Massive Wilmington music festival will bring five dozen bands downtown
One of Wilmington's biggest annual music festivals is set to return. On Nov. 6-7, the Port City Blitz music festival will bring some five dozen rock bands of various genres to Waterline Brewing beneath the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge downtown. The lineup includes not just local and regional acts, but national and internationally known bands. The Port City Blitz is organized by Wilmington musician Mike Grindstaff, who plays in the band Rocket 77 and started the festival in 2018 at The Barzarre on Castle Street. The Blitz then moved to midtown rock club Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern for a few years before moving to Waterline in 2024. This year marks the biggest Blitz yet, Grindstaff said, with 60 bands (up from 52 last year) over two days on a half-dozen stages. Headliners Veteran North Carolina thrash metal band Corrosion of Conformity, or CoC, is set to headline the Port City Blitz on Saturday, Nov. 7. Known for its iconic skull logo and for its influence on so-called "stoner metal" bands, including Wilmington stalwarts Weedeater , CoC has been coming to the Port City since the days of the Mad Monk in the '80s, though they last played here some 15
