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Virginia Symphony Orchestra - 8:30pm - Main StageThe Virginia Symphony is at the center of the Hampton Roads arts community, and in many ways serves as the cultural cornerstone for the region. Each year, the orchestra presents a series of Classics, Pops and Family concerts in Norfolk, Newport News, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. In addition, our educational and outreach programs touch the lives of more than 100,000 students and adults per season through concerts, lectures and presentations, in-school-residences, master classes, open rehearsals, student performances, collaborations with other organizations and an array of community engagement programs.
Grace Potter - 8:30pm - Main Stage
Heralded as one of today’s best live performers, Grace Potter has played every major music festival from Coachella and Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo and Rock in Rio. She’s had the honor of sharing the stage with artists such as The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, the Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Mavis Staples, and The Roots to name just a few.
The Sheepdogs - 7:15pm - Boathouse StageTrends come and go, styles fall in and out of fashion, but The Sheepdogs remain steadfast in their commitment to rock n’ roll excellence. Since their inception, the band has always sought to play the kind of music they themselves love: “Pure, simple, good-time music,” as singer/guitarist Ewan Currie puts it. It’s no surprise, then, that the band’s fifth LP, Future Nostalgia, is firmly rooted in the rock tradition that listeners have come to expect from the boys.
The Subdudes - 6:00pm - Main StageThe New Orleans-formed group is a living encapsulation of American music, a vibrant cauldron of sounds that stirs together meaty grooves and jazzy dynamics, soulful R&B swagger, easy vocal harmonies, cheeky rock ‘n’ roll attitude and folky social consciousness — not to mention some of the sharpest musicianship and ensemble playing you’ll ever hear from any five musicians.
Rick Springfield - 8:00pm - Main StageOver the past three decades, Rick Springfield has worn many hats as an entertainer and performer. The creator of some of the finest power-pop of the ’80s, he’s a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician who has sold 25 million albums and scored 17 U.S. Top 40 hits, including “Jessie’s Girl,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” “I've Done Everything for You,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch.”
Oh Honey - 6:45pm - Boathouse StageOh Honey, named both for Mitchy Collins' favorite episode of "How I Met Your Mother" and the burgeoning artisan honey movement in Brooklyn that captivated him and band-mate Danielle Bouchard, is a blend of bright folk and uplifting pop which -- like the sound of a cold beer snapping open in the summertime -- represents the promise of something great.
Last Bison - 5:45pm - Main StageIn 2012 The Last Bison seemingly rose from the marshes of southeastern Virginia to captivate the national music scene with a rare blend of music that NPR dubbed, “Classical influenced southern folk rock.” Commenting on the band’s self-released debut album, Quill, a blogger for the popular music sharing site NoiseTrade remarked: “(The Last) Bison has already crafted a sound that is threaded with their own singular strands of creativity. Songs unfurl in textured, poetic waves that are based far more in inspiration than imitation.
The Defibulators - 3:15pm - Main StageDescribed as everything from “Hee-Haw on mescaline” to “Carter Family-meets-Ramones”, The Defibulators unique brand of country has made them pioneers in the Brooklyn country music scene. The band is currently touring on the heels of their latest LP release, Debt’ll Get’em, co-produced with Brian Bender (Langhorne Slim, Jose James). The album is a striking, au courant take on classic country, channeling the frenetic energy of their legendary live shows into tight, punchy hooks and foot-stomping sing-alongs.
The Drifters, Cornell Gunter’s Coasters, and The Platters - 1:45pm - Main StageOne of Rock & Roll’s founding vocal groups, The Drifters have recorded a number of “firsts” since their inception in the early 1950’s. They were the first musical group to include string instruments into Rhythm & Blues music with their song “There Goes My Baby” and they were the first musical group to sell two million records with their pop classic, “Up On The Roof.” Additionally, they were the first African American vocal group to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their classic tune “Under The Boardwalk” is the most played R&B record of all time.
Wild Adriatic - 3:15pm - Boathouse StageCalling to mind the soulful, dynamic sounds of 70s giants such as Led Zeppelin, Humble Pie, and Free's early years, Wild Adriatic has won early acclaim from places such as Rolling Stone, USA Today, Relix, American Songwriter, and Guitar World. The debut album Big Suspicious was released in January 2014 and the band has since stayed on the road in support of the effort, logging an impressive 175 live shows in 2014 alone. From headlining blues festivals in Connecticut for a crowd of 10,000 people to a five week European headlining tour to serving as direct support for an impressive list of rock and roll royalty including Grand Funk Railroad, Robert Randolph, Blues Traveler, and many more...
The Wailers - 4:30pm - Main StageTogether with Bob Marley, The Wailers have sold over 250 million albums and have played to an estimated 24 million people across the globe performing an average of 200 dates a year. The anchor of the band is Aston “Family Man” Barrett, who in addition to being Marley’s most trusted lieutenant and co-producer, played on countless other classic reggae hits throughout the seventies. The authenticity he brings to the Wailers’ sound is indisputable and yet today’s line-up combines old school know-how with lead vocals from one of Jamaica’s most exciting new singers. The Wailers are undoubtedly the world’s premier reggae and world music group who bring high energy shows to fans across the globe.