If you love live music but live on a tight entertainment budget, you’re in luck — the arrival of spring brings all sorts of outdoor concert series in Hampton Roads.
Here is a listing of some of the best series offered throughout the spring and summer. All of them are free unless otherwise noted. Keep a copy of this handy, and you will be enjoying lots and lots of evenings hearing music under the stars — without putting a dent in your bank account.
Port Warwick in Newport News: Shows are from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday nights at William Styron Square in Port Warwick.
Schedule — May 27: Crazy X; June 3: Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers; June 10: Seth Stainback and Roosterfoot; June 17: Slapnation; June 24: Incognito Brothers; July 1: U.S. Army TRADOC Brass Band; July 8: Kasey Rae Meeks; July 15: Zachary Smythe Band; July 22: Borderline Crazy; July 29: The Janitors; Aug. 5: Cody Austin Band; Aug. 12: Trademark; Aug. 19: The Original Rhondels; Aug. 26: The Deloreans.
Downtown Hampton Block Party: Shows are from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday nights near the intersection of King and Queen streets.
Schedule — May 23: The Fuzz Band, with the Myra Smith Experience; May 30: The Deloreans; June 6: Sons of Bill, with The Vir; June 13: Col. Bruce Hampton, with BIG Something, The Dharma Initiative, and Last Fair Deal; June 20: Fighting Jamesons, the Dahus and Johnny Trash; June 27: Major and the Monbacks; July 4: Rare Mixx; July 11: The Hackensaw Boys, Love Canon, Jackass Flats, Big Daddy Love, Brackish Water Jamboree and P Grass; July 18: DEJA; July 25 Bobby “Blackhat” Walters; Aug. 1: Buckshot; Aug. 8: Tim Reynolds and TR3; Aug. 15: Slapnation; Aug. 22: Seth Stainback and Roosterfoot, Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos, and Planet of the Abts; Aug. 29: artist still to be announced; Sept. 5: Teaze.
Thursdays by the Lake: Shows are from 6-10 p.m. on Thursdays adjacent to the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News.
Schedule — June 4: The Deloreans; June 11: Snackbar Jones; June 18: Borderline Crazy; June 25: The Janitors; July 2: Slapnation; July 9: Karnivale; July 16: The Deloreans; July 23: Snackbar Jones; July 30: Hey! Hey! Hooligan; Aug. 6: Party Fins; Aug. 13: Audio Sauce; Aug. 20: Butter; Aug. 27: Hey! Hey! Hooligan.
Groovin’ by the Bay: Sunday nights at 6 p.m. at Hampton’s Buckroe Beach Park.
Schedule — June 21: Slapnation; June 28: TFC Band; July 5: The Rhondels; July 12: The Janitors; July 19: Strictly Bizzness; July 26: The Showmen; Aug. 2: Michael Clark Band; Aug. 9: Rare Mixx.
Shagging on the Riverwalk: Shows are from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on York County’s Riverwalk Landing.
Schedule — June 11: The Original Rhondels; June 18: Mark Roberts Band; June 25: Carolina Soul Band; July 9: Main Event Band; July 16: Coolin’ Out Band; July 23: Band of Oz; July 23: Holiday Band.
The Shagging on the Riverwalk series will be followed by a lineup of military bands at the same location: Aug. 5: (Friday) Navy Fleet Forces Band; Aug. 11: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Rhythm and Blue Jazz Ensemble; Aug. 18: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Blue Acs; Aug. 25: U.S. Army TRADOC Jazz Combo.
On Thursdays from Sept. 11 through Oct. 9, Riverwalk Landing will host free big band, jazz and country shows. The lineups have not been announced.
Fort Monroe’s Music by the Bay: The historic fort hosts a series that starts Friday, June 5, then shifts to its regular Thursday dates. Shows are at 7 p.m. at Centennial Park unless otherwise noted.
Schedule — June 5: U.S. Army TRADOC Band; June 11: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Rhythm and Blue Jazz Ensemble; June 18: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Langley Winds at the Fort Monroe Theatre; June 25: Virginia Armed Forces Youth Wind Ensemble; July 4: (Saturday) U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Four Star Edition (8 p.m. show); July 9: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Brass Ensemble; July 16: U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Four Star Edition; July 23: Tidewater Winds with John Philip Sousa IV; July 30: U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Brass Band; Aug. 6: U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Wind Ensemble; Aug. 13: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band Rhythm and Blue Jazz Ensemble; Aug. 20: U.S. Navy Fleet Forces Four Star Edition; Aug. 27: U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Concert Band.
Grace Episcopal Church: The church, located at 111 Church St. York County, hosts shows at 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Schedule — July 5: York River Concert Band; July 12: U.S. Army TRADOC Jazz Combo; July 19: Magic of Harmony Show Chorus; July 26: LP & the 8 Tracks; Aug. 2: Runaway String Band; Aug. 23: Lana Puckett and Kim Person (6 p.m. show); Aug. 30: Poisoned Dwarf.
Summer Breeze Concert Series: Shows at Merchants Square in Colonial Williamsburg are from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Schedule — July 8: Rare Mixx; July 15: Tidewater Drive; July 22: The Original Rhondels; July 29: Slapnation.
On Wednesdays in August, the series will feature concerts by bands from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army TRADOC.
Virginia Symphony Orchestra: The symphony will do a series of free outdoor shows throughout the region.
Schedule — May 29: Smithfield Times Gazebo in Smithfield (8 p.m.); May 30: Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester (8 p.m.); June 21: City Center at Oyster Point in Newport News (6 p.m.).
The symphony will play three outdoor shows at the 31st Street Stage at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on July 9, July 30 and Aug. 20 (all Thursdays). The shows start at 7:30 p.m.
Ynot Wednesdays: The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach has live music on its outdoor patio on Wednesdays from 5-9 p.m.
Schedule — June 3: Karnivale; June 10: The Big Payback; June 17: The Fuzz Band; June 24: The Deloreans; July 1: Latin Jazz Conspiracy; July 8: Cheap Thrills; July 15: Jackass Flatts; July 22: Strictly Bizzness; July 29: 10-Spot; Aug. 5: Buckshot; Aug. 12: Borderline Crazy; Aug. 19: Snackbar Jones; Aug. 26: Party Fins.
TGOV (Thank God It’s Ocean View): Concerts are Fridays from 6-9:30 at Norfolk’s Ocean View Park.
Schedule — July 3: Coolin’ Out; July 10: The Deloreans; July 17: Hotcakes; July 24: Cheap Thrills; July 31: Karnivale; Aug. 7: Strictly Bizzness; Aug. 14: HM Johnson; Aug. 21: The Original Rhondels.
Sunsets on the River: The Hermitage Museum & Gardens in Norfolk have live music on Thursdays at 6 p.m.. There is a $10 admission charge.
Schedule — May 28: The Fuzz Band; June 11: Jesse Chong; June 25: Michael Clark Band; June 9: Rare Mixx; June 23: Major and the Monbacks.
Smithfield Summer Concert Series: The shows will be on Fridays at 8 p.m. at the Gazebo Stage, 228 Main Street, unless otherwise noted.
Schedule — May 22: Smithfield High School Spring Concert (7 p.m. at the high school); May 29: Virginia Symphony Orchestra; June 5: Bobby “Blackhat” Walters; June 12: Brackish Water Jamboree; June 19: Williamsburg Classic Swing Orchestra; June 26: The Rhondels; July 3: York River Concert Band (7 p.m., before fireworks); July 10: Higher Ground; July 17: Rap/HipHop; July 24: Slightly Under Parr; July 31: Forte; Aug. 7: Smithfield Strings; Aug. 14: Hysterically Correct (7 p.m.); Aug. 21: Ron Fetner Trio; Aug. 28: Damn Jankes; Sept. 4: 392nd Fort Lee Army Band (7 p.m. at the Smithfield Center).
Concerts at the Gazebo: First Friday of the month, at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo located at 18 Duke Street in Windsor.
Schedule — June 5: Bria Kelly Band; Aug. 7: Michael Clark Band.
