Mustang Music Festival Kickoff – Day 1 Recap
The Mustang Music Festival is a two-day affair on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina. Held at the historic Whalehead Club in Corolla, it features a diverse lineup, a beautiful venue, and top-notch hospitality. MusicFestNews is covering the event and will provide recaps after each day. The unofficial start of the festival is the Kickoff Party. Here’s what went down last night.
As the sun was making its late afternoon descent over the Currituck Sound, we arrived at Cosmo’s Pizzeria, where the pre-party for the Mustang Music Festival was preparing to kick off. In its fifth year, this festival keeps getting better and better. Mike Dianna and his crew have been working for weeks, and their hard work is just about ready to pay off. The stage in the parking lot was reminiscent of this festival’s early years when it was held in the parking lot of Mike’s restaurant.
The pre-party entertainment began with Circus Mutt, a group out of Asheville, NC. This duo share their talents creating a combination of rock and roll, reggae, jazz and bluegrass — mix it up and you have something they call “mutt-grass.” A guitar, a mandolin, and two great voices produce a wonderful vibe to get this party started. Their tune “Liquor by the Drink” told the story of small towns in western North Carolina that, after many years, began selling individual drinks in bars, snuffing out the moonshine nips in the parking lot.
Next to take the stage was Big Bone Daddy out of PA. They had me at sound check. Their soulful, bluesy feel really got the growing crowd moving their feet and enjoying the party. In addition to some of their original tunes, they threw in some great covers such as the Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post,” with strong vocals, a jamming rhythm section, a lovely organ, and a bad-ass harmonica.
Major and the Monbacks were the last group to take the stage for the night. This accomplished and versatile group of eight young men hail from Norfolk, VA. We have been fortunate to see this band a few times and have watched their transformation from college frat house favorites to the mature band that is touring hard behind their self-titled inaugural CD. They know how to get a crowd up and keep them there, and tonight was no exception. Their vocal harmonies are fluid, they’re versatile musicians, and their energy is incredible.
It was a perfect start to the weekend. The party moves across the street tomorrow to the historic Whalehead Club, a picturesque venue that includes the Currituck Lighthouse. From the looks of it, this is going to be one epic weekend.
Photos by John Phillips | Review by Suzy LeVee Phillips
