Jesse Malin, Craig Finn & Tommy Stinson Mark the Return of Queen Jeans Ball
Rock music phenomenon Jesse Malin headlines the Queen Jeans Ball, which returns Saturday, August 29.
Dubbed “a gritty troubadour of the streets” by Rolling Stone, Malin has crafted songs that have been covered by the best artists of our times: Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Green Day, and the list goes on …
Malin is also a rock and roll survivor — in more ways than one. In 2023, the musician suffered a rare spinal stoke that left him paralyzed from the waist down. But that didn’t stop him. Instead, he came back like a champ, and, at the end of the following year, sold out two nights at NYC’s Beacon Theatre, then did the same at London’s Islington Assembly Hall.
Malin will be joined at by Craig Finn of The Hold Steady and Tommy Stinson of The Replacements, two rock heavyweights by any measure of the term.
WXPN listeners are sure to be familiar with music from The Hold Steady as well as tunes from Finn’s most recent solo record, Always Been. And as for Stinson, if there was a Mount Rushmore of ’80s College Rock, The Replacements would be up there, surely, carved in stone.
The Queen Jeans Ball will benefit Donate Delaware, a local charity founded by boxing champion Dave Tiberi, which provides medical supplies and equipment at no cost.
— More at TheQueenWilmington.com
Travelin’ McCoury’s & Kathy Mattea Headline DE Valley Bluegrass Festival
It’s a festival that The Philadelphia Inquirer has dubbed “The all killer, no filler festival” and it’s coming back Labor Day weekend, September 4-6.
Yes, the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival marks its 54th year this year, and has been running so strong for so long, that it now showcases the second generation of past headliners.
Featuring Ronnie and Rob McCoury, the talented sons of international bluegrass star Del McCoury, the Travelin’ McCourys mark their sophomore return to the festival. They have a bit of catching up to do: Their father has played the festival 24 times — more than any other artist.
Jam-band fans take notice: The Travelin’ McCourys have recorded with Keller Williams and are renowned for their interpretations of Grateful Dead tunes.
The Travelin’ McCourys will be followed Friday night, Sept. 4, by Kathy Mattea, who has charted more than 30 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The Washington Post has called her, “one of Nashville’s finest song interpreters.”
— More at DelawareValleyBluegrass.org
Dutchman Connects with Sugarloaf for Upcoming Music Bio I Got a Song
There simply is no hiding Dutchman’s love of classic ‘70s rock — you can feel it in their music. And pretty soon, that love of theirs is going to be felt in movie theaters, too.
Shortly after the Delaware original rock quartet released their songs “In Your Heart” and “I Need You Now” at the end of 2024, the members of Dutchman were contacted by Stacy Raymond, the producer of the upcoming music bio I Got a Song — The Story of Sugarloaf, which details the story of the ‘70s band Sugarloaf.
“She shared her love for the new tracks and asked us if we were interested in having a meeting about possible involvement in the film, which soon grew into contributing to the soundtrack of the film,” says Dutchman’s lead singer and guitarist Connor Johnson.
The conversation led to Dutchman recording a song with Sugarloaf guitarist Bob Webber. The collaboration, “Papa Fronc,” was released earlier this year.
“It was very surreal being able to work with somebody who is such a big part of my musical background,” Johnson adds.
Sugarloaf had two Top 10 hits in the ‘70s including the trippy and jazzy rocker “Green Eyed Lady,” which still receives significant airplay 56 years after it was released.
In addition to having their music in the upcoming Sugarloaf bio, Dutchman was invited to Englewood, Colorado to play a March show with Sugarloaf Take 2, a group that features the film’s performers. Those recordings will be released in November as Dutchman Live in Colorado.
Until then, Dutchman has two upcoming shows at the NJMP Raceway in Millville, N.J. on Aug. 22 and Sept. 19.
— More at DutchmanNow.com
