Words and Images Courtesy of the Virginia Arts Festival
Williamsburg Live Headliners
Mandy Moore - June 17
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - June 18
Martina McBride - June 19
Gates open at 5:30 PM
Virginia Arts Festival has added Waxahatchee, Americana lyricist Katie Crutchfield and her band, to the lineup for Williamsburg Live on Saturday, June 18. Waxahatchee performs ahead of Saturday night headliner Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Mandy Moore performs Friday June 17 and Martina McBride performs Sunday June 19. The 2022 outdoor music weekend fills three nights with music, June 17-19 and Tickets are on sale now at www.vafest.org, by phone at 757-282-2822, or in person at the VAF Box Office at 440 Bank Street in Norfolk.
Quickly becoming one of Southeaster Virginia’s most popular outdoor music weekends in an intimate festival setting, Williamsburg Live welcomes thousands of fans every summer to its unique, tree-shaded, open air venue on the Lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. As the warm breezes blow and the stars come out, fans enjoy locally-sourced foodie fare via food trucks and wine and craft beers available on the concert grounds—then settle in for performances by some of today’s most compelling artists. Before the concerts, visitors can explore centuries of history and enjoy the region’s unique shopping and award-winning dining.
Americana/Indi music project, Waxahatchee was formed in 2010 by singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield. The band is named for Crutchfield’s beloved creek behind her childhood home in Alabama and was listed as Number 7 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists Chart of April 2020. The singer songwriter takes fans on an intimate journey to the places she’s been through her music. Pitchfork wrote of “Katie Crutchfield’s sharp, gorgeous songwriting”, “immersive” band sound. Her latest album Saint Cloud won the American Association of Independent Music’s Libera Awards 2021 Best Country Record.
Headlining the Friday, June 17 evening will be Emmy-, Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress, singer, and songwriter Mandy Moore, whose most recent album Silver Landings has drawn critical acclaim. Moore first came to national attention with her platinum-selling 1999 debut album So Real, followed by her 2000 album I Wanna Be with You, and her self-titled third album released in 2001. She starred in the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’s A Walk to Remember in 2002, winning an MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female Performance. Over the next decade, Moore appeared in a dozen films and released a series of celebrated albums: 2003’s Coverage, 2007’s Wild Hope, and 2009’s Amanda Leigh. Since 2016, she’s starred on the critically acclaimed NBC series “This Is Us,” earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her role as matriarch Rebecca Pearson. Moore was seen alongside Woody Harrelson in Roland Emmerich’s 2019 feature film Midway.
As previously announced, four-time Grammy Award-winning Americana music icon Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will headline Williamsburg Live on Saturday, June 18. Widely acclaimed as one of the best songwriters performing today, Isbell possesses a devoted audience who have pushed his albums to the top of the charts, and drive sell-out attendance at his appearances from Nashville’s fabled Ryman Auditorium to festivals across the U.S. His newest album, Georgia Blue features collaborations with such iconic artists as Brandi Carlile, Bela Fleck, Chris Thile and more. Isbell’s songs are rousing anthems that have stadiums singing along, lyrical standouts showcasing an artist at the height of his powers.
Headlining the Sunday evening show, June 19 will be country music legend Martina McBride. With 14 Grammy nominations, McBride has sold over 18 million albums to date, including 20 Top 10 singles and six No. 1 hits. She has been awarded 14 Gold Records, nine Platinum honors, three Double Platinum Records, and two Triple Platinum Awards. Her 15 music awards include four wins for Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association and three Academy of Country Music for Top Female Vocalist; a longtime passionate advocate for women, her top songs include such empowerment anthems as “Independence Day,” “Broken Wing,” and “This One’s For the Girls.” In addition to her music, McBride has won new fans for her cookbooks and has her own show on the Food Network, “Martina’s Table.”
Colonial Williamsburg Hotels will offer special Williamsburg Live hotel packages. Please visit colonialwilliamsburghotels.com or call 1-877-568-8225 for more information.
Co-presented with the City of Williamsburg, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and in partnership with Virginia Tourism Corporation and Visit Williamsburg. Funded in part by the City of Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission.
About the Virginia Arts Festival
The Virginia Arts Festival celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2022. The largest and most prestigious international performing arts organization in southeastern Virginia, Virginia Arts Festival has transformed the region's cultural scene, presenting great performers from around the world and making this historic region a cultural destination for visitors from across the United States and around the world. Over the past 25 years, the Festival has welcomed visitors from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 25 foreign countries. The Festival has presented over 1,438 performances, free community events, and student matinees and workshops reaching over 1.2 million attendees. Each season, millions more are reached through international broadcasts of Festival performances on American Public Radio's Performance Today, nationally on PBS TV, and regionally on WHRO TV. Over 32% of ticket sales come from outside the region, bringing tens of thousands of visitors to local museums and attractions and filling regional hotels and restaurants. The estimated annual economic impact of the Festival exceeds $25 million.
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