Major and the Monbacks will play the farm this Saturday!

Two bands that earned “fan favorite” status at the seventh annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival will return to Martinsville on Saturday as part of Arts at the Rives Theatre’s (ART) annual outdoor summer show at Shining Star Farm on Barrows Mill Road.

Major and the Monbacks will bring their dance-friendly, horn-infused brand of “rock ‘n’ soul” to Martinsville for the first time since closing out the main stage at Rooster Walk 7 on Sunday night, May 24th. They will be joined by opening act The Morgan Wade Band, an alt-country group from Roanoke that performed three sets over the course of the RW7 weekend.

“We bring a lot of bands to the Rives that have never played the Martinsville region even once,” said Shane Pinkston, president of ART. “Introducing new music to the community is part of our nonprofit’s mission, but at the same time, it’s always fun when we get to bring back local favorites like Major & the Monbacks and The Morgan Wade Band. If you haven’t seen either of these bands yet, I promise you won’t be disappointed. They put on a great show, and they’ve really developed strong followings in M-HC because of that.”

Tickets to the concert cost $12 in advance or $15 at the gates to Shining Star Farm, which is located at 3838 Barrows Mill Road. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Daily Grind, Woodall’s Music or online. Patrons are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the show, but outside alcohol will not be permitted. Hot Stones Pizza and the Homestead Creamery will be serving food at the venue.

Major and the Monbacks have created their own blend of music, merging retro 60’s rock n roll, psychedelic twang, and southern soul. After finishing undergrad in the spring of 2014, The Monbacks hit the road on a five-month, 20,000-mile tour along the East Coast. With three singers trading lead vocals and a lively horn section, this 8-piece band has honed a powerful sound in the past year. They are currently in the midst of another five-month tour, this time in support of their first full-length album, a self-titled project that was released in April.      

The 20-something Morgan Wade, who plays acoustic guitar, is backed by electric bass, drums, harmonica and mandolin. Her distinctive, raspy voice is delivered with a ferocity and volume that belies her petite frame.    

Wade’s “voice and lyrics reflect the beauty, anger, hunger, and hope of millennials coming of age in Appalachia,” according to her website.    

Arts at the Rives Theatre (ART) is a 501c3 community non-profit dedicated to maintaining the historic Rives Theatre by using the space for music, arts and education. To learn more about ART, including upcoming concerts, click HERE.