’s namesake fare or any adult liquid refreshments, attendees had to exchange their cash for “Blues Bucks” that could be purchased at various locations throughout the festival.
 |
John Kadlec, a local businessman, shows off his team's entry in the barbecue contest.
— Andy Phipps photo |
Saturday would see even more music and a barbecue contest sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society. The contest included competitors from across the Midwest including many local groups. Judging took place at Deja Vu and was conducted by a panel of certified judges from the Kansas City Barbeque Society, novice judges and local ‘celebrities’ including Darren Hellwege, host of “Thinking Out Loud,” a regular show on KBIA/91.3 FM.
“It’s almost like watching a ball game,” Hellwege said. “There are going to be the top teams competing with one another—they’ve got their secret game plan, their recipe that nobody else gets to see. They have a lot of fun with it, but at the same time it can be very competitive.”
Things can become quite competitive indeed when there is a $15,000 prize on the line. Out of 52 teams, Pellet Envy, a Kansas City-based team mixed with a few local Columbians, claimed the title as the overall champion along with the prize money.
The event ended Saturday night with legendary blues musician Taj Mahal closing out the main stage. Hundreds crowded into the intersection of Eighth Street and Broadway, while others even managed to find places in windows above storefronts or on the roofs of nearby buildings. By Sunday morning almost all traces of the festival were gone. The stages and vendors had vanished overnight and traffic was moving regularly through downtown.
 |
 |
A crowd enjoys the music of Taj Mahal as he closes out the main stage on Broadway Saturday night. Many fans viewed the stage from a nearby parking garage.
— Top photo, Andy Phipps photo. Bottom photo Abby Grimmett |
Richardson said the organizers have heard many positive remarks from members of the community and feel the event was a huge success. As to whether or not it will happen again, it is still up in the air.
“It is too early to know but there certainly has been a lot of interest expressed,” she said.
Richardson noted that much of the success was due to each of the 1,200 volunteers as well as the community support.
“Everyone came together and embraced it,” Richardson said. “It’s been a very wonderful experience and we’ve had a blast.”
