Crab Shack Turns 100: Centennial Concert Celebrates Del Ray’s Quirkiest Music Hub
ALEXANDRIA, VA – One of Del Ray’s most charmingly eccentric landmarks is turning 100—and throwing a concert to prove she’s still got it.
Crab Shack Live Centennial, happening Saturday, June 14, will feature an unforgettable night of music, community, and celebration at “The Shack,” a 1925 Sears kit house turned neighborhood music haven. Despite drafty windows, chipped paint, and a raccoon squatter, this lovingly worn home is pure magic inside. “I feel like I can do anything when I walk in here,” said one visitor.
Owned and operated by Alexandria native Jack Kilby, The Shack is now a full-time recording studio, lesson space, and concert venue. “I want to host an event that highlights the immense talent of the students, recording artists, and the abundance of goodness that this house provides me,” said Kilby. “This is a night for the community to celebrate the arts happening right here in the heart of their neighborhood, particularly from a place they might otherwise look at as a dilapidated eyesore.”
The centennial concert builds on past Crab Shack Live events, including last year’s Student Revue and prior showcases featuring artists who recorded at The Shack. This year’s celebration features both—young musicians performing in the afternoon, and professionals taking the stage into the evening.
The show will be hosted by soulful vocalist and instrumentalist Dante’ Pope, recently featured with the Grammy-winning Old Crow Medicine Show. He’ll be followed by two bands that recorded at the Shack: Elijah Jamal Balbed & Fiesta Mojo (salsa jazz) and Burt the Dirt (country rock), both from Washington, D.C.
Several Del Ray businesses are helping make the event possible through sponsorships and donations. Food and drink will be available for purchase from Backyard Provisions, owned by Kilby’s childhood friend Jamie Branch.
Ticket prices:
- $25 General Admission
- $35 VIP (10% merch discount, reserved seating, drink ticket)
- $45 Table Reservations (table service, CSM pint glass, merch discount, free drink)
Crab Shack Live Centennial promises to be an inspiring showcase of local talent, a community reunion, and a love letter to the little house that could. Past shows have drawn 125+ people—so grab your tickets early and come celebrate the sound of Del Ray.
Tickets: Scan the QR code on the flyer or follow @CrabShackMusic online.
TRENDING IN ALEXANDRIA: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Wall that Heals, Coming to Alexandria, June 12-15
