Funk Fest returns to Wolf Creek Amphitheater with Erykah Badu, Bell Biv Devoe, Babyface and more
BY MELISSA RUGGIERI/AJC Music Scene
The revitalized Wolf Creek Amphitheater will again host the soul and R&B-fueled Funk Fest Atlanta this spring.
The festival, May 19-21, will spotlight Erykah Badu, Ro James and Digable Planets (May 19); Bell Biv Devoe, Guy featuring Teddy Riley, Mystikal, En Vogue and SWV (May 20); and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Brandy and Joe (May 21). More acts are expected to be announced.
Three-day tickets are $144-$424 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. March 14 via www.ticketmaster.com, https://atlanta.funkfesttour.com/ and, beginning March 15, on Thursdays and Tuesdays from noon-5 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Amphitheater box office.
The festival is the first event at Wolf Creek since concert behemoth Live Nation took over operations at the beleaguered amphitheater in December. The change in management was spurred after Fulton County released an audit of the amphitheater showing dozens of violations by amphitheater employees of country policies, including giving preferential treatment to vendors and printing tickets to give complimentary access to thousands of people.
The new general manager of Wolf Creek, Akeasha Branch, is a veteran presence who also manages Lakewood Amphitheater.
Parking at Wolf Creek will remain free. Upgrades at the venue include improved concessions (patrons can still bring in food and drinks) as well as tweaks to technical aspects to improve sound, lighting and production.
This year’s Funk Fest tour will launch April 29 in Orlando.
Here is the full schedule.
- Orlando, FL – April 29th , Central Florida Fairgrounds
- Birmingham, AL - May 6th, Legions Field
- Jacksonville, FL – May 12th – 13th, Metropolitan Park
- Atlanta, GA – May 21st – 23rd , Wolf Creek Amphitheater
- Mobile, AL – June 6th , Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds
- Little Rock, AR – June 10th, First Security Amphitheater
- Kansas City, MO – June 17th, Providence Medical Amphitheater
- Charlotte, NC – August 12th, PNC Music Pavillion
- Tallahassee, FL – October 13th, FAMU Stadium
- Miami, FL – December 30th, Miramar Regional Park
About the Author
Melissa Ruggieri has covered music and entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2010 and created the Atlanta Music Scene blog. She's kept vampire hours for more than two decades and remembers when MTV was awesome.
