Long Beach Funk Fest 2010

Last year's LBFF�the crescendo of SAM 2009�drew at least 15,000 funk fans out to witness some of history's most respected funk royalty, including Charles Wright, Mandrill, Dawn Silva of the Brides of Funkenstein and The Meters' Experience with Leo Nocentelli, perform live in the streets of Long Beach. Cynthia Robinson of Sly and the Family Stone called last year's event, "a mini Woodstock!" Rickey Vincent said it was, "everything a funk fest is supposed to be." And Ric Wilson of Mandrill gushed that it was, "great to be involved in the launching of the Long Beach Funk Fest," complementing the leadership of LBFF masterminds Bobby Easton of Delta Nove and SAM co-founders Justin Hectus and Rand Foster. "The festival will certainly be a special affair for years to come," he added.

This year's funk factor is all that and "Fonky as nine cans o' shaving powder," as one LBFF Facebook fan describes the highly anticipated line-up. Emceed by Rickey Vincent�author of "Funk: The Music, the People, and the Rhythm of the One"�this year's event will see eight legendary funk performances on two solar-powered stages, more than a dozen DJs and various on-site activities and vendors. The caliber of talent at LBFF 2010 will add to the growing reputation of this "celebration of funk" as a national player in the summer music derby. Closing the night out is Ladies of P Funk�featuring Brides of Funkenstein's Dawn Silva, Parlet's Jeanette Washington-Perkins and Shirley Hayden and renowned singer-songwriter Sue Ann Carwell. This historic reunion has created record traffic on Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. Fans from around the world are already making plans to see this year's exciting and rare gathering of funk's extraordinary music divas.

Also on the bill are Jimmy Castor and the Bunch, The Original Stone City Band (Rick James' Band), The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown, Bloco Nove featuring Delta Nove, Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band,
Weapon of Choice and Orgone. The line-up further promises a list of special guests like Patryce 'Choc'let' and Banks of Graham Central Station, to name just a few.

In between sets, more than a dozen different DJs�including Gazoooo, Clifton, Remitch, Ervin Arana, Able, Marvski, Glen Redd, Luman, Monalisa, Endo, Thomas PM, Cocoe and Renato�will be spinning well into the night.

Other goings-on include a Kid's Zone of Funkativity, live painting, street vendors and demos by the Lil Big Ups, an educational program presented by legendary bass player Lonnie Marshall that teaches kids how to express themselves through music, art and creativity. There will be an opportunity drawing with prizes like a "funk pack" and musical instruments to help raise funds for music education in Long Beach.

To commemorate funk's heyday, the festival will also feature an exhibit of art and memorabilia from 1970s Golden Age of Funk. There will be several art pieces by George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic, provided by Getdown Entertainment and other private collections.