Saturday, June 13, 2026
Hampton holds a peculiar and glorious place in live music lore: the Hampton Coliseum, the flying-saucer-shaped arena fans call the Mothership, hosted legendary Grateful Dead runs and remains a beloved stop for Phish and major tours. The Hampton Jazz Festival, running since 1968, brings a stacked weekend of jazz, soul, and R&B to the Coliseum each June. The American Theatre in the old Phoebus neighborhood presents intimate performances in a restored 1908 vaudeville house, and the city's waterfront festivals β including a pirate-themed celebration honoring Blackbeard's local demise β keep the harbor lively through the warm months.