The Wailers, Rusted Root scheduled for SCAD’s “New Alumni Concert” 2015

Note: If you’re looking for info on SCAD’s 2016 New Alumni Concert, click here.

We’ve known for a little while now about a couple acts — The Wailers and Rusted Root — booked for Forsyth Park on the night before the Savannah College of Art & Design’s spring commencement ceremonies, but we’ve been kind of waiting for SCAD to make things official. But we’re tired of waiting. The “new alumni concert” is less than two weeks away and the names are starting to appear in multiple places on the web — including Pollstar.

UPDATE: SCAD has confirmed The Wailers and Rusted Root. The show starts at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 29 (and SCAD has a habit of starting these things on time). No additional acts have been announced.

And let me add: excellent choices!

Of course, there are generally three acts booked for the annual spring concert in Forsyth, which has become the unofficial kickoff to summer in Savannah. We don’t have any earthly clue who that third act is, or even if there is one. (We’re betting it’s not Mumford & Sons.)

Sure, The Wailers have played two out of the last three Savannah Music Festivals — those were fabulous shows, but they a) weren’t free and b) weren’t in the wide open space at Forsyth. I missed the 2015 SMF show, but the 2013 performance was way better than I expected.

The Wailers in 2014 at Glastonbury:

From The Wailers website:
The anchor of the band is Aston “Family Man” Barrett, who in addition to being Marley’s most trusted lieutenant, played on countless other classic reggae hits throughout the seventies. The authenticity he brings to the Wailers’ sound is indisputable and yet today’s line-up combines old school know-how with lead vocals from one of Jamaica’s most exciting new singers [Dwayne Anglin].

I haven’t followed Rusted Root for years, but who doesn’t know this one?:

Founded in Pittsburgh, Rusted Root has been playing their melding of world music, rock, jam, and more for a quarter century.

The best SCAD-produced concerts in Forsyth have been the ones that turned into the biggest parties — like Michael Franti, Ziggy Marley, James Brown, George Clinton. The Wailers and Rusted Root could fit right in with those great shows.