Friday night with Fantasia: What to know before her Tuscaloosa Amphitheater show

Friday night is Fantasia night at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.

The show, with opening act Babyface, is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m.

A big crowd is expected and amphitheater officials urge concert-goers to arrive early to ensure a stress-free experience.

Here's what you need to know:

Tickets

As of Wednesday, a handful of seats were available for resale in the amphitheater's lower section. Most of the tickets still available are in the upper section, priced at $32.50, plus fees. Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.com or at the Amphitheater box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway. For more information, call the box office at 205-248-5280.

The weather

The National Weather Service predicts mostly clear skies Friday night with temperatures in the low 80s in Tuscaloosa when the show begins, dropping into the mid-70s by the show's end. There is the chance of a storm during the day, but the weather service says the rain chances during the concert are less than 10%. For updates on the day of the show, monitor the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds.

Parking/traffic

There is ongoing construction near the amphitheater: Jack Warner Parkway remains closed between Greensboro and 21st avenues, though one eastbound lane is still open for businesses on the south side of Jack Warner Parkway in the area.

Concert-goers  can park under the train trestle, west of the Amp, and in on-street parking spaces throughout downtown Tuscaloosa. Free shuttles will run from the Tuscaloosa Intermodal Facility, at 601 23rd Ave., adjacent to Government Park. The free 445-space, 24-7 four-level parking deck will have shuttles running from one hour before gates open, and continuing until patrons have cleared out.

For a detailed parking map, go to www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com/directions-and-parking.

Who's playing

Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor, third-season winner of “American Idol,” has played the Amp twice before, in 2014 and 2018. Riding her 2004 victory on the star-making machine, the 19-year-old Fantasia released the single “I Believe,” which she had sung as her closing “AI” performance. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her debut album “Free Yourself” sold platinum, earned three Grammy nominations, and spawned follow-up hits in the No. 1 “Truth Is,” and the Top 40 title track.

Her 2006 self-titled disc sold gold, on the back of No. 1 R&B/hip-hop hit “When I See You.” She won her first Grammy, after several nominations, for the Top 10 hit “Bittersweet,” from her 2010 album “Back to Me.”

Her other charting singles include “Lose to Win,” “Without Me” (featuring Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott), “No Time For It,” “Sleeping with the One I Love,” “When I Met You” and “Enough.”

Kenneth Brian Edmonds, who performs under stage name Babyface is a singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, having written and produced more than 26 No. 1 hits, winning 12 Grammy Awards.

Among his No. 1 hits are “Love Saw It” (with Karen White), “It’s No Crime,” “Tender Lover,” and “Love Makes Things Happen”(with Pebbles).

Upcoming shows

Upcoming Tuscaloosa Amphitheater concerts include LANY and Surfaces on Aug. 29; Kem, Stokley and  Leela James on Sept. 2; Thomas Rhett on Sept. 8; Whiskey Myers and the Read Southall Band on Oct. 13; Travis Tritt, Chris Janson and War Hippies on Oct. 19; and Chicago on Oct. 21.

For more information on all of these shows, go to www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com.

Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Friday night with Fantasia: What to know before her Tuscaloosa show