WASHINGTON — Summer concert season is right around the corner, and while everyone loves a good beach bar and an acoustic guitar, even well-known acts like to hit the beach in the summer. And the competition for big-name acts is getting stronger than ever in the mid-Atlantic.
Just a few miles west of Fenwick Island, Delaware, the Freeman Stage is in its 10th summer of concerts and boasting its biggest lineup yet this year.
“We look for a diverse lineup. We look for shows that’ll appeal to anybody of all ages,” says Alyson Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the Freeman Stage. “We like to say there’s no bad seat in the house. It’s less than 200 feet from the furthest point you would be in our venue.”
With water off to the side, the grass in front of the Freeman Stage brings a mix of Grammy-winning artists, nostalgia-fused rock and even theatrical performances aimed at little kids to the beach.
The season gets underway with Smokey Robinson, and includes shows from The Temptations and Four Tops, Boyz II Men, The Gin Blossoms and OAR. You can see the full list of performances on the Freedman Stage website.
Up in Dewey Beach, Bottle and Cork has been rocking Delaware since World War II, hosting a variety of up and comers and well known acts, as well as some of the top tribute bands that tour through the region. The no-frills club, boasting that it has no roof and takes no credit cards, still manages to host some of the most energized shows each year.
Things got started Memorial Day week with actor Kiefer Sutherland, followed by Anne Arundel County’s own Brothers Osborne on May 29. Other musicians moving through this summer include Matthew Sweet, Kix, Old Crow Medicine Show, Bacon Brothers and Dark Star Orchestra jam band.
The full lineup and concert information can be found on Bottle and Cork’s website.
