It’s the first weekend of May, which means that Wilmington’s music card is really starting to fill up.
We’ve got one of downtown’s most popular free concert series starting back up, as well as touring shows at some of the Port City’s biggest venues, musical events at listening rooms and clubs all over town and a big music festival at a local beach town.
It’s also a big weekend for theater, with one new show opening, another closing and a third continuing. Plus, we’ve got a couple of touring comics comic to town.
Check out the full list below.
ALL WEEKEND
‘The Varsity Line’
May 1-9 at Thalian Hall (red box): Opera House Theatre Co. and Twinkle Doon (the film collective that founded Wilmington’s Cucalorus Festival) present this original play by Wilmington native Mack Webb. Directed by Cucalorus co-founder (and Mack’s dad) Bo Webb, it’s a farcical screwball comedy about a safe full of cash hidden on a fictional British passenger train. Hence the the show’s tagline: “‘Airplane!’ on the Orient Express.” 7:30 p.m. May 1-3 and 8-9, 3 p.m. May 2-3. Tickets at 910-632-2285.
Dan Mintz
May 1-2 at Dead Crow Comedy Room: Stand-up comic is best-known for being the voice of Tina Belcher on animated show “Bob’s Burgers,” but he’s also written for such shows as “Veep” and “Nathan For You” and done stand-up on “Letterman,” “Kimmel,” “Conan” and more. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, tickets are $30 and $42.
‘Disaster! The Musical’
April 30-May 3 at Thalian Hall (studio theater): Panache Theatrical Productions presents this musical send-up of such ’70s-era disaster movies as “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Towering Inferno,” “Airport” and even “Jaws.” With a disco-era soundtrack. 7:30 p.m. April 30-May 2, 2 p.m. May 2. Tickets at 910-632-2285.
‘Wilbur & Orville’
May 1-31 at The Workshop Upstairs: One-man show written by and starring Wilmington actor Robert Leddy delves into the lives of Wilbur and Orville Wright, aka the Wright brothers, who built the first successful airplane in the early 1900s. Read our review. 7:30 p.m. May 1-2, 1:30 p.m. May 3. Dates through May 31. Tickets are $45.
FRIDAY
Marlon Funaki
May 1 at Bowstring Burgers and Brewyard: California artist has a super-cool, laid-back style that blends indie rock with jazz, psychedelia and more. With opening act The Kilans. 7 p.m. Friday, $20.
Free Concert Friday
May 1 at the Eagle’s Dare: Free summer concert series kicks off its 2026 with Fleetwood Mac tribute band The Chain. Opening set by Wilmington’s own Sean Thomas Gerard. 6 p.m. gates, 7 p.m. opener, 8:30 p.m. headliner. Free.
Shelby Smoak Duo, Jphono1 and Kim Ware
May 1 at Avenue B: Triple bill of one current and two former Wilmington acts. Smoak records his moodily earnest indie rock songs for Wilmington’s Fort Lowell Records, while fellow Fort Lowell artist Ware (music featured on Amazon Prime show “The Runarounds”) and Jphono1 (John Harrison of North Elementary and other bands) helped build the Wilmington indie scene in the 1990s before moving away. 7 p.m. Friday, $10.
Time Sawyer
May 1 at Live at Ted’s: Rootsy rock/Americana/folk/country band rolls into this beloved Castle Street listening room. 8 p.m. Friday, $21.50.
SATURDAY
Ocean Fest
May 2 in Surf City: Annual festival features a surf contest, a 5K, yoga on the beach, eco education, vendors, food trucks and drinks, and lots of live music. This year’s headliners are rapper Shwayze and Wilmington reggae act Signal Fire, with sets by Oceanic, The John Wood Band, Bubba Love, The Queen’s Giant and Roland Ave. Check in for 5k starts at 7 a.m., surf contest is 9 a.m. Most other festival events begin at 10 a.m. Live music till 9 p.m. Free.
Ali Siddiq
May 2 at CFCC Wilson Center: Popular stand-up first came to notice on Def Comedy Jam and has gone on to become one of the most popular comedians in the country, with multiple specials and a recent NAACP Image Award for “Ali Siddiq: My Two Sons.” 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, tickets start at $42.
Wizard of Oz on Ice
May 2 at Thalian Hall: After a successful run of the stage musical of “The Wizard of Oz” at Thalian earlier this month, the Hall hosts a touring show that will turn its historic boards into an ice rink traversed by Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and other characters. 3 p.m. and 7:30 Saturday, tickets at 910-632-2285.
Everclear
May 2 at Bowstring Burgers & Brewyard: Pop-punk band led by singer-guitarist Art Alexakis is touring in support of the 30th anniversary re-release of its album “Sparkle and Fade,” which featured the chart-topping hit “Santa Monica.” 7 p.m. Saturday, $40.
Gareth Pearson
May 2 at Live at Ted’s: Fast-picking guitarist is known as “The Welsh Tornado” and he blends such styles as ragtime, jazz, bluegrass and much more with wondrous abandon. 8 p.m. Saturday, $22.
Crash the Cottage
May 2 at Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern: Billed as “a bratty rivalry dance party,” it’s a dance party set to the soundtrack of hit show “Heated Rivalry.” 8 p.m. Saturday, $22 and $27.
SUNDAY
Ani DiFranco
May 3 at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: Grammy winner, feminist, DIY icon, and singer/songwriter DiFranco returns to Wilmington on her “Spirit of Love” tour. A new book, “The Spirit of Ani,” dropped in March. With opener Valerie June. 6 p.m. Sunday, tickets are $48.
Laura Jane Grace
May 3 at Bowstring Burgers and Brewyard: Singer is known for her punk band Against Me! — and for coming out as trans in Rolling Stone in 2012. Grace’s solo act is by turns personal and political, and features such driving bangers as 2025’s “Wearing Black.” 7 p.m. Sunday, $30.
Born of Osiris
May 3 at Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern: Prog-metal bands comes to this midtown Wilmington rock club in support of new album “Through Shadows.” With Escape Velocity, The Eighth Circle and Sidera. 6 p.m. Sunday, $27.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.starnewsonline.com ’
