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t’s been seven years of porch-front music in Oriental – the area’s largest music event began in 2014. This year there’s something new on the main stage: Cajun ‘Swamp Pop’ band The Revelers headline the 2020 Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival.

Hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, The Revelers play a brand of Louisiana rock that they say “tangles Cajun and Zydeco sounds with ’50s swamp rock.” Their album Get Ready, where all members write as well as play, was nominated for a 2016 Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music. They’ve taken their Cajun party sound throughout the US and Canada, and have toured the UK, Ireland, and Denmark.

Louisiana Band The Revelers Headline the 2020 Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival.

The Revelers will perform at 4 pm on Saturday, Oct. 3, on the Riverfront Stage across from Lou Mac Park.

Nineteen other groups and solo artists will appear during the three day event. There are no tickets; all performances during the festival at all venues are free; donations and sponsors make it all happen. The festival opens Friday, Oct. 2, at noon and runs through 12:30p on Sunday, Oct. 4.

Nefesh Mountain sing bluegrass inspired by Appalachian and Jewish traditions.

Including The Revelers, nine bands are appearing for the first time this year; Nefesh Mountain, a bluegrass band inspired by Appalachian and Jewish traditions (Nefesh is Hebrew for soul); Nu Blu, a bluegrass-Americana band from Siler City, NC; Blue Cactus, an Americana/Indie-Country duo based in Chapel Hill, NC; The Dust Parade, an Eastern North Carolina surf-blues-jazz-rock band; Second Civil War, a new project of Chris Daniels (of Saltwater Gold fame) and Bekkah Hilgraves; and local artists, the PCHS Jazz Ensemble, Faith and Harmony, and Ken Belangia.

Making a return to the porches are Salty Paws, Moore’s Creek Bluegrass, Harbor Sounds, The Gospel Ensemble, The Down East Dulcimers, The UHOOS, Pamlico Flutes, Jill & Shane, Moseley Family Band, and Ken Belangia. The Jeff Little Trio (who played a pre-festival fundraising concert in 2019) will play in the festival for the first time.

Americana Bluegrass band Nu-Blu.

Read the bios and hear the music over at olfrontporchmusicfestival.org. There you’ll find more information about the performers, porch schedules, and other festival information.

The Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival is in October, but there are a pre-festival fundraising concerts before then. Bluegrass group Cane Mill Road from Deep Gap, NC played the main stage in 2018, and at The Old Theater in 2019. This year, they appear at the Red Rooster on May 9.

Tickets for that event will be $20 and will go on sale in early April at Nautical Wheelers and online at olfrontporchmusicfestival.org.

Blue Cactus – Modern Cosmic Country.

New Village Brewery hosts the second fundraiser July 18. Jill & Shane perform, Chef Jim Kellenberger serves up barbecue, all for a donation at the door to the Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival.

Oriental’s Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival is a free festival celebrating the musical heritage of North Carolina every October. For three days, visitors wander the village, listening to music played from front porches, visiting the Food Park for local eats, and the Village Market where artisans and crafters showcase their goods.

All performances are free.

Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival, Inc., is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization providing the region’s multi-cultural musical talent with support, promotion and performance venues and encouraging development of roots music appreciation and skills in Pamlico County.

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A taste of the 2020 headliner band – The Revelers:

Related Links

• The Official Ol’ Front Porch Music Site
• The 2019 Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival
• Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival 2018
• 2017 Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival

Posted Monday February 24, 2020 by Allison DeWeese