Outer Banks Spring Music Festival Season Is Here

With two major music festivals this week, the Outer Banks music scene is heating up.
With two major music festivals this week, the Outer Banks music scene is heating up.

Now that the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival has moved to May, it looks as though this coming week can officially be termed Outer Banks Spring Music Festival Week.

With two major music festivals this week, that seems like a good name for it.

Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival

After Michael wiped out three days of his four day Bluegrass Festival two years ago, Cory Hemilright figured he needed to move the music to spring. It took a year because he plans a full year into the future, but here we are in 2019 and the weather at least is cooperating.

Here are the particulars—Wednesday through Saturday at Roanoke Island Festival park in Manteo. The setting, overlooking Roanoke Sound is beautiful.

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage will be back. They have been at every festival since the first in 2012. She headlines Thursday night. 

Friday headliner is Seldom Scene and Saturday is Town Mountain wrapping up the show on Saturday.

Wedenesday evening could be fun with a free jam at Bluegrass Island Trading Company in Manteo.

Mustang Spring Jam

The music is looking really good this year, so good that the Mustang Spring Jam has been grown to two days.

Saturday features performances from Emma’s Lounge and the Travers Brothership. Two amazingly talented groups.

Sunday it’s all day with the young musicians from the Mustang Music Program starting ting it all. 

Headliner Ghost Light is typical of the type band Mike Dianna books. Innovative and on the cusp of greater recognition.

Proceeds for Mustang Music festivals benefit the Corolla Wild Horse Fund and the Mustang Music Program.

Music, art and a beautiful environment, the Outer Banks has it all. Take the time to learn what and amazing place this is with a visit to a Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates home.

Mustang Spring Jam-Great Music & a Great Time in Corolla

Marcus King Band performing at the 7th Annual Mustang Spring Jam.
Marcus King Band performing at the 7th Annual Mustang Spring Jam.

Marcus King Band Rocks the House

Sunday’s Mustang Spring Jam in Corolla may have been the best yet, and that’s really saying something because there have been some amazing  shows in the past. But there was something about this one—maybe it was lucky seven—since this was the 7th annual show. Or may it was just the right combination of music on the right day.

The Mustang Jams always kickoff with the kids from the Mustang Music Outreach. Ranging from third grade through high school seniors, working with longtime professional musician Ruth Wyand, the kids learn how to perform on stage.

The youngest ones are learning, still figuring it out, but just that they’re on stage and performing recognizable popular music at eight or nine years of age is pretty impressive.

It gets really impressive though, when two high schools seniors take the stage—both performers will be majoring in music next year in college. At that point there is really no difference between their performance and professional musicians.

That set the stage for everything that followed.

Porch 40, hailing from Asheville put on a heck of a show. Really innovative music—sort of a cross between jazz, blues and rock. Local reggae band Sensi Trails always puts on a great show and the quality of their performance is getting better and better.

Back for a second time—they played last year at the Spring Jam—Fireside Collective. The instruments are bluegrass—guitar, mandolin, standup bass, banjo, and no drum—and the music is kind of bluegrass. But what they play is bluegrass at a rock ’n’ roll beat with attitude. Fun and very talented.

The Marcus King Band, though, stole the show.

Watching and listening to the performance of the band there is a real sense that this is a group that is about to step to the next level.

The guitar work of King is amazing, but what sets the band apart is how innovative the arrangements are, how gifted the rest of the musicians are, and how intricate and fascinating the music is.

The styles are all over the genre map; there’s blues, hard rock, some psychedelic rock, southern influence, jazz and country. And it all works beautifully together.

We’ll hope he make another trip to the Outer Banks. If he does, we’ll be sure to check him out.

The summer season is getting into full swing. We still have some properties available for your summer vacations. Checks us out at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates for more information.

Mustang Spring Jam Highlights Great OBX Weekend

The Marcus King band coming to the Mustang Spring Jam this Sunday.
The Marcus King band coming to the Mustang Spring Jam this Sunday.

Two Great Events Highlight Spring Weekend

Spring on the Outer Banks is a remarkable time and this coming weekend is what it’s all about. It’s a weekend with two great events—the 3rd Annual Shredfest on Saturday at the Nags head Event Site and on Sunday it’s the 7th Annual Mustang Spring Jam in Corolla.

Shredfest is all about if it has wheels it can shred, but there’s some great music as well. Personal favorite is The Ramble taking the stage at 4:00.

If music is the theme, though, nothing quite matches what Mike Dianna and his Bearded Face Productions does with the Mustang Spring Jam. Six bands will take the stage over the course of the day. Well, seven, because the Mustang Music Outreach kids always kick things off and they are really worth checking out.

There is a great local band in the mix—Sensi Trails. Featuring some tight reggae arrangements with very good musicianship, it’s a group that’s a real pleasure to watch.

The headliner, though is really gong to be exciting. The Marcus King band has been wowing audiences wherever they play with their eclectic blend of southern rock merged with psychedelic. Great musicians playing music the way it’s supposed to be played.

One of the features of the Mustang music festivals is the use of multiple stages so there is no gap in the music between groups. When one band wraps up the next is ready to go immediately.

The Mustang Spring Jam raises money for two great organizations. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund has been protecting the Corolla Wild Horses for the past two decades and through their efforts the herd may yet survive intact.

The Mustang Music Outreach teaches kids about music and performance. It’s a great program; the kids learn a lot and music director Ruth Wyand makes it all fun.

Need accommodations for the weekend? Check out our rentals at Joe Lamb Jr., & Associates.