Depot District Music Fest registers impressive second-year effort.

A little rain wasn’t going to stop this train as Depot District Music Fest fans began crowding onto the hillside in front of Breeden Amphitheater just after gates opened at noon. Downtown Lexington was abuzz with festivalgoers from all across North Carolina, the southeast region and even the United States. A solid lineup drew folks from all around gathering together to share in some fellowship, food, fun and an appreciation for live music.

Grey skies and rain greeted On the Border – The Ultimate Eagles Tribute Band when they first took the stage a little after 1:00pm but by the end of their two-hour set, it seemed the rain had subsided. Those in charge did a great job of helping to keep folks dry by allowing umbrellas into the venue and setting up tents for both VIP and general admission fans.

As Sister Hazel took the stage, a few moments of sunshine lit up the festival grounds and although temperatures were a bit cooler than anticipated, it was a nice reprieve from the rain. Midway through it cleared up entirely as the remainder of the event took place under overcast skies. The crowd began to swell as the rain subsided and many were on hand when the group broke into their 1994 hit song, ‘All For You‘.

Turnpike Troubadours fans crowded onto the front rail prior to the band from Oklahoma making their way on to perform. Not everyone was standing by the time the 5:30pm set time rolled around but midway through their first song much of the crowd joined those in the first fifteen plus rows. Ultimately, the entire audience was up and singing along with lead singer Evan Felker, who gave an energetic performance through ‘Every Girl‘, encouraging crowd participation during ‘Long Hot Summer Day‘ before giving a shout out to ‘The Bird Hunters‘. It’s a safe bet that if anyone in attendance didn’t know who the Turnpike Troubadours were before, they left as fans.

To end the evening, Delbert McClinton and his blues style rock band headlined the solid lineup constructed for Depot District Music Fest. Packing a full slate of musicians with drums, keys, guitars, bass and horns onto the amphitheater stage, McClinton sang his numbers into the evening before wrapping things up just after sunset. Closing out what was an incredible full day of music orchestrated by those responsible for the festival and the city of Lexington, which should have plenty of returnees for a potential third installment next year.