Hot Music, Hot Night for Midsummer Meltdown

People's Blues of Richmond at Mike Dianna's Grill Room, Corolla during the Midsummer Meltdown on Sunday.
People’s Blues of Richmond at Mike Dianna’s Grill Room, Corolla during the Midsummer Meltdown on Sunday.

It was hot, it has humid and, yes, maybe there was a bit of a melt down but the Mid Summer Meltdown in Corolla was one heck of a show.

The headliner was the People’s Blues of Richmond. This is probably the third time we’ve seen them thanks to Bearded Face Productions who keep bringing them back to the Outer Banks.

The important thing to know about PBR, though, is they seem to just keep getting better and better. The group is a trio with Tim Beavers on guitar, Matthew Volkes on bass and Nekoro Williams, drums. But their music is so full, so complex that it’s sometimes  where it’s hard to imagine there’s only three of them.

They played some of their newest material, and it’s really interesting stuff. Still based on the blues, but they’re clearly seeing how far they can take their sound. This is really a group worth checking out if the opportunity comes up.

C2 & the Brothers Reed opened for the Meltdown. Evidently they lost their lead singer a little before the Midsummer Show date. What they decided to do, since they didn’t have someone for vocals was put together some jams. Wow! There is no other word to describe how tight and how musically interesting what they were doing sounded.

Hopefully they’ll be back and maybe even with a lead singer in the future.

The summer and the fall a filled with events for the whole family. Be sure to check out Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates for the best homes in the best locations.

Mustang Spring Jam-Great Music in Corolla

Last Days of May in performance. (LtoR): Gracie Deichler, Joe Sawin, Jonah Wills-drums, Jacob Mandis, Sam Wills.
Last Days of May in performance. (LtoR): Gracie Deichler, Joe Sawin, Jonah Wills-drums, Jacob Mandis, Sam Wills.

The music at Mike Dianna’s Mustang Music Spring Jam—or his fall Mustang Festival—is always great, but honestly the highlight may very well be the kids of the Mustang Music Program who kick things off.

Yes—People’s Blues of Richmond, the headliner for the day, is an amazing band . . . so good that they may be on the cusp of hitting it big. Their sound is a hard driving blend of blues, rock and psychedelia performed by three remarkably talented musicians:  Tim Beavers on guitar and vocals, Matt Volkes on bass and drummer Neko Williams rocked the house.

But there is something so special about the kids in Ruth Wyand’s Mustang Music Program and the joy they bring to performing classic rock songs that lights up even an overcast cool day like it was today in Corolla.

The No Clue band, which are the beginning students, were remarkably tight throughout their set and brought an energy to the stage that set everything up for the day.

The older kids, especially Last Days of May, are performing at a level that is almost as good as professional performers and in some cases as good as almost anyone locally.

Sam Wills rocks on guitar—and his 12-year-old brother is no slouch on drums. Kaman Blake, Joe Sawin and Gracie Deichler have become very talented vocalists, and Gracie in particular really knows how to sell a song.

The weather wasn’t so great today—chilly, drizzling a bit with a northeast breeze, but somehow that all gets overlooked when the music is this good.

Proceeds from the Mustang Music Spring Jam benefit the Mustang Music Program and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.

#joelamb, jr. #mustangmusic