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Delaware bandstands host full lineup of musicians
Navy choir, rock-country band and Buddy Holly tribute all slated to perform this weekend | By Michelle Oxley | For the Beachcomber
REHOBOTH BEACH — The Rehoboth and Bethany Beach bandstands are bursting with a wealth of musicians this weekend, including a few fun blasts from the past.
Friday night in Rehoboth kicks off with the United States Navy’s award-winning choral group, the Sea Chanters, who will perform a variety of music such as traditional choral, including the sea chantey, and even Broadway musical numbers.
Saturday evening music fans will enjoy the “hard rockin’ modern country” of Pittsburgh’s North of Mason Dixon, or NOMaD. Between its rigorous schedules of shows, the band is currently in the studio recording the follow-up to its debut CD, “Born and Raised.”
Lead vocalist/manager David August said the yet untitled new release of original songs is planned for October and may end up coinciding with the release of the movie “The Road,” (based on the book by Cormac McCarthy) in which August plays a small speaking role.
Six-member NOMaD has been together since 2004, though four of the band’s members have worked together off and on for 15 years, August said. NOMaD also contributed to the compilation “Indie Country Gold” last year, produced by Nashville’s Colt Records. The band has played Nashville venues often over the past two years during music festivals and radio conventions, August said.
“Our original intent was to be in the mainstream, new country sound, and I think at points we kind of touch on that, but we don’t write with the intention of trying to be a certain type,” August said. “If you see our live shows, you know for a fact that we all come from the rock era, and we kind of blend that into our tunes as much as possible, particularly live.”
NOMaD was honored to open for Kenny Chesney last year at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The band was selected when it won the “Next Big Star” competition Chesney sponsors, August said. It has also opened shows for other national acts such as Brooks and Dunn and Toby Keith.
Oh Boy! A Buddy Holly Tribute will play a double-header this weekend starting Friday at 7 p.m. at the Bethany Beach Bandstand and again Sunday at Rehoboth’s bandstand. All Rehoboth performances begin at 8 p.m.
Local musician and Rehoboth Elementary School music teacher Walt Hetfield created the tribute band this past year, citing Holly as an early guitar inspiration whose music he has been playing for years.
But what really got the tribute idea planted in Hetfield’s mind was an incident that occurred en route to a gig with his former band, Lisa Scott and the Melting Pot.
“We were playing in Lewes and I got to the gig on time and all the other people got caught in a really nasty traffic jam,” Hetfield recounts, “So I had to play songs for people at the bar and I ended up doing all my Buddy Holly songs. I just played them off the top of my head. I know them all backwards and forwards. And the crowd really responded well to it and I filed that in the back of my memory and I said, ‘Hmm, this might be something to pursue a little more.’ ”
Oh Boy! will pepper its two sets with songs from The Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Carl Perkins and Elvis throughout the two-hour show.
The “Crickets” joining Hetfield’s personified Holly onstage are outstanding local musicians Barry Eli on upright bass and keyboards, rhythm guitarist Mike Long, and Ken Schleifer on drums.
Rounding out the weekend is Jesse Garron’s Elvis Tribute at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bethany Beach Bandstand. This is Garron’s 10th year incarnating The King at Bethany’s bandstand and his backup singers will accompany him during his hour-long set.
Garron has been recreating Elvis’ Vegas concerts professionally since 1997, performing in clubs and large venues nationwide and dedicating endless hours to rehearsals and travel, he said.
“My reward comes from the response from the audience. That’s when you know if your transformation was successful,” Garron said regarding his impersonation.
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