Homey Awards Celebrate the Best in Local Music
The Queen boasts one of the biggest nights for local music when the 2023 Homey Awards return on August 6.
There will be 28 award presentati¬ons along with live performances from this year’s Song of the Year nominees: Alicia Maxwell Project with “Tappan Zee,” Curtis Jr. with “I Don’t Mind (Life Aside the Ocean),” Gunpowder Milkshake with “Flamingo’s Ode,” John Faye & Sug Daniels with “Lightning in a Bottle,” and Mikeal Anthony Greto with “The Piper.”
Hosted by Mark Rogers, host of Hometown Heroes, the Homey Awards annually celebrate the local musicians and songs featured on the Hometown Heroes show throughout the past calendar year.
The award show is presented by Delaware Public Media with production assistance from Gable Music Ventures. The show starts at 7pm; tickets are $15 and available online at TheQueenWilmington.com.
Free Concert Series Continues at New City Amphitheater
The Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series rolls into its second month of offering a variety of free performances to the public — all at the newly opened Urban Artist Exchange (UAE) Amphitheater.
Olatuja brings its brand of Afro-beat, jazz, funk and soul to the stage on August 9. The spicy sounds of Southern Louisiana fill the air on August 16 with the arrival of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. Gerald Veasley’s Electric Mingus Project delivers what JazzTimes called “an admirable tribute” to the jazz legend on August 23. Then, on August 30, audiences will be treated to the tunes and interpretations of Brooklyn-based Gabriel jazz cellist Gabriel Royal.
The UAE Amphitheater is located at 1500 Walnut Street, and the shows all start at 6:30pm. Visit CityFestWilm.com.
Summer Jam Series Unites Bands, Stores, Venues
Following its kick-off event at International Groove Records then other July shows at Kelly’s Logan House and Spaceboy Clothing, the Summer Band Jam series continues this month with more battle-of-the-band excitement.
August 5 sees Blameshifter, PinWheel and the Dustin Manucci Trio face off at Rainbow Records in Newark. On August 12, Rainbow hosts Hive Mind, Penny Death and Advanced Fiction. Then the action shifts to Squeezebox Records in Wilmington, where Eastern Elk, Fragments of Greatness and Red Smith give it a go on August 19.
Summer Band Jam concludes with a grand finale on Sept. 2 (location to be announced). Visit RainbowRecordsDE.com.
Carly Simmons & Earth Jam Rock Brandywine Summer Series
The Brandywine Summer Concert Series wraps up this month, but not before two more acts rock the outdoor amphitheater — one of the biggest of its kind in our area.
Country singer Carly Simmons performs on August 3 and classic rock jamband Earth Jam plays August 10. The free shows are 7-9pm and guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets and coolers. A food truck will be on site.
Visit BrandywineRedClay.org.
Nitro Nitra Lights Up Wilmington
Two months after rocking the main stage of the Ladybug Music Festival, Nitro Nitra is back with another outdoor Wilmington performance.
For the Wilmington Summer Concerts, Nitro Nitra will perform from 6-7:30pm on August 24 at 7th & West Park.
In September of last year, the band released its single “Walk Into the Sun,” just five months after being featured on NBC’s American Song Contest.
The show marks the final performance in this year’s Summer Concert Series. Visit WilmingtonAlliance.org.
