Epic tribute to hair metal in Ocean City, jazz in Rehoboth keep beaches rocking along

Roger Hillis
·3 min read

The weather may cooling down, but festival season is still in full swing at area beaches — and the coming days will see thousands of music fans once again descend upon Delmarva to jazz it up.

The 34th annual Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival will run Thursday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 15. Thursday’s traditional kickoff concert will feature Pieces Of A Dream jamming with guest musicians at the 1,000-seat Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, and tickets have sold out in advance.

Pianist Keiko Matsui will perform at a trio of sold-out events Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15 at the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival.
Pianist Keiko Matsui will perform at a trio of sold-out events Friday through Sunday, Oct. 13-15 at the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival.

Pianist Keiko Matsui, who will be presented with the festival’s 2023 Artist of the Year award, has a trio of appearances set for Thursday through Saturday — and they’re also all sold out. A total of 10 concerts by various smooth jazz acts have sold out, but tickets remain for more than a dozen other performances on various stages, including the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach and the Cape Henlopen Performing Arts Theatre (located inside Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes).

Tickets also remain for the 11th annual True Blue Jazz Festival, which will run concurrently in Rehoboth Oct. 12-15. A highlight will be a 7:30 p.m. Thursday show at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel with music by Paula Johns with the Joe Holt Trio ($30). True Blue places more of a focus on downtown Rehoboth, and highlights traditional jazz sounds.

Ocean City getting big show focusing on '80s hair metal hits

The Ocean City Performing Arts Center will present Broadway's Rock of Ages Band at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 ($35, $40).
The Ocean City Performing Arts Center will present Broadway's Rock of Ages Band at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 ($35, $40).

In other music news, Broadway’s Rock of Ages Band will finally play Ocean City this week. The show will take place at the OC Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13 ($35, $40). The production focusing on ’80s hair metal hits by Poison, Whitesnake and Bon Jovi was postponed from its original June 11 date. The center has also placed tickets on sale for a concert by famed a cappella group Take 6, which will harmonize at 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 14 ($45, $55).

In nearby Berlin, the Ocean Downs Casino’s annual, outdoor Rocktober concert series continues this week. It is showcasing tribute acts on Fridays at 7 p.m., with admission being $25 per evening. The Land of Ozz will perform hard-rocking songs by Ozzy Osbourne on Oct. 13. Looking ahead to next week, Classic Stones will tackle the greatest hits of Mick Jagger and company on Oct. 20.

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Also in Berlin, the Burley Oak Brewing Company has a concert by Philadelphia groove merchants Muskrat Flats in the offing. The band, which mixes styles including funk, rock and bluegrass, will jam out at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 13 ($10).

Philadelphia jam band Muskrat Flats will perform at the Burley Oak Brewing Company in Berlin at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 ($10).
Philadelphia jam band Muskrat Flats will perform at the Burley Oak Brewing Company in Berlin at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 ($10).

Back in coastal Sussex County, The Listening Booth continues to present acoustic music by national headliners. The venue is located in the Tanger Outlets Surfside shopping center on southbound Route 1 at Midway. The spot at 35000 Midway Outlet Drive (Suite 218) will present Nashville singer-songwriter Griffin House at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 15 ($30).

E-mail Roger Hillis at rogerhillis@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City gets '80s hair metal tribute show, jazz it up in Rehoboth