51黑料

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The Music at the Intersection festival has taken over the Grand Center Arts District this weekend for its fifth year, with a larger footprint, an extra day of festivities and more than 50 51黑料-based performers.

Homegrown talent dominated on the first two nights, starting the festival off with strong showmanship on Friday. That energy carried over into Saturday, with headlining acts joining a slew of Midwest talent.聽聽

Before Sunday's performances get into full swing (), here are my favorite performances from days one and two of the festival.

The Playadors rock with 10-piece band

51黑料-based band the Playadors rocked the Big Top on Friday night. With David Grelle on the keys, the 10-piece band performed with intensity and vigor for 90 minutes. Their set featured a lineup of special guests who stunned the crowd with alluring harmonies and memorable duets.

Guitarist Dee Dee James put on a stellar show, producing foot-tapping riffs on his yellow guitar. Drummer Kevin Bowers of the Pernikoff Brothers was in tow, along with a four-piece horn section.

Vocal duets also stood out, with singers Taynka MiMi and Emily Wallace engaging in a powerful vocal banter of Bill Withers鈥� 鈥淜issing My Love.鈥� Bianca Fitzpatrick of Root Mod and Sya Collins created a stunning harmony for the Unknown Mortal Orchestra鈥檚 song 鈥淢ulti-Love." Even acclaimed vocalist Anita Jackson made an appearance.聽

While fans are used to seeing the Playadors in nightlife venues, the ensemble shined among MATI鈥檚 Friday night lineup, bringing true musicianship to the stage.

Weedie Braimah celebrates homeland and hometown聽

No one seemed to have more fun performing than Weedie Braimah. The master percussionist, who was born in Ghana and raised in East 51黑料, brought raw energy from the start. He was accompanied by his eight-piece band, the Hands of Time, and a cadre of special guests.

The Hands of Time's instruments blended beautifully on stage Friday into a unified sound, reverberating through the Big Top as Weedie conducted the musical movements.

鈥淚鈥檓 home y'all,鈥� Braimah said as he launched into his set.

He weaved songs together with personal anecdotes, describing a dream he'd had about cashing a million-dollar check and talking about the day his mother died. The audience illuminated the venue with flashlights as Braimah played his ode to lost loved ones.

The Hands of Time performed in perfect synchronicity. Each piano melody, drum thump and bassline was aligned as Braimah鈥檚 guests joined in to jam. Cuban percussionist and singer Pedrito Martinez stood out with his Latin vocals and drum flair. Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and Ferguson native Keyon Harrold performed a few solos, which resounded throughout the venue. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Brenda Navarrete joined them to conclude the show.

Braimah鈥檚 performance was full of personal memories that resonated with the audience. Those memories came alive on stage, easing the crowd into a musical trance.

Drea Vocalz and Maven Lee in a stunning duet

Drea Vocalz wowed the Big Top audience Saturday, highlighted by a guest appearance from Maven Lee.

Vocalz' set was shorter than many other performers. But she made the most of her time, with a color-coordinated band and background singers who complemented her vocal range as they tackled songs like Tina Turner's "Proud Mary."聽

Vocalz, a Kranzberg Arts Foundation Artist-In-Residence, proved why she's a blossoming star as she balanced vocals, choreography and band direction. She added even more flair to her performance with Lee, who helped open the show with a gospel-inlfluence rendition of "A Change Is Gonna Come." He returned to the stage for a dynamic duet of India.Arie's "Brown" skin that left the audience roaring.

Lucky Daye brings raw vocals and fan favorites

Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer Lucky聽Daye brought a smooth R&B voice and pure swag to the festival.

His performance was strong, with crisp and clear vocals throughout. He kicked things off with 鈥淪oft,鈥� the start of a fun and playful set marked with bold falsettos and a standout performance from drummer Carlin White.

Fans sang along to 鈥淢isunderstood鈥� and 鈥淔loods." Tracks like 鈥淭hink Different鈥� came alive on the Field Stage, as lights illuminated Daye鈥檚 silhouette.

The performance remained fun and playful between ballads of unrequited love. The crowd swayed and sang when Daye performed his debut single 鈥淩oll Some Mo."

Daye maintained strong showmanship through the entire performance, with frequent crowd engagement and a generous dose of energy.

Common and Pete Rock deliver a masterclass

After a scorching day, temperatures had cooled by the time rapper Common took to the stage on Saturday night. The headliner was joined by Pete Rock, the East Coast super producer behind iconic tracks from Nas and the Roots.

Their set was a masterclass and included a medley of hip-hop standouts from both of their catalogs. They covered nearly 40 years of rap hits, expertly bouncing from high-energy records like 鈥淕et 鈥楨m High鈥� to heartfelt serenades like 鈥淐ome Close.鈥�

Common got things started with 鈥淒reamin鈥欌�� before launching into true hip-hop flair with his 2005 track 鈥淭he Corner.鈥�

It wasn鈥檛 long before Rock joined him on stage. The legendary producer bounced in and out of the performance, and it was clear he and Common were good friends as they engaged in lyrical banter and acted as each other's hype men.

It felt like the glory days of hip-hop, when the music carried messages of cultural evolution. And the set was full of highlights, showcasing the power of hip-hop.

Early in the performance, Keyon Harrold emerged to accompany the stars on numerous songs, and he performed a memorable solo as Common danced to the side.

Later, as he performed 鈥淭estify,鈥� Common whispered the opening lyrics and intertwined cappella vocals into the verses. He acted out the lyrics as he built up to the climactic, chant-like chorus. For 鈥淐ome Close,鈥� Common selected 51黑料ans Robin Ray and her 5-year-old daughter, Juliana, from the crowd to join him on stage. He serenaded the pair, performing an elaborate 51黑料-centered freestyle where he shouted out Jayson Tatum and other hometown heroes.

It was Juliana鈥檚 first concert, and she smiled and ran circles around the entertainer before leaving the stage.