Vibe@5 kicks off fifth season with Zion Lion

Vibe@5 returns for its fifth season this Friday, July 16, from 5 - 8 p.m. at Mill Race Park in Battle Creek. The Friday night concert series kicks of with the reggae sounds of Zion Lion, a Kalamazoo-based band honored as a Reader Choice Award Best Band 2010.

Bee Movie, the first of three outdoor movies scheduled, will be shown at dusk following the three hour performance of Zion Lion. The movie is free and seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a relaxing evening of music in the park.

Food options are plentiful. Concert-goers can buy food on-site from Barista Blues Cafe or pack their own picnic. Several other restaurants are available within walking distance of Mill Race Park for additional take-out or dine-in options.

The summer concert series, brought to you by the Battle Creek Downtown Partnership, is free and open to the public. In the event of rain or severe weather, the performance will be canceled. For more information about the series, performance schedules or cancellations, visit downtownbattlecreek.com.

Legendary band The Wailers to perform in Grand Rapids

The Wailers are coming to spread their message of peace and love in Grand Rapids with a performance in Grand Rapids on June 23 at 8 p.m. at The Intersection. Come see the greatest living exponents of reggae music perform some of their most popular songs like Jamming, Redemption Song and Could You Be Loved. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased on The Intersection's website.

Formed in Jamaica in the late 1960s, The Wailers are one of the most successful reggae bands of all time, selling over 250 million albums. The band will be performing their new song, A Step for Mankind, which was writing to benefit the United Nations' World Food Programme.

Tour proceeds will also go toward the I Went Hungry Campaign, which works in collaboration with the United Nations' World Food Programme to fight against child starvation. The Wailers have also enlisted the help of their fellow musicians to go hungry by donating a portion of their tour catering to the foundation. Currently more than 650,000 people have been fed.

For more information about The Wailers' music, tour dates or charity, visit their website.

Friday...

It's looking like a lovely weekend, and many of you have the day off. If you are wondering what to do with it, allow us to help- UNLIKELY ALIBI.

The Fort Wayne, IN based ska/reggae band will kick off their spring tour at Jukes (Leonard St.) to promote their new album, "At the Ready." The album was released (to great reviews and lots of online buzz) on the Stubborn Records label in Jan. and you can get a sneak peek here.

Also appearing will be The Bastards Alliance, a GR based punk band. Music begins at 9:30. Until then, if you are fortunate enough to have the day off, call your friends and cook some hot dogs. It's too nice not to.