The Roots’ third annual picnic on June 5th at Festival Pier in Philly once again brought together some of the best musicians from an eclectic mix of bands from the U.S. and around the world for ten hours of non-stop music on two stages.

Highlights included a collaboration with ?uestlove and DJ Jazzy Jeff, a rousing performance by Mayer Hawthorne and the Country (who also gets a best dressed nod from Philly 360°), new favorite bands Tune Yards, Memory Tapes and Malawian act The Very Best, soulful grooves with Foreign Exchange, The Roots and John Legend and the incomparable Raekwon, Method Man and Ghostface Killah of the Wu Tang Clan.

Of course, The Roots came to the stage with the energy and skills that have made them famous worldwide, performing classics from their early recording days ("Proceed" with original member Hub on the bass!) and tracks from their upcoming 11th album, How I Got Over.

Most concert-goers agreed, however, that the Wu Tang/Roots collaboration that united two branches of the same hip hop family tree was the highlight of the show. Calling themselves Wu Massacre, the MCs busted out originals from their first group album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), interspersed with solo hits from different members of the troupe. In between songs, Ghostface waxed poetic about Philly’s storied music history, naming artists from the Delfonics to Will Smith and proclaiming, “If I wasn’t from New York, I wouldn’t mind being from Philly”. We’ll think about it, Ghost!

Philly 360° hosted over 100 members of the regional and national media in a VIP section of the tented second stage, where stars like Jazzy Jeff, members of Foreign Exchange, Res, James Poyser and ?uestlove came to hang out and show us some love.

If you didn’t get a chance to attend this year’s Picnic, don’t worry -- you can experience The Roots live and Grammy®-nominated soul diva Chrisette Michele at the Wawa Welcome America July 4 concert along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Best yet this, show is FREE and only in Philly!

Check out the photos above - courtesy of Meredith Edlow for GPTMC - and our special video filmed live at the Picnic.

For more fan photos, visit our Philly 360° Flickr account.