3 Days. Over 30 bands on the Beach! The sounds of rock, jazz, country, blues, R&B, and more flood the Virginia Beach oceanfront for three sun-filled days over Labor Day Weekend at the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival.  The largest outdoor music event on the East coast, the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival brings together local, regional, and national acts to play on a gigantic 60-foot wide and 60-foot tall stage on the beach at 5th Street as well as stages in all parks along the beautiful Virginia Beach oceanfront. Festival goers by the thousands love the appeal of being outdoors on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean providing the perfect background for some of the greatest live music of all time! 

Food vendors, beer, and merchandise kiosks enhance the festival atmosphere along the boardwalk.

Exclusive VIP passes provide separate entrance to the area right in front of the stage for viewing Friday and Saturday concerts, access to heavy hors d’oeuvres, VIP-only port-a-johns, two free beers or wine, and tickets to both Friday and Saturday concerts.  This is the ultimate way for fans to enjoy the concerts!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TICKETS

The 19th Annual Verizon Wireless American Music Festival will feature three major headline bands on the 5th Street Main Stage between Aug. 31 and Sept. 2.  O.A.R., Cheap Trick and Train have firmly established their popularity in Hampton Roads through previous concerts.  Given the Festival’s unique environment and fan-friendly pricing, this year’s lineup could result in some of the best attended shows in the event’s history.

O.A.R will be the featured band beginning at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 31.  O.A.R.’s 2008 studio album “All Sides” debuted at #13 on the Billboard Top 200 and #3 on the Digital Album chart. The album provided many firsts for the band including their first Platinum single “Shattered,” which in 2009 was the #6 best-selling Rock Song at iTunes and earned them an ASCAP Award as one of the Most Performed Pop Songs of the Year.  “All Sides” sales reached close to two million, and they received the honor of being on Performing Songwriter's list of the 100 Most Influential Independent Artists of the Past 15 Years. 

OAR

The Wailers, the premier Jamaican reggae band in the world, opens.  Together with Bob Marley, the Wailers have sold in excess of 250 million albums worldwide. In England alone, they’ve notched up 20 chart hits, including seven Top 10 entries.  Outside of their groundbreaking work with Marley, the Wailers have also played or performed with international acts like Sting, the Fugees, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, and Alpha Blondy, as well as reggae legends such as Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Burning Spear

Tickets for Friday are $15 advance plus service fee, $20 day of show.

Cheap Trick, headlines in a matinee performance beginning at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 1.  The band was named by Rolling Stone Magazine in April as one of “The 25 Best Things in Rock Right Now.”   Since the 70s they’ve been blending elements of pop, punk and metal in an instantly catchy and recognizable way.  With timeless classics such as “I Want You to Want Me,” “Surrender,” and “The Flame,” Cheap Trick are a musical institution. Anyone familiar with Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report knows Cheap Trick wrote and performed the theme song.  Cheap Trick has given more than 5,000 performances, sold more than 20 million records, had 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum records.

Cheap Trick

The opening bands are Soul Asylum and Southern Culture on The Skids.

Tickets for Saturday are $15 advance plus service fee, $20 day of show.

Train headlines the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon concert beginning at 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 2.  Train is Pat Monahan (vocals), Jimmy Stafford (guitar) and Scott Underwood (drums).  "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" was the band’s first international hit and won two Grammy Awards in 2002.  The album was certified double platinum.  “My Private Nation” continued the band's success, and was certified platinum with the hit "Calling All Angels."  “Save Me San Francisco” produced three singles— the RIAA 5x Platinum international hit "Hey, Soul Sister," "If It's Love" and "Marry Me" reached #3, #34, and #34 respectively.  The album itself has been certified Gold.  “Hey Soul Sister” was the #1 most downloaded song of 2010, and earned another Grammy Award.  Train recently released its sixth CD, “California 37,” which is rapidly rising on the charts.  The first single “Drive By” reached #11 on Billboard.

Train

Tickets for Sunday are $25 advance plus service fee, $30 day of show.

For the third year, 300 VIP Experience tickets will be available to the general public for Friday and Saturday Main Stage concerts.  Sunday’s concert is not included in the offer.

The limited VIP passes are the true music fans’ ideal way to see a concert.  These passes provide concert viewing in an exclusive area directly in front of the stage on Friday and Saturday.  VIP holders also enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, VIP-only port-a-johns, two free beers or wine, and one ticket to both Friday and Saturday concerts, for just $125 per person.

VIP Experience tickets are available only through Ticketmaster.

Headliners on the 5th Street Main Stage are world-class artists who collectively have sold almost 300 million records and will appeal to music lovers of all types.

Friday, Aug. 31 – O.A.R, with special opening band The Wailers.  Tickets are $15 advance plus service fee, $20 day of show.

Saturday, Sept. 1 – Cheap trick, with opening bands Soul Asylum and Southern Culture on the Skids.  (Sign language interpretation provided by Mindy Brown and Company) Tickets are $15 advance plus service fee, $20 day of show.

Sunday, Sept. 2 – Train, with opening band Andy Grammer, presented by the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon.  (Sign language interpretation provided by Mindy Brown and Star Grieser Interpreters) Tickets are $25 advance plus service fee, $30 day of show.

Tickets, 3 Day Passport Pins, and VIP Experience Passes are onsale NOW through all Ticketmaster outlets, including online (www.ticketmaster.com) or by phone at 800.745.3000.  Children younger than 12 are free with a paid adult, not including the VIP Pass offer. 3 Day Passport Pins are also available for purchase at the Virginia Beach Visitor Information Center (no service fee) at 2100 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (491-7866).

Passport Pins for the 19th Annual Verizon Wireless American Music Festival bring an added benefit this year. Passport Pin holders are admitted 30 minutes before the public into the ticketed three general admission concerts on the 5th Street Main Stage.

Early entrance for Passport Pin holders is at the 6th Street Box Office at Atlantic Avenue and the Boardwalk entrance at 7th Street. A Passport Pin, at $35, provides admission to all three 5th Street Main Stage concerts.

Additionally, Passport Pin holders will enjoy the preferred viewing area access in front of the stage at the 24th Street Beach Stage all three days.  Space in the preferred viewing area is limited and available on a first-come basis.

Attention all Runners! Your friends and family will be able to purchase passport pins ($35) Friday and Saturday while you check in at the Convention Center. 

"Check in To Win" at this year's Verizon Wireless American Music Festival!
Passport Pin holders, must check in at the O.A.R., Cheap Trick & Train concerts to qualify to win VIP passes to the 2013 American Music Festival.
Purchase your 3 day Passport Pin now!

Answer the Call to Help Prevent Domestic Violence. Drop off your used or unwanted wireless phones at Samaritan House to be recycled through Verizon Wireless HopeLine Program and Receive Free Admission to the 2012 Verizon Wireless American Music Festival.

One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.  Local domestic violence prevention service provider Samaritan House is hosting a cell phone drive through HopeLine, Verizon Wireless' recycling program which collects no-longer-used cell phones and then donates the proceeds to support domestic violence prevention.  Samaritan House will be collecting used or unwanted wireless phones and equipment for recycling through HopeLine.  The first 100 people who drop off a phone at Samaritan House (Patricia and Douglas Safe Harbor Center), 2620 Southern Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23452, will receive a pin granting free admission to the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival, August 31 through September 2, 2012.  For more information, contact Samaritan House at 757-631-0710.

SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 31
5th St. Main Stage $15 advance plus service fee/$20 day of show
O.A.R.(9:15pm-10:45pm)
The Wailers (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

17th St. Park FREE!
Candlebox (9:15pm-10:45pm)
Mike Ruocco Band (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

24th St. Beach Stage FREE!
.38 Special (9:15pm-10:45pm)
Blue Lords (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

31st St. Park FREE!
Family Stone (9:15pm-10:45pm)
Zapp Band (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

Saturday, Sept. 1 *FIREWORKS 11pm
5th St. Main Stage (Sign language interpretation provided by Mindy Brown and
Company) $15 advance plus service fee/$20 day of show
Cheap Trick (4:30pm-6pm)
Soul Asylum (3pm-4pm)
Southern Culture on the Skids (1:30pm-2:30pm)
Doors Open: 12:30pm

13th St. FREE!
Brandon Bower Band (6:30pm-9pm)

17th St. Park FREE!
Carbon Leaf (9pm-11pm)
A Silent Film (7:30pm-8:30pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

19th St. FREE!
Cover This (6:30pm-9pm)

24th St. Park FREE!
Choo Choo Soul (1pm-1:45pm & 2:30pm-3:15pm)

24th St. Beach Stage FREE!
Blue Oyster Cult (9pm-10:30pm)
Long Reef (7:30pm-8:30pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

27th St. FREE!
Bimini Road (6:30pm-9pm)

31st St. Park FREE!
Marvelettes (10:15pm-11pm)
Platters (9:30pm-10:15pm)
Coasters (8:45pm-9:30pm)
Guava Jam (7pm-8:15pm)
Doors Open: 6pm

Sunday, Sept. 2 *FIREWORKS 11pm
5th Street Main Stage, presented by Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon (Sign language interpretation provided by Mindy Brown and Star Grieser Interpreters) $25 advance plus service fee/$30 day of show
Train (9pm-10:30pm)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Virginia Beach Half-Marathon Awards (8pm-9pm)
Andy Grammer (7pm-8pm)
Doors Open: 6pm

13th St. FREE!
Former Champions (6:30pm-9pm)

17th St. Park FREE!
Craig Woolard band (7:30pm-11pm)
The Main Event Band (4pm-6:45pm)
Doors Open: 3pm

19th St. FREE!
Gridlock 64 (6:30pm-9pm)

24th St. Park FREE!
Choo Choo Soul (1pm-1:45pm & 2:30pm-3:15pm)

24th St. Beach Stage FREE!
Jamey Johnson (9:15pm-10:45pm)
Frankie Ballard (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm

27th St. FREE!
Kaboombox (6:30pm-9pm)

31st St. Park FREE!
Clarke/Duke 4 (9:15pm-10:45pm)
Rajazz (7:30pm-8:45pm)
Doors Open: 6:30pm