Five Can’t-Miss Picks for the Second Weekend of iFest
The first weekend of iFest 2010 is in the history books, and plenty of you journeyed downtown last Saturday and Sunday to see high-energy sets by Ozomatli, Joe Ely, Marcia Ball, Mighty Diamonds, Eddie Palmieri, and the dozens of other performances and attractions spanning the 16-acre festival grounds. In addition to the forty-foot pirate ship, reproductions of Aruba's Alto Vista Chapel and El Morro in San Juan, there are tons of things to see and do.
Weekend #2 of the Houston International Festival is here, and the rest of the fest promises to be just as magical. Here are five things you won’t want to miss.
1. George Clinton – The Ultimate Funk Master Returns to Houston
Do you want the funk? If so, the place to be on Saturday night will be the Bud Light World Stage, when the
architect of funk, George Clinton, returns to iFest by popular demand. Expect a groove-filled evening of hits like “Flashlight”, “Do Fries Go With That Shake” and “Atomic Dog”. If there were a roof on Sam Houston Park, rest assured that Clinton would tear it off.
In tribute to King Sunny Ade, the legendary world music pioneer who was slotted to play immediately before Clinton Saturday night, Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic will be playing a special extended set Saturday. Sadly, King Sunny Ade has canceled his entire North American tour following the deaths of two members of his band in a car accident late last week. As a show of support and sympathy, Clinton and P-Funk will play a super-sized set dedicated to King Sunny Ade and his fans beginning at 7:30 PM Saturday (instead of 8 PM as originally planned).
Visit the iFest web sitefor the complete revised World Stage line-up for Saturday, which begins at 1:30 with a set by acclaimed pan-African dance band Emman LeGrand and the African Rythmix.
2. Guilty as Charged: Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women
On any given day, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Dave Alvinis likely to dazzle you with a blazing rock-and-roll show or delight you with moving acoustic storytelling – or both. “There are two kinds of folk music,” Alvin likes to say. “Loud folk music and quiet folk music. I play both.” A founding member of the seminal roots rock band The Blasters, Alvin has also played with both revered punk band X and the rockabilly group the Knitters. Alvin’s current touring ensemble features an all-star, all-female cast, the Guilty Women. They’ll appear at 8 PM Saturday night on the Louisiana Stage opposite George Clinton – and Clinton’s newly expanded set means you have plenty of time to check out both stages. Don’t miss this chance to hear one of the most important voices on the Americana music scene.
3. Shop ‘Til You Drop
Featuring the works of dozens of artists from around the world, the markets of the Houston International Festival
are a shopaholic’s dream. Just a few highlights:
If you’re strolling down Fine Arts Avenue, check out the bold, colorful works of Cuban painter Alberto Godoy, juried arts winner for the first iFest weekend. Over in the Gypsy Market, the best seats in the house just might be at Marcus Kenter's booth of Cypress wood chairs, swings, and rockers.
Laura Delzer's "Fairy Godmother" Bayou Market booth could help you get in touch with your inner princess, with handmade children's accessories, bows, tutus and more. And the African Caribbean Market on Bagby features a whole host of Reggae vendors, fresh from the Bob Marley festivals. There are too many artists to mention here, but for a map showing general market locations, see the festival web site.
4. Destinations for Libations
Sure, there are plenty of places around iFest to grab a refreshing beverage. For some added punch, consider 
escaping to the Bacardi Rum Hut, where you can kick back and enjoy mojitos and more.
Right next door, sample an international wine selection and yummy appetizers from Guayaba Latin Grill in the iFest Wine Café, located in a beautiful shaded location with seating by the Sister Cities Wine Café Stage. Over on the steps of City Hall, the House of Blues has set up a new outpost on the west side of downtown Houston, featuring cooling drinks, Caribbean fare, great tunes…and you never know when you might encounter a Blues Brothers sighting.
5. Steel Pulse Finale
We hate to see iFest 2010 come to an end, but there’s no more fitting conclusion than a set from one of Britain’s greatest reggae bands, Steel Pulse. The members of Steel Pulse, who got their start opening for the Clash and the Stranglers more than 30 years ago, drew inspiration from the spiritual and political roots-reggae of Bob Marley and Burning Spear. See this Grammy Award-winning band, featuring founding members David Hinds and Selwyn Brown, at 6:30 PM Sunday on the Bud Light World Stage.
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