Our planet provided beautiful, sunny weather for the 2007 MTSU Earth Day Festival on April 20. The all-day event featured musicians, comedians and organizations promoting a variety of causes.

The music was scheduled to begin at noon, but soundcheck delayed things a little. This gave me time to check out the booths.

Representatives from NashvilleBioDiesel.org demonstrated this new fuel with two biodiesel engine Mercedes. I never knew cooking waste was so interesting. For no charge, the organization collects used cooking oil from local restaurants and then converts this to usable fuel.

MountainJusticeSummer.org was present to raise awareness of mountaintop removal mining and its effects on nature. Over 1,200 miles of streams have been damaged or destroyed due to surface mining for coal.

Throughout the day, I watched festival-goers escape the sun and battle on Nintendo Wiis and Xbox 360s inside the Tennessee National Guard Interactive Gaming tent.

The Tennessee Valley Authority had information on their Green Power Switch program, which brings electricity generated by renewable resources to TVA customers.

MTSU Students for Environmental Action was also on hand representing local students.

Around 1 p.m., up-and-coming country act Heartland took the stage. ’I Loved Her First,’ their first single from Lofton Creek Records, earned a 2007 ACM nomination for Single of the Year. They are also nominated for best New Vocal Duo/Group.

The group reminded me of Alabama with modern guitar sounds. ’Lonesome Me’ rocked with some Chuck Berry flavored licks. ’Too Country for You’ was my favorite. You have to love a country act that uses a Peter Frampton style talk box!

When the Joe Harvey Band was up, guitarist and vocalist Harvey mentioned it was the first time the entire band had been seen together before sunset. Vampires or not, they served the crowd their funky Southern-rock sounds in the sun without a hitch. I loved the harmonies on ’Labor of Love.’ ’Take Me Down’ had a STP-ish groove with pure Southern vocals. As expected, their renditions of ’Crossroads’ and ’Superstitious’ lit up the stage. I especially liked their take on the middle section of the Stevie Wonder hit.

’I was proud to be a part of [the festival], and I hope they do it again next year,’ Harvey said. So do I, Joe.

After Dr. Cliff Rickett of the MTSU Science Department spoke on hybrid engines, Happy Birthday Amy began its set. Amy Smith delivered powerful vocals and bouncy piano over a very tight rhythm section, including her husband, Dillon, on bass and Miles Cramer on drums. I recommend visiting the French Quarter Caf’ May 19 to see this great act.

Next, respected activist John Cronin spoke about global warming before Overzealous played their inventive melodies over intense keys and Zeppelin-esque rhythms.

The festival then moved inside the Murphy Center where Arj Barker said he was ’pumped’ to perform the ’Marijuana-Logues,’ which he co-wrote.

Barker has a role on the new HBO series ’The Flight of the Condors,’ produced by the New Zealand comedy troupe of the same name. In the series the characters randomly break into comedic song. Barker said the style reminded him of a movie he had seen the day before: Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny.

Next, Oteil and the Peacemakers took the reigns. Oteil Burbridge was a member of the Atlanta-born Aquarium Rescue Unit. While playing in a side project, Frogwings, with Allman Brothers Band founder Butch Trucks, he was offered an audition for the ABB and made his debut on June 20, 1997. He has been scatting and thumping for the fans ever since.

Zach Galifianakis closed the festival with his edgy, dry style of comedy.

’I would start a revolution, but I just bought a hammock,’ the comedian said. ’I want to open up a store for cross-dressers. I’ll call it Susan B. Anthony.’

Galifianakis’ brand of comedy took him from performing in a hamburger joint in Times Square to co-starring in movies (Out Cold, Corky Romano) and television (Dog Bites Man, Tru Calling, Tom Goes to the Mayor, etc.) and was recently hilarious as Fred the Homeless Guy on The Sarah Silverman Show and as a co-star of The Comedians of Comedy.