Ladybug Festival Returns To Wilmington On Friday, May 30
More than 30 artists and bands from all over will converge on Market Street for Ladybug, an annual all-female-fronted music festival that began in Wilmington in 2012. The rain-or-shine celebration of women in music is free to attend.
This year’s headliner is Margaret Glaspy, an indie pop-rocker with a voice
The New York Times calls “passionate” and “transfixing.” She’s earned equal praise from NPR, The New Yorker and Rolling Stone among others.
Glaspy will be joined by Grammy-nominated blues-rocker Martha Wash, trailblazing Latina/World singer-songwriter Eljuri, Philly alt-band KOSER and more than two dozen other acts.
“Every year we are so fortunate to get to host such an array of talent from across the country,” says Ladybug founder Gayle Dillman. “We’re incredibly proud that Ladybug is a space where artists from a variety of genres at different stages of their own journey can come together and share in this celebration.”
The festival kicks off Friday, May 30 at 4:15 p.m. with DJ Shadylady spinning tunes on the Main Stage before the live music starts at 5 p.m. She will spin again for free at the official after-party, hosted at The Queen in The Crown Room at 10:30 p.m. More at TheLadybugFestival.com.
Sullivan’s Last Work, The Emerald Isle, Historically Revived By Ardensingers
The Ardensingers Gild is performing Sir Arthur Sullivan’s last work, The Emerald Isle, a piece that has not been performed in the U.S. in more than 100 years.
“It’s not often that a community theater group can show an audience something they have never seen before, but that is precisely what the Ardensingers will be doing the first two weekends in May,” writes Sean O’Donnell, the head of the Ardensingers Gild. “The Emerald Isle contains some of the most beautiful music that Sullivan ever wrote.” More at ArdenClub.org.
Gretchen Emery Band To Rock Record Release Party At The Queen
A little more than a month after the band opened for The BusBoys at LA’s Whisky A Go Go, The Gretchen Emery Band is back in the First State practicing for its record release party, which will be held on Friday, May 16 at The Queen.
The band will play starting at 8 p.m. with special guests, Harvey Road, keeping the party going afterwards until 10 p.m.
The new album, Little Bit of Time, is the second the band has recorded with producer Derek Chafin. The album will be available on all streaming services. More at at GretchenEmery.com.
Marchitect Paints Happy Little Vibes On New Album: Joy Of Painting
Last month, area hip-hop artist Marchitect dropped his latest album, Joy of Painting, a colorful collaboration with DJ Trubb and producer Rex Lugar.
As the album title suggests, Marchitect draws inspiration from visual artists like Bob Ross, whose long-running TV show introduced countless of viewers to the idea of creating happy little trees on their own canvases at home.
“[Bob Ross] was a conduit for people who might have never experienced visual art,” Marchitect says, adding that the album is about “how we paint our lives and create our realities on a deeper level.”
Layered with mellow hypnotic grooves, trippy loops and samples, and a contemplative sense of fun, Joy of Painting is packed with varied references, name-dropping local landmarks (Longwood Gardens and Cowtown Rodeo), pop musicians (Tracy Chapman and Hall & Oates) and classic movies (The Color Purple and Sling Blade) in the first two tracks alone. Joy of Painting is available for purchase at Bandcamp.com.
Live Music Lights Up Downtown Wilmington
Two free shows are set to energize downtown Wilmington in the days leading up to The Ladybug Music Festival. On Wednesday, May 28, the women-fronted, local 6-piece cover band, My Father’s Daughter, will play outside The Queen on the 500 block of Market to kick off the City Sounds Block Party series. The party is presented by The Ladybug Music Festival, Downtown Visions, and CHASE, and includes food trucks, vendors, and more.
On Thursday, May 29, local favorite Katie Dill plays at Maker’s Alley
(804 Orange St.) as part of the Wilmington Brew Works Ladybug Beer Launch Party.
Both events begin at 5 p.m. and are open to the public. More at TheLadybugFestival.com
Innocence Project Delaware Holds Benefit Concert At WBW On May 15
In an effort to raise funds to replace two federal grants lost to budget cuts, the Innocence Project Delaware (IPD) is holding a benefit concert at Wilmington Brew Works from 6-9:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15.
The concert features a mix of guest speakers, like former inmate Jermain Marlow Wright, as well as musical performances from Trainwreck Boyfriend, Zach Humenik, Will Paynter and the Collective, Shortwave and others.
Founded in 2018, IPD fights to correct and prevent wrongful convictions and ensure justice within the criminal legal system for innocent people in Delaware who are imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. Tickets at GiveButter.com/InnocenceProjectDE.
Piffaro The Renaissance Band Plays Immanuel Church On May 11
Boasting a one-of-a-kind collection of more than 40 Renaissance instruments, Piffaro promises a performance like no other in this area.
The band will perform three times in the region in May, with one Delaware performance at Immanuel Church Highlands on Sunday, May 11 at 3 p.m. Enjoy bird songs, love songs, May dances, and more. More at ArdenClub.org.
