James Brown at 16Beaver

Date/Time: 27/05/2003 12:00 am

http://www.lowermanhattan.info/news/james_brown_downtown_19440.asp
Ok, not at 16Beaver, but just accross the street!!
Below is the generic press release, it begins at 7 and is free!
The sounds of funk and R-and-B will fill Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, May 27, as the legendary James Brown struts his stuff in Battery Park, kicking off the second annual River to River Festival. The Godfather of Soul will blaze a trail for the thousands of artists scheduled to perform along the downtown waterfront in a series of free concerts and events lasting all summer.
Antibalas, a 14-piece multi-ethnic New York City band featuring instruments ranging from trombones and organs to congas and shekere — African percussive instruments — will help warm up the crowd. The show is slated to begin at 7 p.m., with Brown taking the stage at eight.
River to River Festival drew large crowds in 2002
Tuesday’s concert is the first of hundreds of events planned from May through September as part of the festival, designed to celebrate Lower Manhattan’s spectacular waterfront and bring more performing artists downtown. The East and Hudson Rivers will provide a breathtaking backdrop to a wide range of performers, including nationally and internationally known stars as well as local talent.
Sponsored by American Express in partnership with the Alliance for Downtown New York and other organizations, River to River is the largest free arts festival in the city’s history. The festival’s first year drew 1.2 million people to events along the water, and organizers expect similar success this summer.
“Last year was about welcoming the world back downtown,” said Alliance marketing vice president Valerie Lewis. For many, the festival provided much needed healing after the events of 9/11, she said. “This year it’s more about bringing the community together and bringing new people into our community.”
Performances also spotlight downtown waterfront
Hoping to draw people from all over the tri-state area, festival organizers have scheduled almost 500 events this year — most of them free — ranging from performances by international dance troupes and Grammy-winning songwriters to basketball competitions featuring NBA stars. Headliners later in the summer include singer Ryan Adams, poet/singer Patti Smith, the bilingual New York septet si*sé, and the Twyla Tharp Dance Company.
Festival events will be held at downtown venues like South Street Seaport, Castle Clinton, and the World Financial Center (WFC). “People seem to forget that Lower Manhattan is surrounded by water,” said WFC program associate Miguel Lopez. “The River to River Festival provides the perfect opportunity to remind them how wonderful the waterfront is.”
The festival is also, of course, an opportunity to go downtown for some fun, and Tuesday’s concert provides your first chance. As the Godfather himself would say, “We’re gonna have a funky good time.”