HAMLET — The 2024 Boxcar Concert Series tuned up Friday evening with a hometown guitar hero.
The Jonathan Robinson Band was the first to perform in the third year of the series — and the first to play on the new stage in Main Street Park.
Robinson, a Hamlet native who spent several years playing in Nashville, laid down lead licks on a set list ranging from the Allman Brothers Band to Jimi Hendrix to Ben Harper.
Bassist Joe Felice took over on lead vocals on covers by The Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival and several blues tunes, and drummer Rob Dufresne belted out the lines from Pearl Jam’s “Yellow Ledbetter” — which was part of a medley with Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary.”
Hamlet percussionist John Martin was invited on stage to sit in on drums for “Statesboro Blues” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps.” Martin was the original drummer for Robinson’s band.
Robinson closed the show with one of his original songs, “Tennessee Rain.”
The Boxcar Concert Series started in 2022 on Sunday afternoons, but was moved to Friday evenings to coincide with TGIFriday Food Trucks on Main.
The series will continue the fourth Friday of each month through October. Upcoming acts are:
- May 24 – 2nd Chance Ministries
- June 28 – Beach Fever Band
- July 26 – Eck and the Radio
- Aug. 23 – Trip Rogers
- Sept. 27 – Oreo
- Oct. 25 – Erik Hawks
See more photos below.
