By Ken Mammarella Your input — as a patron of the arts, creator or business that caters to the creative economy — is desired in a groundbreaking survey of Delaware’s creative economy. The Delaware Arts Alliance (DAA), a nonpartisan nonprofit, is running the survey through Oct. 15 at DelawareArtsAlliance.org/survey. The DAA says the survey is the first of its kind in the nation. “Our hope with all this is that we show that the arts won’t exist on an island,” says Neil Kirschling, executive director of the alliance. “This survey could only happen in a place like Delaware, because we’re so s ..read more

Someone has to say it… Time to drop the remote, get off the couch, and come alive again with the one thing that has connected, invigorated, and elevated all of humanity since the dawn of time — live music. We’re talking to everyone who became too comfortable staying at home during the pandemic: Get out, it’s over.  We’re speaking to those saying a $10 cover is too much: Try getting tickets to Bruce Springsteen or Taylor Swift. We’re calling out anyone who questions the quality of bands in our area: We’ve been doing this for 35 years — trust us — the musicianship and collaborative energy i ..read more

By Matt Morrissette Widely acknowledged as the birthday of the cultural movement that has come to be known as hip-hop, August 11, 1973, is the day Clive Campbell (better known as DJ Kool Herc) set up his infamously massive sound system at a back-to-school party in the Bronx. Having noticed enthusiastic response to the musical breakdowns of songs, Campbell mixed the funkiest segments from two records on a loop using two turntables with the modest-yet-noble goal of keeping the energy level of the party up and the kids on the dance floor. Over the past 50 years, that spark has grown into a cultur ..read more

By Matt Morrissette Although you may not know the band by name, it’s a safe bet you’d recognize nearly all the members of Stone Shakers from the legendary Shine A Light shows at The Queen or from the myriad of local acts the members have graced with their talents over the last decade. Featuring an enviable lineup of the best of the best that the Delaware music scene has to offer, the band is readying themselves for a new EP of original music set for release this month. Stone Shakers is the brainchild of longtime pals and bandmates, Anthony Cappella and Kevin Walsh (both formerly of Shytown ..read more

Attending a live music event can be a truly thrilling and very fun experience. In fact, according to Statista, 35 percent of Americans polled said they attended a live concert during the past year. Unfortunately, it also can become a very bad experience when one or more people ignore basic concert etiquette and turn what should be a fun event into a regrettable one. The following concert etiquette tips can help to make a music event enjoyable for all. Don’t Talk Through the Show It is important to remember the reason why you got tickets to see a concert, which is the live music. You are not th ..read more

As a parent, you might be worried about taking your kids to any type of large, crowded event. Whether you’re thinking about taking your kids to a rock festival or an acapella & choral concert, here’s what you should know before you get tickets. Can Kids Go to Concerts? There’s absolutely no rule that says kids can’t go to most concerts, and in many cases, they’ll enjoy the experience. Kids can be noisy at quiet events, but concerts are usually loud enough that it’s not an issue. In fact, it’s good to take your kids to concerts so they learn to appreciate different types of music and behave ..read more

According to pre-pandemic music festival statistics reported by Modern Gentlemen, there were over two million annual visitors to the largest music festivals. This statistic is no surprise since these events can be enjoyable for all ages. With this said, it can be tedious to find live music events near you to attend. In light of this, we’ve highlighted three tips to make this search easier. 1. Look at Instagram Hashtags Finding a music event can be easy if you have Instagram. To do this, log into your account and search for keywords as a hashtag. Examples of keywords include the location, band ..read more

Attending concerts is an amazing way to pass the time as you enjoy an immersive experience. With a pandemic in the equation, however, there are a few considerations to make to improve your safety while attending a concert. Read on to see how you can attend your next concert and enjoy live music in a memorable and safe way. Wear a Face Mask Correctly To minimize your risk of catching something, it’s important that you wear a face mask at all times while at the concert. Wear it the right way and ensure that both your nose and mouth are covered so that there’s minimal risk of infection. According ..read more

After a lengthy pandemic break, The Nomad is back and ready for the Jazz Festival spotlight By JulieAnne Cross The Nomad Bar, a downtown staple occupying the 900 block of Orange Street since 2011, recently reopened. It had been 24 months since they were first shuttered, along with all non-essential businesses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Dave Vandever, who owns the bar with his wife, Linda, says social distancing restrictions meant it was impossible for a venue the size of The Nomad Bar to reopen much sooner. “When people started to feel safe again, we opened,” he says. They’ve ..read more

Clifford Brown Jazz Festival expands to week-long programming. Outdoor concerts on Rodney Square set for June 15-18. By JulieAnne Cross The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, the largest free, outdoor jazz festival on the East Coast, celebrates its 35th year when it sounds off in Rodney Square June 15. It honors Brown, a 25-year-old Wilmington trumpeter who died in 1956, just as his career was ascending. Planner Tina Betz makes room for musicians of all kinds at the longstanding fête. As director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and president of Cityfest, which runs the festival, Betz ..read more