Rosewood festival’s menu: Crawfish, gospel and jam

When Robert Randolph and the Family Band hit the Crawfish Festival stage Saturday afternoon, the steel guitar virtuoso should be a Cajun stew of exhaustion and exhilaration.

Randolph plays New Orleans Jazz Fest Thursday with his other band, The Word, before zipping up to Memphis as the 11 p.m. closing act Friday in the Beale Street Music Festival Blues Tent with the Family Band. Then comes a quick turnaround for the 6 p.m. headliner Saturday at the Crawfish Festival in Rosewood.

Thus the exhaustion.

The exhilaration is about the Tuesday release of The Word’s second album, “Soul Food.” Early reviews are flush with the same sort of over-the-top praise that landed Randolph a spot on Rolling Stone magazine critic David Fricke’s 100 greatest guitarists.

The Word is a blues-rock supergroup composed of Randolph, keyboardist John Medeski and three members of the North Alabama Allstars – Luther Dickinson on guitar, Cody Dickinson on drums and Chris Chew on bass. Their self-titled debut album in 2000 made many critics’ best-of-the-year lists.

Rolling Stone says “Soul Food” explores “the sacred space where gospel, jazz, blues and improvised rock’s X-factor joyously intersect.”

In the Family Band lineup that plays at the Crawfish Festival, the sound is more a straight melding of gospel and jam band.

“Randolph’s family band is one of the most intense live acts in all of jamdom,” Fricke wrote in his top 100 list. “His 13-string instrument has a chillingly clear tone, and his solos are dotted with howling melodies and perpetually cresting, lightning-fast explorations.”

In its 10 years, the Crawfish Festival has featured headliners as diverse as Cowboy Mouth, Eve 6 and last year’s Everclear. Robert Randolph and the Family Band expand that diversity.

Others on the music menu Saturday include Atlas Road Crew, Jahson and the Natty Vibes and Death of Paris.

Of course, the festival features much more than music.

Food: More than 10,000 pounds of crawfish are the stars, but you also can chow down on fish tacos, polish sausage, barbecue and snow cones.

Muscle-stretching: The Crawdaddy Dash 5K starts at 9 a.m., and CrossFit Soda City will set up on festival grounds to allow participants to test strength and endurance.

Kids: Rides, inflatables and face-painting will keep the younger set busy.

Artist Village: A couple dozen artists will display their work for folks who want to look or buy.

If you go: Festival is on Rosewood Drive from Holly to Woodrow streets; music starts at 11 a.m. and runs through 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the gate; free shuttles will run from the parking lot on the corner of Rosewood Drive and Assembly Street; rosewoodcrawfishfest.com

Joey Holleman

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Rosewood festival’s menu: Crawfish, gospel and jam."