California Roots Carolina Sessions music festival moving to Myrtle Beach, lineup announced

Jacob Hemphill of SOJA - The band will

return this year to the California Roots: Carolina

Sessions, after headlining the inaugural fest

 in 2013.

Photo: Sherri 'So Very' Crawford

(updated as first reported for AXS.com)

By Sherri 'So Very' Crawford |Following its first two years in North Carolina, the annual California Roots: The Carolina Sessions music festival is relocating - and there’s more changes in store.

Originally held in Wilmington, NC, at Battleship Park, the concert event featuring rock-reggae and related bands is crossing the border for 2015. Organizers are moving the fest to South Carolina, where it will take place at the Old Myrtle Beach Pavilion.

What’s more, the Carolina Sessions will downsize to a one-day affair, after expanding to two days last year. Organizers explained some of the reasons behind the changes soon after making the announcements.

“Battleship Park, while beautiful, does not have any infrastructure needed, is smaller than desired and very complicated to get to and from,” says one of the local organizers and promoters, Chris Lee of Pipeline Events. Lee also pointed out that “rising tides last year” were another venue challenge.

Heavy rains caused the adjacent Cape Fear River to swell, flooding the festival grounds and leaving shin-deep mud in its wake. Additionally, parking wasn’t permitted at Battleship Park, leaving attendees to take shuttles from certain locations or hailing taxis, instead.


Rebelution frontman Eric Rachmany sings

at the 2nd annual California Roots:

Carolina Sessions,

at Battleship Park in Wilmington, NC.

photo: Sherri 'So Very' Crawford

While organizers looked for an alternate Wilmington location, they couldn’t find one to meet their needs. That’s when they expanded their search, choosing a venue about an hour and a half south of the Port City.

The new venue, along the Grand Strand, offers more space and offers nearby parking. Since it’s located across from the ocean, organizers say the view is inviting, too.

“The new location is at least 5 times larger, has a one thousand-spot parking deck less than 100 feet away and tons of hotels within walking distance,” Lee says. “The view is also unprecedented, you look out across the site and all you see is ocean for days.”
 
The now-empty landmark site off Ocean Blvd., located between 9th and 8th avenues north, has a long history in Myrtle Beach. From 1948 to 2006 it was home to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park.

Meanwhile, this year’s festival line-up will feature 311's mix of rock, reggae, hip-hop and funk, the iconic roots-reggae of Steel Pulse, and the return of SOJA to the fest. Among the artists for the first two Carolina Sessions were Dirty Heads, Rebelution, and more.

The Carolina Sessions is an east coast expansion of the California Roots music and arts festival, held annually in Monterey, California. The off-shoot event started in Wilmington in 2013.

“We love Wilmington and are very thankful for the first two years of support,” Lee says. “Luckily, the City of Myrtle Beach has been more than welcoming of the event.”

The 2015 concert event will happen on Oct. 3 and tickets are on-sale. For more information, visit the California Roots: Carolina Sessions website.

Collie Buddz performs at the 2nd Annual
California Roots: Carolina Sessions.
photo: Sherri 'So Very' Crawford