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- Created: 07 April 2022
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Marty McGee Wilkes Journal Patriot Staff Writer
[NORTH WILKESBORO, NC March 23, 2022] - A varied and eclectic mixture of live music is on tap for the Town of North Wilkesboro’s annual Concerts on the Deck series.
The concerts, presented by the town and Window World, are slated for third Saturdays from June through October. All shows are from 6-10 p.m. at the downtown Yadkin Valley Marketplace venue.
“There’s a really good mix of music genres in the lineup, due mostly to feedback and requests from residents and concert goers over the past few years,” said Crystal Keener, the town’s director of tourism. “Many wanted to hear traditional and alternative country, norteño music, rock ‘n roll and R&B soul. We’ve checked a few of those boxes here.”
The shows begin on Saturday, June 18, with the Latin sounds of Tamborazo Santa Cecilia and Jorge de la Fuente.
“For the first time we’re bringing two Hispanic-music bands to Concerts on the Deck—a norteño music band Jorge de la Fuente and traditional wind band Tamborazo Santa Cecilia,” said Keener. “Because events like the Dia de los Muertos and Mexican Independence Day celebrations brought such a tremendous crowd to North Wilkesboro, we thought this addition would be well received.”
Country music is on tap for the Saturday, July 16, pairing of Ryan Griffin and local favorite Alex Key & the Locksmiths. Keener said, “We had a lot of people that wanted to hear and see country acts and we’re excited to bring that sound to Window World Concerts on the Deck in July.”
Keener noted that Griffin is a Florida native who relocated to Nashville and had a top-streaming song with “Woulda Left Me Too,” which introduced him as a singer with an “unusually empathetic hand and garnered millions of plays on Spotify. His unique niche between R&B and country can be heard on ‘Salt, Lime & Tequila.’ ”
Key hails from Wilkes County but has made a name for himself in Nashville and across the Southeast. His recent single and video release of “We Want You Back” is an ode to small-town life with deep roots.
“His brand as a musician is an embodiment of classic country translated into the 21st century,” added Keener. “Griffin brings to the stage a laid-back Buffett-Chesney vibe, while Key is definitely neo-classic country.”
On Aug. 20, Nashville-based American rock band the Cordovas and Blue Footed Boobies, a two-piece psych rock/blues band out of Wilmington, take the Window World stage. Expect the loudest show of the 2022 series on that Saturday evening.
The long-awaited appearance of American reggae band The Elovaters takes place on Saturday, Sept. 17.
“In 2020, we lined up The Elovaters and alt-country band 49 Winchester,” Keener explained. “However due to COVID-19 restrictions all shows were canceled.
“Then, in 2021, we were able to re-book The Elovaters, but not 49 Winchester. Unfortunately the last two months of that series, September and October, were again canceled. So, The Elovaters were out for the second year.”
The Elovaters are one of the fastest rising groups in the American reggae scene. They’ve opened for acts such as Stick Figure, Pepper and Ziggy Marley and are now headlining clubs across the country.
Keener added, “Unbelievably we were able to get them back on the schedule for 2022, after a bit of a wait and see. They’ll be performing with Chapel Hill’s The Hourglass Kids on Saturday, Sept. 17.”
The Hourglass Kids describe themselves as a “reggae/psychedelic rock fusion band that incorporates a variety of musical elements into our musical experience.”
The finale takes place on Saturday, Oct. 15, as 49 Winchester, an alt country outfit, takes center stage.
The band hails from Castlewood, Va., and have performed at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival and at FloydFest in their home state. They are touring this summer all over North America with Whiskey Myers.
Their fourth studio album, “Fortune Favors the Bold,” marks the band’s debut for Nashville’s New West Records — one of the premier labels for Americana, indie and rock acts.
Keener noted that because the Town of Wilkesboro has “such a great event in Concerts in the Commons (second Saturdays from May-September), we don’t want to duplicate their roster—we want to enhance entertainment opportunities in Wilkes.” She added Call Family Distillers in Wilkesboro are “bringing in some big name acts as well” on second Saturdays from April-October.
In addition to Concerts on the Deck, Keener noted that Mayor Marc Hauser came up with the idea to add a new event to the downtown: the Shop n’ Stroll on first Saturdays beginning May 7.
“During these mid-day events, our businesses will have sidewalk sales and more, while our eateries will offer lunch specials, plus there will be live music on 10th Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
She added that the May 7 event, sponsored in part by Ivy Ridge Traditions, will feature R&B singer SunQueen Kelcey. “We’ll host other Shop n’ Strolls in June, August and September. Each of those months one of our businesses will sponsor the live musical act on 10th Street at the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival Park.”
