We’re throwing a star-spangled celebration on the Virginia Beach oceanfront at Stars & Stripes Explosion Friday, July 4, 2008! Inspiring concerts, tribute bands, fireworks, and more will be featured at this annual Hampton Roads “family tradition” held on Independence Day!

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A stage built right on the beach at 20th Street becomes the focal point for a rousing concert by Symphonicity (the symphony orchestra of Virginia Beach, conducted by David S. Kunkel), and the Virginia Beach Chorale (under the direction of Lou Sawyer). Almost 80 musicians – all volunteers – play with Symphonicity. Combined with the Virginia Beach Chorale, the program will include patriotic, Broadway, and classical selections. The concert begins at 8:00pm.

Concluding the concert on the beach will be the annual oceanfront fireworks extravaganza, launched from a barge off of 20th Street. This fireworks presentation, featuring a blaze of color and light, may be viewed anywhere along the boardwalk at the conclusion of the concert (9:30pm).

At the Beachstreet Starfish Pavilion at 17th Street (17th Street Park), rock to the sounds of “Revolution: The Beatles Tribute” from 7:00-8:00pm and 10:00-11:00pm. “Revolution: The Beatles Tribute” is the leading worldwide touring show that captures the Beatles with authentic instruments, costumes, amazing visual impact, and a sound and excitement that can only be described as “incredible!” The four man group of Beatles impersonators delivers a concert that takes the audience on a journey through time, traveling through the 60’s. The concert showcases the Beatles’ greatest hits, featuring music from their historic appearances on the Ed Sullivan show and before the Queen of England, to favorites from movies like “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help,” to tracks from groundbreaking albums like “Abbey Road.” The show offers a great chance to relive – or to be introduced to – the music of one of the greatest rock & roll groups of all time!

“The English Channel” authentically re-creates British music from the mid-60’s to the mid-70’s. The group plays the hits of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, Petula Clark, Dave Clark 5, Herman’s Hermits, and many others. Each song is recreated just as you remember it from the record and the original recording artist! “The English Channel” will perform at the Beachstreet Seaside Palladium at 24th Street (24th Street Park) from 7:00-8:00pm and 10:00-11:00pm.

The sounds of the Rolling Stones will fill Neptune’s Park at 31st Street when the ultimate tribute band “Satisfaction: A Rolling Stones Experience” takes the stage from 8:30-9:30pm and 10:00-11:00pm. Thousands of audiences in over 40 states have witnessed this re-creation with its highest regard to authenticity. Their show begins with the Rolling Stones British invasion of US pop culture in the 1960’s and builds to what today is a tradition in American music and a part of rock music legend. The audience can expect to hear all the greatest hits of the Rolling Stones performed just as the original band has always performed them!

All performances are FREE and open to the public.

Stars & Stripes Explosion is sponsored by Budweiser, Verizon Wireless, City of Virginia Beach, BOB FM, WNIS, 96X WROX, Live Nation, and Beachevents.