Where to go for July 4? If it’s music and fireworks for the entire family that you want, how about the WMGK Let Freedom Rock Fest? Putting the “free” in freedom, there’s no charge to get in and Paul Rodgers (the voice of the band Free) will headline.
There’s a reason they call Rodgers “The Voice.” With those instantly recognizable and genre-perfect vocal cords, he brings a lot of classic-rock-history heft to the stage, what with Free and Bad Company and the Firm all parts of the repertoire.
Rodgers purposely doesn’t handle too many guitar duties so that he can move “freely” (couldn’t resist the pun, sorry!) around on stage. And whoa! That “firmed” (again, sorry!) up body of his belies his 40-plus years in the biz.
Although Rodgers recently spent four years with Queen, it’s unlikely that he’ll include much, if any, of that music in the set. Rather, he’ll concentrate on his own stuffed bag of solid musical tricks. Do expect hit after hit after hit of Bad Co. songs. (Personally, I’m hoping for “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad”!) Collective memories will be jolted with the addition of a number of Firm tunes, too. Likely to be included is “Closer,” which Rodgers says he was reminded of recently when hanging with former bandmate Jimmy Page.
Plan on stopping by Rodgers’ ‘merch’ booth at some point during the day. He’ll do drawings tied to donations for his fave charity: Kids Rock Free. It’s a Fender Center program that helps kids gain affordable access to music lessons. Up for grabs will be the tambourine played on stage during his set that night, plus his necklace. And, while you walk around the park area, keep a lookout for Rodgers and his wife. They have this thing they do where they go incognito and just hang with the audience. ALL RIGHT NOW, indeed!
SHOW INFO
Where: Cooper River Park, Pennsauken, N.J.
When: July 4. Live broadcast starts at 2 p.m.; MGK House Band Dog Bite Money performs 6-7 p.m.; Paul Rodgers goes on 8-9:30 p.m.; and Fireworks Extravaganza 9:30-10 p.m.
Tickets: Free admission.
For more info, click here.
