Mike Redding, executive director of Harborfest, has announced that Starship with Mickey Thomas will be the featured artist during the opening ceremonies for Harborfest 2008. Sponsored by Novelis, this free opening night concert is sure to be a crowd pleaser as Starship with Mickey Thomas perform their hits that were radio and MTV staples in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“We are pleased to welcome such a popular, well-known act as Starship starring Mickey Thomas to the Labatt Lakeview Stage,” Redding said. “We are very appreciative of the fact that our partnership with Novelis helps to make a free concert like this possible. Novelis’ dedication to our community and their commitment to this festival as sponsors of opening night acts and other key festival events has once again given us the opportunity to bring exciting entertainment to central New York.”

Since 1976 when Thomas sang lead vocals for the Elvin Bishop Band’s hit “Fooled Around and Fell In Love,” and his days with Jefferson Starship and Starship, his soulful and compelling vocals have established him as one of rock music’s most recognizable voices. His powerful vocals and video charisma helped Starship score a sting of chart hits in the ‘80s and ‘90s with every Starship album released since 1979 reaching either Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum status.

In addition to such well known Starship hits as “No Way Out,” “We Built This City,” “Sara,” “Jane” and “Nothing Gonna Stop Us Now,” Thomas will also be performing material from his days in The Elvin Bishop Band and his two solo albums.

Backing Thomas is the newly revamped Starship band featuring Stephanie Calvert on vocals; Mark Abrahamian on lead guitar and vocals; Jeff Adams on bass and vocals; Phil Bennett on keyboards and vocals; and Darrell “Pelican” Verdusco on drums and vocals.

“My 12 years with Starship was much like a history of the band,” Thomas said. “It was complex, convoluted, with peaks and valleys, changes in personnel and in musical direction. But for the most part it was fun, and I have fond memories of it all, because the things that last are the really good moments anyway.”

All the good moments and Thomas’ stunning voice can be experienced once again during the high energy Starship starring Mickey Thomas show packed with Starship hits. Oswego’s Harborfest 2008 kicks off July 24 with opening ceremonies beginning at 7 p.m. on the Labatt Lakeview Stage in Breitbeck Park .