Tuesday, July 29 – National Acts Eye OC Next Week

OCEAN CITY – Next week will sizzle with great music in Ocean City when two special concerts come to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center Aug. 5 and 6 – the Volunteer Jam 2008 with the Charlie Daniels Band and .38 Special, and KC and the Sunshine Band and The Trammps. Both shows are at 8 p.m.

First up will be Volunteer Jam 2008 on Tuesday, Aug. 5. The Volunteer Jam is an annual trek of The Charlie Daniels Band and various friends. When the Volunteer Jam arrives in Ocean City, it will include not only The Charlie Daniels Band, but also .38 Special.

When you hear a classic Charlie Daniels Band song like, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” you hear music that has no clear category. Is it a folk tale? Country fiddle blues? An electric rock anthem? The answer is “Yes” to all of them. Even Charlie Daniels can only label his music as “CDB music.”

Southern rockers, .38 Special has the well-deserved reputation of being one of the hardest working bands in the U.S.A. After more than two decades together, .38 special is still playing more than 100 shows a year. Most associate the group with its 1980’s arena rock smashes, like “Caught Up in You’” and “Hold On Loosely.”

Appearing at the Ocean City Convention Center the very next evening on Wednesday, Aug. 6 will be The Trammps and KC and the Sunshine Band.

The Trammps began in Philadelphia in 1972 featuring Jimmy Ellis, Harold Doc Wade, Stanley Wade and Earl Young and traveled with as many as 11 members. The Trammps continue to tour nationally and internationally with original members, Jimmy Ellis, Harold Doc Wade, Stanley Wade and many of the musicians from the original group.

KC and The Sunshine Band are still as popular today as they were when they first danced into the music scene 35 years ago. Harry Wayne Casey (KC for short) developed a unique fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of Latin percussion groove, giving an impressive string of hits like “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s the Way I Like It” and “Shake Your Booty.”

Ticket prices are $50 and $35 for each concert. Tickets for both shows are now on sale at the Convention Center box office or through TicketMaster. Box office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone orders must go to TicketMaster at 1-800-551-7328 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. 

For all the week’s news, see The Dispatch on Friday morning.