The battle lines were drawn Saturday night at Pepsi Jammin' on Main, but it had nothing to do with boycotts or protesters.

Local band Youngfellow performs Saturday at Pepsi Jammin' on Main. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        This was a generational split, as 40-somethings packed in front of the Speedway Stage for '80s rock gods Journey, while Generations X and Y crowded Central Parkway's Kroger Stage for underground rock sensations O.A.R. (Of A Revolution).

        The combination drew more than 25,000, a little more than Friday. With a rare, completely dry Jammin', the return of the street fest boasted what could be a record crowd, as people continued to pour in at 10 p.m.

        While the national names drew the most devoted fans, the current crop of locals kept the party going. It started at 6 p.m., as local band East Arcadia kicked things off on the Speedway Stage while the crowd was still lined up outside the gates.

        Unfortunately, those punk rockers drowned out the smooth salsa sounds of Tropicoso on the Riverbend Stage a block away, a long-time problem of Jammin'.

        The latter stage featured two very different jazz piano quartets, the dynamic group led by William Menefield, followed by the more-polished, groove-oriented one led by Steve Schmidt.

        The Budweiser Stage opened with R&B singer P. Ann Everson Price, whose set included a powerful “Knockin' on Heaven's Door.” That stage also featured a reunion of '80s band the Lusters, which played an energetic set of meat-and-potatoes rock.

        Between those two veterans was Premium, a group of teens who won this year's Bogart's High School Band Challenge and who showed they deserved it with a confident set.

        Two of the better area pop-rock bands, the high-energy clabbergirl and the more laid-back Tonefarmer — delivered strong shows.

        The singer/songwriter and one-man-band preceded O.A.R. with a solid set backed by his guitar and tape machine.

        The Romantics were one of this year's biggest surprises. They haven't had a hit since the first Reagan administration, but the veteran Detroit band tore onto its good-time, new-wave rockers with all the old fire.

Black composers' music finds home in repertoire
CDs highlight rich legacy of music
Music sampler
Orchestras grapple with special programs vs. integration
Generations jam Jammin' on Main
Curators keep own collections
DAUGHERTY: Everyday
KENDRICK: Alive and well
No clowning around when couple marries
DEMALINE: The arts
Famous stage moms receive little love
Flatley takes on new 'Lord' role
Herrmann's works reflect precisionist era
KIESEWETTER: Television
'Mamma Mia's mama likes ABBA life
'Monologues back in town
Entertaining no sweat for Musiq
MARTIN: Foodstuff
Pickles play pertinent part on plate
Serve it this week: Mint
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