The Scene

MusicDetour.com’s commentary on music, performances, and the DC metro area music scene

This Saturday, head out to the Alexandria Recreation Center to catch some great live music . . . for FREE! This year’s Del Ray Music Festival should be a great time to take the whole family out and enjoy an eclectic mix of music. I’m not entirely sure where the festival gets its name, but if you do, please share it in the comments section. The music will be rockin’ from 10am-10pm. Grab your sunscreen and make your way to Alexandria. Full line up with times after the jump. (more…)

Every summer there are a lot of concerts that happen outside in communities. One of the places where there is one of these outside concert series is at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware a place that happens to be a very popular DC vacation spot. The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand will be holding concerts on the beach (FOR FREE!!!) on weekends throughout the summer. If you are visiting Rehoboth for the weekend, this is a must-go destination. Maybe you should check-out the schedule now and figure-out when you want to go to the beach based on when you there is a band playing that you want to see. Check-out the schedule after the jump. (more…)

After first getting started with Folk music and Jazz music, Festivals have long been the domain of Jam Bands. However, over the past few years there’s been an increasing tendency towards hip-hop festivals. Rock the Bells started back in 2004 as a one time – one place festival, but has expanded over the past five years to a touring festival that will land in 10 cities across the US and Canada this summer. It’s coming to the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on Sunday, July 12th. The shows kick-off at Noon. It’s the second consecutive year that the show will hit Merriweather. This year’s festival is going to have about 30 acts on 2 stages. Tickets go on sale May 2nd at 10am. Full list of artists after the jump. (more…)

Fairfax County puts on a huge festival every year at the Fairfax Government Center that it has called “Celebrate Fairfax“. Now, to me, that is an incredibly strange name, what are we celebrating about Fairfax? Anyway, it used to be called the Fairfax Fair before they tried to get all original with its name. Name aside, it is one of the best chances to catch local and national acts outside at one event in northern Virginia. This year it is Friday, June 5th – Sunday June, 7th and will be headlined by Blues Traveler (Friday, June 5th – 8pm), The Fixx (Saturday, June 6th – 3pm), The Sugarhill Gang, Tone Loc and Naughty by Nature (Saturday, June 6th – 7:30pm)and Phil Vassar (Sunday, June 7th – 3:30pm). Get your tickets now. Checkout after the jump for the complete line-up. (more…)

With the Cherry Blossoms here, a pair of beautiful days this weekend and a coating of pollen on your car, it is clear that Spring and April are here. All of this means that one of the year’s biggest festivals on the mall is upon us. The Green Apple Festival will take place from April 17-19 on throughout Washington, DC with a huge free festival on the National Mall on April 19th. This year the Green Apple Music Festival will take place in 10 cities across the United States, but the largest bar far is right here in Washington, DC. While the performers have been announced for the other nine cities, we are still waiting to hear who will be playing in DC that weekend. Check back for more information – we will update this post as the artists are announced. JUST IN – LINE-UP after the jump (more…)

As I’ve mentioned before, Wolf Trap’s Filene Center is one of the best venues to catch a show (partly because of its BYOB policy). Every year in addition to the great line-up of shows, there is a Louisiana Swamp Romp to celebrate cajun music/zydeco on a beautiful summer afternoon. In its 20th year, the Swamp Romp looks like it will be going better than ever.  This year it will be on Sunday, June 7th at 2pm in the afternoon. Tickets are general admission, so get your favorite New Orleans beverage and head to Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA. Check out the line-up after the jump. (more…)

One of the big events each year in Tidewater Virginia is the Hampton Jazz Festival at the Hampton Coliseum. However the big irony about the Hampton Jazz Fest is that it has very little jazz today. I went several years ago and saw The Average White Band, Chaka Khan and George Benson. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of all of three of those acts, but George Benson is the only act that you could remotely call Jazz. This year is no different . . . each night the major acts playing are not jazz. It looks like it’s going to be a great festival, I just think that they need to change the name to the Hampton R&B Festival or the Hampton Soul Festival or something. Anyway, this year’s festival is June 26-28. Click here for tickets. Check out after the jump for the full line-up. (more…)

Spring is in the air (or is at least fighting to be in the air). As the temperatures rise and outdoor concerts swell in numbers, MusicDetour wants to make sure that we keep you posted on what’s going on. The three big outdoor venues in the DC Area (The Filene Center at Wolftrap, The Merriweather Pavillion and The Nissan Pavilion) are all beginning to list their shows, be sure to check their schedules updated on the venue pages. This weekend it’s Shamrock Fest and while the weather may not be great, this festival is always a good time. We are also listing summer music festivals in the DC area on the Summer Music Festivals 2009 page on the MusicDetour blog. Check there for all of the summer festivals and make sure you keep us posted on festivals happening in your neck of the woods. (more…)

Capital Jazz Festival – June 5-7, 2009

• Merriweather Post Pavillion (Columbia, MD)
• For tickets click here.

Details after the jump. (more…)

The M3 Rock Festival presented by 98 Rock – May 30, 2009

• Merriweather Post Pavillion (Columbia, MD)
• For tickets click here.

Details after the Jump. (more…)