HAMLET — Seven acts are slated to perform at Main Street Park in 2024 for the third annual Boxcar Concert Series.
Several bands are returning and some are making their first appearance in the series, which will run from 6-8 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month from April-October.
“We are excited for this year’s line up,” said Mechelle Preslar, director of community engagement for the city of Hamlet.
The 2024 schedule will not take a break during the hotter summer months, as was the case in 2023.
The Safety Committee kicks off the series on April 26. The band — currently featuring guitarists Chuck Smith and Mervyn Celso (who also plays keyboards), drummer Eddie Brown and bassist Patrick Razon — will be making their third appearance in the series.
Click here to see photos from 2023.
2nd Chance Ministries returns May 24, making their second appearance. Last year, the vocal group became the first gospel act to perform in the series.
Click here to see photos from 2023.
The Beach Fever Band will make its first appearance in the Boxcar Concert Series on June 28. The band’s lineup includes bassist Gary Raines and guitarist Carl Giddens, both of Rockingam; Kevin Parrish of Hamlet on vocals, saxophone and guitar; drummer NiQuan Sims of Maxton; and Zachary Kendall on vocals, keyboard, trumpet, trombone — and occasionally guitar and drums.
The Safety Committee and Beach Fever will both be performing Jan. 27 at Rockingham VFW Post 4203 for the Shagging for Our Soldiers benefit.
Click here to read more about that show.
Also making their second appearance on July 26 will be Eck and the Radio. That band, featuring members from Randolph and Chatham counties, has a set list including older country and rock hits.
Click here to see photos from 2023.
Trip Rogers will be performing as a solo act in his first concert for the series on Aug. 23. Rogers has performed several times at Hamlet’s Seaboard Festival and played with a full band at Ellerbe’s Strawberry Festival and Ellerbe Springs Inn.
Richmond County’s newest (and youngest) band, Oero, will make their first appearance in the series on Sept. 27. The band, which formed after performing during the open-mic nights at Nana’s Coffee Rocks in Rockingham, includes singer and guitarist Sophia Razon, guitarist Logan Watts and drummer Anakin White.
Oero has also played at Hudson Brothers Deli and Axe to Grind in Hamlet, and has a show Friday, Jan. 26 at the latter establishment.
Richmond County native Erik Hawks will return to close out the season for the second consecutive year on Oct. 25.
Last year, Hawks, backed by the Hard Luck Band, performed at Rockingham’s SpringFest, Civil Wars at Rockingham Dragway, and in the Boxcar series, in addition to solo gigs at Hudson Brothers and the Seaboard Festival.
Click here to see photos from 2023.
Hawks was recently honored by the Carolina Country Music Association as Male Performer of the Year.
