Most of the rain and wind held off early last weekend for the Delaware Music Festival in Dewey Beach, where bands from all over the state came to showcase their talents. Dewey Beach’s event director Vikki Walls said she was pleasantly surprised with the turnout, despite cooler temperatures.
“We had a really great crowd out there, especially on Saturday,” she said, of the free two-night event. But now is no time for Walls to sit back and enjoy her success. The concerts and festivals are just getting started.
In almost no time at all, Walls was back to work this week, contacting bands and revising schedules to prepare for this week’s Dewey Beach Popfest, where 45 power-pop, Brit-pop and pop-punk bands from eight different states and provinces will come together for another massive two-day concert.
The festival will run Friday from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. on four stages at the Rusty Rudder. Saturday, from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m., performances will run nonstop on the Rudder stages, as well as at the neighboring Lighthouse restaurant and Booksandcoffee café.
“I was really happy with last weekend’s turnout and this weekend looks great, too,” Walls said. “I was told by a fan that this lineup features the best bands on the East Coast, so I’m excited to see how it goes.”
Many bands will be returning, such as Newark’s Omnisoul and Trenton, N.J.’s The Success Failures, and there are some fresh faces set to make the scene as well.
“Some of these bands are standard, and they know the routine,” said Walls. “Regardless of whether they’ve been here before, everyone brings a really great following. The crowds here really get into it.”
Bands are gearing up to travel from all over the Atlantic states.
D.C.-based Army of Me, New York City’s God or Julie and Philly band IKE will each be bringing some of their own flavor to the stage. Michael Slawter and the Saving Graces from Winston-Salem, N.C., and Taylor Davis from Austin, Texas, will also be making appearances this weekend.
Walls will be able to breathe a sigh of relief and collect her composure with a much-deserved week away from the chaos next week, but then it’s back to work with four more shows later this year at the Dewey complex.
May 4 and 5 will see the Dewey Beach High Tide Jamfest, with the 2007 Chickfest the following weekend. The end of September will host the 2007 Dewey Beach Music Conference, before the Americana Music Fest in October.
For information on all the shows, visit www.deweybeachfest.com on the Internet. For information on Popfest, go to www.deweybeachfest.com/popfest/index.htm or call the Ruddertown Complex at (302) 227-3888 for venue information.