Freeman Stage announces 2016 summer slate
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and happy returns highlight this year’s summer season at the Freeman Stage at Bayside in Selbyville.
National acts this year include American Idol winner Phillip Phillips and Matt Nathanson Wednesday, June 29. Country music fans will get their fix early on, with performances by the Acedemy of Country Music award-winning group The Band Perry on Sunday, July 3, and 2014 ACA winner for Best New Artist Justin Moore, Thursday, July 7.
Summer will truly heat up with the return of rock and roll hall of famers The Beach Boys on Thursday, July 14. Other returns to the Freeman Stage include Melissa Etheridge, appearing with Pat Benetar Wednesday, July 13, as well as Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, Saturday July 2, and Huey Lewis and The News, Wednesday, July 27.
Swing will be the thing Saturday, July 16, with a performance by retro swing outfit Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Other shows include Gladys Knight on Friday, Aug. 19, Silk Road Ensemble with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Wednesday, Aug. 10, and finally, The Wailers will bring their reggae stylings Saturday, Aug. 27.
At the March 24 lineup announcement, executive director Patti Grimes said, “The Freeman Stage is everyone’s stage. It’s the community’s stage. Everyone should have the opportunity to hear something.”
First lady Carla Markell said the stage, now in its ninth season, was more than just a venue for concerts, it was a way to expose young people to the arts.
“Art changes lives,” she said.
Markell applauded Melissa Ethridge’s return to the Freeman Stage, saying she took Gov. Jack Markell, to Ethridge’s show last year. While she is a big fan, Markell said her husband was not familiar with Etheridge, but came out of the show thinking it was one of the best concerts he’d ever attended.
She said she was excited for the upcoming season and the popularity of the venue.
“Let’s keep it going and let’s keep it growing,” Markell said.
Michelle Freeman, chairwoman and president, said the Freeman Stage was created to honor her late husband, philanthropist Josh Freeman, who died in 2006. She said creating the Freeman Stage was a way of channeling her grief and honoring his passion for the arts.
Freeman announced the slate with the occasional impromptu musical performance, including singing Melissa Etheridge's 1994 hit, "Come To My Window."
She said this year, the stage will host 51 performances, including the first show of the year, The Best of Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 28, and is free to the public. Other performances include Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra’s “Starry Night Opera, 7 p.m., Friday, June 17, and tribute acts to the Eagles, David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen.
Tickets for the Freeman Stage go on sale Monday, April 4. For more information, visit freemanstage.org.
