There are plenty of spring and summer concerts to enjoy throughout the First State this year. Venues like The Grand, The Queen and the Freeman Arts Pavilion host internationally beloved acts all season long, and local music festivals promote incredible acts. These are the spring and summer concerts you don’t want to miss in Delaware.
April
Melissa Etheridge at The Grand
Since the late ’80s, Melissa Etheridge has been captivating audiences with high-energy rock performances and raspy, smoky vocals. With hits like “Ain’t It Heavy,” “Come to My Window,” and “I’m the Only One,” Etheridge is a rock and roll icon. You can catch her at The Grand in Wilmington on April 11.
Date:Â April 11
Genre:Â Rock
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Dweezil Zappa at The Grand
Dweezil Zappa is the son of iconic musician Frank Zappa. Over the past three decades, Dweezil has impressed music fans with complex guitar riffs and scintillating compositions. For fans of guitar-led rock and roll, you won’t want to miss this show in Wilmington.
Date:Â April 12
Genre: Rock
Lyle Lovett at The Grand
Lyle Lovett is a singer, composer, and actor with a wide range of music across 14 albums. With a unique fusion of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel, and blues, Lovett offers a dynamic concert experience.
Date:Â April 24
Genre: Americana, rock, country, swing
The Rock Orchestra Performs Queen at The Grand
Queen fans won’t want to miss this tribute evening with The Rock Orchestra. Enjoy your favorite Queen hits reimagined and complete with a full choir.
Date:Â April 26
Genre:Â Rock
May
Silent Planet & Invent Animate at The Queen
Silent Planet sets itself apart in the post-rock landscape with hypnotic hooks, ambient textures, and raw, rich soundscapes. Invent Animate pairs vulnerable lyrics with a raw, harsh, and high-energy metal sound. Both bands have developed cult-like followings, making this event a can’t-miss show for contemporary metal fans.
Date:Â May 11
Genre:Â Rock, hardcore, metal
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The Ladybug Music Festival
The Ladybug Music Festival remains the largest free celebration of women in music across the nation. This Delaware festival invites you to listen to a variety of female-fronted acts for free throughout Wilmington. Enjoy local acts as well as international talent.
Date:Â May 30
Genre: Multiple genres
Blood, Sweat & Tears at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
Fusing high-energy rock with a jazz-inspired horn section and some blues influences, Blood, Sweat & Tears has been delighting audiences for the past 50 years. Though the band has had many configurations, fans are never disappointed with the timeless music.
Date:Â May 31
Genre:Â Rock, jazz
June
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
Pat Benatar is a rock and roll icon who needs no introduction. Her union with producer-musician Neil Giraldo has continued to soar to the top of the charts. With hits like “Hearbreaker,” “Love Is a Battlefield,” and more, rock fans won’t want to miss this show.
Date:Â June 1
Genre:Â Rock
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The Menzingers at The Queen
Hailing from Scranton, PA, this ska-punk band draws inspirations from punk and grunge bands like the Clash, Pixies, and The Smashing Pumpkins. With high-energy performances, punk fans are sure to enjoy an evening with The Menzingers at The Queen.
Date:Â June 1
Genre:Â Punk, ska
Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’ at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
With five Grammy Awards and 14 Blues Foundation Awards, Keb’ Mo’ boasts an impressive career spanning 50 years. Taj Mahal has also been playing the blues for more than 50 years, including sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, India, and the South Pacific. Enjoy an evening of blues at the Freeman Arts Pavilion during Delaware’s spring and summer concert season.
Date:Â June 7
Genre:Â Blues
Sunny Day Real Estate at The Queen
Sunny Day Real Estate is an emo band from Seattle—one of the first names to establish itself in the “Midwest Emo” scene. In 2016, the band’s album “Diary” topped Rolling Stone’s list of the 40 greatest emo albums of all time.
Date:Â June 8
Genre:Â Emo, indie rock
Crumb at The Queen
New York psych-pop band Crumb’s music is characterized by carefree and playful sounds and experimental tracks. Fusing pop, jazz, psychedelia, and indie rock, the band captivates audiences with dance-worthy tracks and psychedelic vibes.
Date:Â June 17
Genre:Â Psychedelic pop
311 at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
For more than 30 years, 311 has been impressing audiences with innovative rock sounds. 311 is entering its fourth decade as a band, and the shows are just as high-energy as ever. Across 13 albums, 311 has cemented itself as one of the most influential bands in modern rock. Hear hits like “Amber,” “Down,” and many more this summer at the Freeman Arts Pavilion.
Date: June 21
Genre:Â Rock
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Ben Folds & A Piano at The Grand
One of the major music influences of a generation, Ben Folds is an Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter-composer who boasts an enormous body of music that includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, solo albums, and multiple collaborative records and projects. Catch his pop tunes as the & A Piano tour stops in Wilmington this summer.
Date:Â June 22
Genre:Â Pop
The Allman Betts Band at The Grand
Solo artists Devon Allman and Duane Betts have each carved out impressive careers as guitarists, songwriters, and musicians. Together, they front the Allman Betts Band—a supergroup making timeless rock and roll classics for the modern world, fusing blues, Americana, and southern soul.
Date:Â June 26
Genre:Â Americana, rock
July
The Beach Boys at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
Nothing says “summer” like The Beach Boys! For more than six decades, The Beach Boys’ music has been an indelible part of American culture. On July 2, you can enjoy these laid-back pop tunes in coastal Delaware for the perfect summer experience in the First State.
Date:Â July 2
Genre:Â Pop
Concert Series at The Delaware State Fair
Enjoy the likes of Riley Green, T.I., Big & Rich, and more this year at the Delaware State Fair’s concert series this summer.
Date:Â July 19-26
Genre:Â Multiple genres
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Sam Hunt at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
Grammy Award-winning country artist Sam Hunt has 10 number one hits under his belt. His tracks have defined the modern country scene, and he dominates the charts. Enjoy titles like “Body Like a Back Road,” “Make You Miss Me,” “House Party,” and more.
Date:Â July 24
Genre:Â Country
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue at the Freeman Arts Pavilion
In the latest album, “Lifted,” this Grammy-nominated NOLA icon blurs the lines between soul, R&B, jazz, and psychedelic rock. Catch Trombone Shorty at the Freeman Arts Pavilion this July for an evening full of high-energy jazz.
Date:Â July 26
Genre:Â Jazz
August
Foreigner
With 10 multi-Platinum records and plenty of hits, Foreigner is universally beloved in the rock scene. Enjoy iconic pop-rock hits like “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” and more during spring and summer concert season in Delaware.
Date:Â August 4
Genre:Â Rock
Wheatus at The Queen
Calling all Teenage Dirtbags! Wheatus is making a stop in Delaware this summer, bringing the band’s 1990s and 2000s rock tracks to The Queen in Wilmington.
Date:Â August 28
Genre:Â Rock, alternative
