Wednesday Intermezzo: Beautiful Camden

What happens when you combine the country’s best radio station with a park in lovely downtown Camden? Why, the XPoNential music festival, obvs.

The festival expanded to four days this year, and as usual, has rounded up a killer lineup. The Tower of Power and Slo-MO headline on Thursday. Cracker, Earl Greyhound, and The Fratellis lead Friday’s festivites. Grace Potter, Martin Sexton and Los Lonely Boys are part of Saturday’s fun. And ALO, Dr. Dog and Marc Broussard will help to close out the festival on Sunday. Camden, here we come.

If visiting Camden doesn’t get you excited, maybe these links can do the trick:

• Why, Dawg, why? David Grisman sues YouTube
• Sly and the Family Stone will be making a rare live performance
• Will they play Free Love Freeway? Spinal Tap wants Ricky Gervais 
• The McCartney solo catalog finally gets the digital treatment
• Summer Camp’s festival schedule has been released
• The Beastie Boys‘ new video for Rat Cage is out
• Greg Kot on the lack of diversity at summer festivals
• JamCam Chronicles has kindly provided video of Everyone Orchestra playing YEM with Jon Fishman
• We know we say this every week, but we really think this week’s Grateful Dead Taper’s Section is the best evs
• Spinner provides the 20 Worst Band Photos
• The newly reformed Crowded House will be touring this summer
• Jesse Jarnow shares an amazing Trey Anastasio interview that never made it to print
• Jefitoblog presents the Idiot’s Guide to the J. Geils Band
• Dennis Cook’s terrific profile of Uncle Earl
• Sheryl Crow sings on Ryan Adams’ new album
• Live Stevie Wonder from 1974 and 1992
• Is Amy Winehouse’s Rehab going to be this summer’s Crazy?

The Black Crowes are a band in a state of transition. Last summer, Marc Ford and Ed Harsch left the band within a week of each other, just a few weeks after Chris Robinson and Penny Lane separated. The band regrouped to put together a solid fall tour with last minute replacements Paul Stacey and Rob Clores.

The Crowes will be playing at Central Park’s Summerstage less than 18 months after headlining a New Years Eve gig at Madison Square Garden. Believe it or not, tickets are still available. Ouch, that’s a tough 18 months. After a few gigs this summer the band will return to the studio, where they have been working on a new record which they hope to release in early 2008. You’ve just got to root for a band as dysfunctional as the Crowes. Vegas has the over/under for Marc Ford’s return and subsequent firing AGAIN at 4 to 1. Any takers?