Date: June 28th 2023
Opening Act: Dry Reef

Rocking the Docks had their first outside concert of the season with reggae/rock artist Joe Samba and the Philly band Dry Reef. It was a gorgeous night to pull up a chair or blanket and listen to some island vibe music by the bay.

The Rocking the Docks series offers a cool and unique experience with different national bands every Wednesday. The location is awesome by the bay at the Lewes Ferry grounds, where you can also enjoy the sunset. It’s a nice feature to be able to smell the bay water during a concert, although the fumes from the ferry is a bit much, but that’s only every 90 minutes or so. I haven’t even mentioned the VIP experience from Dewey Beach Picnic Co., which I’ve never seen at a concert before. They provide luxury picnic settings under a giant tent, comfy seating, a dedicated bar, and lots of games. I couldn’t resist playing cornhole as well.

Dry Reef kicked things off and they sounded good. I didn’t really know their music, so I can’t tell you what they played, but their sound is a mixture of reggae, surf, rock, funk, and jam band. I really enjoyed their sound, and they showcased their talent when they did solos or jammed out. I will definitely keep an eye out for their music when it’s released and check out their previous material.

Joe Samba is another artist who recently popped up on my radar, so I’m fairly new to his music. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of him before, considering he’s on LAW Records. Joe headlined the concert and played a lot of stuff from his two albums, as well as some covers. The one that stands out to me is Blind Melon’s “No Rain.” At first, I was like, “Wait, what’s this song?” but then I realized what it was. At one point, Joe mentioned that his wife likes when he plays the song “Hey Mambo” but he rarely does, so he has decided to play it at every show now.

The band jammed a lot, just messing around and enjoying the pleasant evening. Thankfully, the air quality wasn’t too bad until the following day, although the sunset was still a bit hazy. Other songs he played include “Beef,” “How We Do,” “Positive Energy,” and the final song, “Create Something.” I love that one because it’s inspiring not only for musicians but also for artists like myself.

It was another fun and unique concert experience at Rocking the Docks in Lewes, Delaware. The series will continue every Wednesday, rain or shine, so if you’re in town or a local looking to watch some original bands, this is the place to be! If I were you, I’d consider getting some VIP tickets too because, in my opinion, it’s worth it.

Dry Reef

Joe Samba