OCEAN CITY – While still a little over a month away, the excitement is building for the inaugural Oceans Calling three-day music festival with the announcement of the lineup this week for each day of the event.
Last August, Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo and C3 Presents founder and promoter Tim Sweetwood pitched the idea of a significant three-day music festival in and around the Inlet with three stages bisected by the fishing pier and amusement park. The promoter promised major headline acts for the festival and has delivered. In March, C3 Presents announced nationally known and locally popular O.A.R. out of Rockville, Md., had signed on to be one of the headlining acts for the inaugural Oceans Calling festival. In May, the promoters announced the remaining acts for the festival, which will be held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.
With major acts including headliners Dave Matthews, Lumineers, Cyndi Lauper and Alanis Morissette, along with, of course, O.A.R. in the three-day line-up, the excitement for the event began to grow immediately and ticket sales were robust. The promoters announced this week the event was nearly a sellout with over a month remaining. According to a release, all that remained as of midweek were one-day general admission tickets for Sunday, one-day VIP tickets for Sunday and one-day platinum tickets for Sunday. During a discussion of a separate issue this week at a Mayor and Council meeting, it was learned the festival is expected to draw 37,000 to 40,000 people to the resort.
The festival will feature over 30 artists performing on three stages on the beach near the Inlet at the south end of the Boardwalk, promising a crescendo of sorts for the summer season. Oceans Calling will also feature a culinary component hosted by world-renowned chefs along with cooking demonstrations celebrating local Eastern Shore cuisine. In addition to announcing the major music entertainment lineup on Monday, C3 Presents also announced the headliners for the culinary component including popular chefs Andrew Zimmern, Robert Irvine and Amanda Frietag, who will perform on stage during the festival. In addition, the Jolly Roger Amusement Park on the pier will be located within the festival grounds and will be fully operational during the event, creating the opportunity for a unique experience unlike any other festival of its kind.
While the list of performers has been known for months, this week the promoters announced the schedule for each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, on the three stages, including the Sea Bright stage, the Rockville stage – in deference to headliner O.A.R. – and the Carousel stage.
On the Sea Bright stage on Friday, the afternoon concerts feature the Virginia Coalition from 1:30-2:15 p.m., Skip Marley from 3-4 p.m., and Johnnyswim from 5-6 p.m. Dirty Heads take the Sea Bright stage from 7-8:05 p.m. and the lead act on the Sea Bright stage on Friday night is Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds from 9:30-11 p.m.
On the Rockville stage, the afternoon acts feature Mihali from 12:50-1:30 p.m., the New Respects from 2:15-3 p.m. and Peach Pit from 4-5 p.m. GroupLove takes the stage from 6-7 p.m., and Rockville’s own O.A.R. will be the featured act from 8:05-9:25 p.m.
On the Carousel stage on Friday, famed chef Robert Irvine takes the stage from 2:30-3 p.m. Noah Kahan takes the stage from 4-5 p.m. and Toad the Wet Sprocket will be the featured act on the Carousel stage from 6-7 p.m.
On the Sea Bright stage on Saturday, Corey Harper will be featured from 12:50-1:30 p.m., Ballyhoo, a recent addition to the lineup, hits the stage from 2-2:45 p.m., Allen Stone will appear from 3:30-4:15 p.m. and Jimmy Eat World will appear from 5:05-6:10 p.m. Cage the Elephant will appear from 7:10-8:25 p.m. and the featured act on the Sea Bright stage on Saturday will be the Lumineers from 9:30-11 p.m.
On the Rockville stage on Saturday, the line-up will start with Pup Punk from 1:30-2 p.m., Wilderado from 2:45-3:30 p.m., and Joey Valence and Brae from 4:15-5 p.m. Young the Giant takes the stage from 6:10-7:10 p.m., and Logic will be featured from 8:25-9:25 p.m.
On Sunday on the Carousel stage, Chef Robert Irvine will appear from 3-3:30 p.m., Chef Andrew Zimmern appears from 4:30-5 p.m. and Larkin Poe will take the stage from 6:10-7:10 p.m.
Leading off on the Sea Bright stage on Sunday is Lily Meola from 1-2 p.m., Big Head Todd and the Monsters from 3-4 p.m., St. Paul and the Broken Bones from 5-6 p.m. Cyndi Lauper takes the Sea Bright stage on Sunday from 7-8 p.m., and the finale on the Sea Bright stage on Sunday will be Alanis Morissette from 9-10:30 p.m.
On the Rockville stage on Sunday, the Samples will open up from 2-3 p.m., and the Tai Verdes will play from 4-5 p.m. O.A.R. and Friends will hit the Rockville stage on Sunday from 6-7 p.m., and the finale on the Rockville stage will be Sublime with Rome from 8-9 p.m.
Finally, on the Carousel stage on Sunday, it will be Chef Amanda Freitag from 2:30-3 p.m., Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country from 4-5 p.m. and Lawrence will close it out from 6-7 p.m.
