Don’t Ever Wonder: Art of Cool Festival 2018 Is More Than A Little Sumthin’ Sumthin’
The Art of Cool Festival 2018 will present Maxwell as the Friday headliner on September 28th. Enjoy 20 plus amazing artists, 6 venues, and just one price – and a lifetime experience to share during the fifth anniversary of the festival. Choose from one day passes, weekend passes, VIP and Premium VIP passes.
Born Gerald Maxwell Rivera, the Gemini vocalist surprised many that he desired to become a singer, as he grew up shy and sheltered. Using his middle name as his stage name, Maxwell did not let people define him, instead he defined himself. Now known for his masterful showmanship and seductive vocals, this soulful crooner used to isolate himself in his room, listen to music for hours and practice on the keyboard.
Maxwell is one of the few artists credited with defining the Neo-Soul movement which gained prominence in the late 90s. Once drawing inspiration from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, he was soon compared to them upon releasing his debut album Urban Hang Suite. The album not only skyrocketed him to such comparisons, but earned him a Grammy, three Soul Train Music Awards, and three NAACP awards.
Years later, his second album Embrya rose to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 200 and led Maxwell to be nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B album. In 2001, his studio album titled Now, became his first album to peak at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 200. Returning after an eight year hiatus with BLACKsummers’night in 2009, Maxwell again won a Grammy for the memorable ballad “Pretty Wings”.
Although Maxwell oozes charisma, he’s also very passionate and active in social justice organizations. He once said, “There has never been a better or more important time to stand up and speak for those whose voices can’t be heard”. He is a board member of Unitas, the international humanitarian organization that raises money and awareness to combat human trafficking. In 2017 he was recipient of the Global Gift Philanthropist and Humanitarian Award by the Global Gift Foundation.
Be sure to grab your tickets now to secure your spot at the show! With Affirm, you have the option to secure your ticket, and pay over time – breaking up the ticket price into easy payments! One day, two day and VIP packages are now on sale – visit our ticket page to learn more!
Remember to also book your hotel room to complete the festival experience! Rooms are selling quickly – the official VIP hotel The Durham Hotel is now SOLD OUT! Not to worry, you can still grab a room at the other hotel partners – each offering unique amenities and official perks for festival guests.
Hotels: http://aocfestival.com/hotels/
Tickets: http://aocfestival.com/tickets/