It’s a gorgeous Wednesday, July 8, 2026 evening at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ where music lovers ready themselves for a summery 2026 Mardi Gras AC night of blues performed by the Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer, Tab Benoit.
Mardi Gras AC concert producer Carmen Marotta welcomes tonight’s audience, announcing, “Welcome to Mardis Gras on the Boardwalk! This year, we’re calling it Let the Good Times Roll at the Shore because, in addition to Mardis Gras AC on Wednesday nights, during the entire month of August we’ll have five Monday night concerts which we’re calling Lundi Gras.”
According to Marotta, whereas events in the Wednesday Mardi Gras AC concert series will include Mitch Ryder, Ivan Neville, Booker T. Jones, and Dead Zep, Monday night Lundi Gras performances will feature Gary U.S. Bonds, Dana Fuchs, a Celebration of The Allman Brothers’ Live at Fillmore East, and Flow Tribe, among others.
Marotta introduces tonight’s opening act, the alt-funk duo, Sgt. Splendor, consisting of Kate Vargas on vocals and guitar and Eric McFadden on guitar and vocals.
Opening their set, the pair croons, “You can’t get to heaven on a satellite radio,” on a soulful version of the rockin’ “Brave, Rough, and Ready to Go,” which features Vargas accompanying McFadden as he picks out a bluesy guitar solo.
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Vargas announces, “It’s our pleasure to be here in Atlantic City!” before McFadden sings lead and Vargas adds vocal harmonies on the rhythmic blues rocker, “Death of the Hoochie Koo,” where McFadden impresses with lightning fast runs on the guitar.
Vargas’ smoky vocal rings out on the dirty blues tune, “Lay Me Back Down.”
McFadden’s flamenco-inspired guitar playing introduces the Spanish-style instrumental, “Ride.” Then, Vargas happily strums her acoustic as McFadden’s soulful voice cries, “Up in my bed/I was alone/The sun was rising/The house was cold,” on the compelling swamp-rocker, “While You Was Gone.”
Vargas sings with style as she plays guitar on the upbeat roots rocker, “Little Miss Holy-Holy.”
Guitars duel on the rocking’ “Seeing Things” before McFadden and Vargas scat sing on a bouncy rendition of the old-timey “Alley Oop.”
“Thank you for helping us kick off our run with Tab Benoit!” says McFadden before the duo performs its final number, “Heavy Be the Borrowed Crown.” After crying, “Oh how heavy/Oh, how heavy/Oh, how heavy be the borrowed crown,” McFadden solos with power and speed on this funky rocker to avid cheers, whistles, and applause.
Following a short intermission, Marotta introduces Tab Benoit who takes the stage along with bassist Corey Duplechin and drummer Terence Higgins.
After the trio opens with wavering vibrato guitar, booming bass, and crashing cymbals, Benoit sings in his bluesy voice, “I’m losing my mind, babe, the worse things happen I fear/Begging for mercy, there ain’t no connection out here,” on the soulful blues rocker, “Medicine.”
The crowd cheers and Benoit vows, “I promise to play what I feel tonight,” prior to sailing into the driving swamp blues number, “Boat Launch Baby,” where his staccato guitar picking is deftly accompanied by Higgins on drums and Duplechin on bass.
On “Nothing Takes the Place of You” Benoit sings with feeling before rendering a crying guitar solo on this slow blues ballad.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Benoit announces, “My name is Tab Benoit and I’m from Louisiana,” prior to adding, “It’s so nice to play outside by the water.” Navigating into “Muddy Bottom Blues” his soulful voice rings out as he sings, “I got the muddy bottom blues/I′m just trying to get through,” on this driving blues number.
Taking a request from a fan, Benoit cooks on “Too Many Dirty Dishes” where he croons, “I say there’s too many dirty dishes, baby, in the sink for just us two/Well you got me wonderin’ baby, who’s makin’ dirty dishes with you,” on this bluesy story song.
The crowd claps along as Tab and Co. perform the slow funky blues number, “Why, Why,” where fans heartily approve of the song’s “We gotta love one another/We all just sisters and brothers” message.
Benoit vocally improvises, “The blues showed me what was real/Taught me how to feel,” on a rollicking blues jam which features an upbeat distorted guitar solo which is met with enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Benoit tells a story about performing on a blues cruise where, after every song he performed, a guy from New Jersey yelled out to him, “Shut up and play!” When Benoit explains to the crowd that he wasn’t sure what was wrong with the guy, a fan in the crowd jokingly calls out, “He was from North Jersey!”
Slipping into his next number, Benoit cries, “Get on board/Let’s take a ride/Take a little trip/To the other side/Head on out on a mystery/Don’t be afraid of the history,” on the funky “The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown.”
Duplechin and Higgins leave the stage to Benoit who gives a heartfelt solo performance on the soulful “When a Cajun Man Gets the Blues.”
The band returns and Benoit exclaims, “I want to thank you all for having me back on the Boardwalk!” before he and the trio conclude tonight’s show with “Bayou Man.”
Corey Duplechin energetically holds down the bottom on bass on this engaging delta blues number.
Benoit cries, “You need a bayou man like me/To come along/And save you,” before shredding a solo which inspires a standing ovation.
Benoit and Co. leave the stage but soon return and Benoit exclaims, “I love you all! I’m so glad you’re all still here. I feel like I really accomplished something,” before performing an encore of “Still Gray” a slow ballad which has him soulfully bending the strings of his guitar.
Then, as Terrence Higgins keeps the beat, Benoit and Duplechin play off one another on guitar and bass on an encore performance of “I Hear Thunder.”
Benoit cries, “I hear thunder/I feel rain/I see lightning/Here we go again!” on this powerful Louisiana blues rock tune.
At the conclusion, audience members stand as they hoot, holler, and cheer and Benoit responds in French, “Bonne nuit! Merci!”
To learn more about Tab Benoit, please go to tabbenoit.com. For information on future free Mardi Gras AC and Lundi Gras concerts on the Atlantic City Boardwalk at Kennedy Plaza — including Mitch Ryder on July 29, Gary U.S. Bonds on August 3, Ivan Neville on August 12, Dana Fuchs on August 17, Booker T. Jones on August 19, A Celebration of The Allman Brothers’ Live at Fillmore East on August 24, Dead Zep on August 26, and Flow Tribe on August 31— please click on tonymart.com.
Spotlight Central NJ entertainment news,
concert recaps, and interviews
Love Imagery Fine art stage photography
@allyouneedisloveimagery
It’s a gorgeous Wednesday, July 8, 2026 evening at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ where music lovers ready themselves for a summery 2026 Mardi Gras AC night of blues performed by the Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer, Tab Benoit.
Mardi Gras AC concert producer Carmen Marotta welcomes tonight’s audience, announcing, “Welcome to Mardis Gras on the Boardwalk! This year, we’re calling it Let the Good Times Roll at the Shore because, in addition to Mardis Gras AC on Wednesday nights, during the entire month of August we’ll have five Monday night concerts which we’re calling Lundi Gras.”
According to Marotta, whereas events in the Wednesday Mardi Gras AC concert series will include Mitch Ryder, Ivan Neville, Booker T. Jones, and Dead Zep, Monday night Lundi Gras performances will feature Gary U.S. Bonds, Dana Fuchs, a Celebration of The Allman Brothers’ Live at Fillmore East, and Flow Tribe, among others.
Marotta introduces tonight’s opening act, the alt-funk duo, Sgt. Splendor, consisting of Kate Vargas on vocals and guitar and Eric McFadden on guitar and vocals.
Opening their set, the pair croons, “You can’t get to heaven on a satellite radio,” on a soulful version of the rockin’ “Brave, Rough, and Ready to Go,” which features Vargas accompanying McFadden as he picks out a bluesy guitar solo.
Vargas announces, “It’s our pleasure to be here in Atlantic City!” before McFadden sings lead and Vargas adds vocal harmonies on the rhythmic blues rocker, “Death of the Hoochie Koo,” where McFadden impresses with lightning fast runs on the guitar.
Vargas’ smoky vocal rings out on the dirty blues tune, “Lay Me Back Down.”
McFadden’s flamenco-inspired guitar playing introduces the Spanish-style instrumental, “Ride.” Then, Vargas happily strums her acoustic as McFadden’s soulful voice cries, “Up in my bed/I was alone/The sun was rising/The house was cold,” on the compelling swamp-rocker, “While You Was Gone.”
Vargas sings with style as she plays guitar on the upbeat roots rocker, “Little Miss Holy-Holy.”
Guitars duel on the rocking’ “Seeing Things” before McFadden and Vargas scat sing on a bouncy rendition of the old-timey “Alley Oop.”
“Thank you for helping us kick off our run with Tab Benoit!” says McFadden before the duo performs its final number, “Heavy Be the Borrowed Crown.” After crying, “Oh how heavy/Oh, how heavy/Oh, how heavy be the borrowed crown,” McFadden solos with power and speed on this funky rocker to avid cheers, whistles, and applause.
Following a short intermission, Marotta introduces Tab Benoit who takes the stage along with bassist Corey Duplechin and drummer Terence Higgins.
After the trio opens with wavering vibrato guitar, booming bass, and crashing cymbals, Benoit sings in his bluesy voice, “I’m losing my mind, babe, the worse things happen I fear/Begging for mercy, there ain’t no connection out here,” on the soulful blues rocker, “Medicine.”
The crowd cheers and Benoit vows, “I promise to play what I feel tonight,” prior to sailing into the driving swamp blues number, “Boat Launch Baby,” where his staccato guitar picking is deftly accompanied by Higgins on drums and Duplechin on bass.
On “Nothing Takes the Place of You” Benoit sings with feeling before rendering a crying guitar solo on this slow blues ballad.
The crowd hoots and hollers and Benoit announces, “My name is Tab Benoit and I’m from Louisiana,” prior to adding, “It’s so nice to play outside by the water.” Navigating into “Muddy Bottom Blues” his soulful voice rings out as he sings, “I got the muddy bottom blues/I′m just trying to get through,” on this driving blues number.
Taking a request from a fan, Benoit cooks on “Too Many Dirty Dishes” where he croons, “I say there’s too many dirty dishes, baby, in the sink for just us two/Well you got me wonderin’ baby, who’s makin’ dirty dishes with you,” on this bluesy story song.
The crowd claps along as Tab and Co. perform the slow funky blues number, “Why, Why,” where fans heartily approve of the song’s “We gotta love one another/We all just sisters and brothers” message.
Benoit vocally improvises, “The blues showed me what was real/Taught me how to feel,” on a rollicking blues jam which features an upbeat distorted guitar solo which is met with enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Benoit tells a story about performing on a blues cruise where, after every song he performed, a guy from New Jersey yelled out to him, “Shut up and play!” When Benoit explains to the crowd that he wasn’t sure what was wrong with the guy, a fan in the crowd jokingly calls out, “He was from North Jersey!”
Slipping into his next number, Benoit cries, “Get on board/Let’s take a ride/Take a little trip/To the other side/Head on out on a mystery/Don’t be afraid of the history,” on the funky “The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown.”
Duplechin and Higgins leave the stage to Benoit who gives a heartfelt solo performance on the soulful “When a Cajun Man Gets the Blues.”
The band returns and Benoit exclaims, “I want to thank you all for having me back on the Boardwalk!” before he and the trio conclude tonight’s show with “Bayou Man.”
Corey Duplechin energetically holds down the bottom on bass on this engaging delta blues number.
Benoit cries, “You need a bayou man like me/To come along/And save you,” before shredding a solo which inspires a standing ovation.
Benoit and Co. leave the stage but soon return and Benoit exclaims, “I love you all! I’m so glad you’re all still here. I feel like I really accomplished something,” before performing an encore of “Still Gray” a slow ballad which has him soulfully bending the strings of his guitar.
Then, as Terrence Higgins keeps the beat, Benoit and Duplechin play off one another on guitar and bass on an encore performance of “I Hear Thunder.”
Benoit cries, “I hear thunder/I feel rain/I see lightning/Here we go again!” on this powerful Louisiana blues rock tune.
At the conclusion, audience members stand as they hoot, holler, and cheer and Benoit responds in French, “Bonne nuit! Merci!”
To learn more about Tab Benoit, please go to tabbenoit.com. For information on future free Mardi Gras AC and Lundi Gras concerts on the Atlantic City Boardwalk at Kennedy Plaza — including Mitch Ryder on July 29, Gary U.S. Bonds on August 3, Ivan Neville on August 12, Dana Fuchs on August 17, Booker T. Jones on August 19, A Celebration of The Allman Brothers’ Live at Fillmore East on August 24, Dead Zep on August 26, and Flow Tribe on August 31— please click on tonymart.com.
Spotlight Central NJ entertainment news,
concert recaps, and interviews
Love Imagery Fine art stage photography
@allyouneedisloveimagery
EVENT PREVIEWS
Good Damage to perform at House of Independents on July 15th
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) — New Jersey alt rock/pop-punk band Good Damage will return to the House of Independents on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 supporting American Vanity and Faded 2 Gray. This will be the band’s third time playing the venue. Doors are at 7:00pm, music starts at 8:00pm.WBJB’s Songwriters on the Beach series presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul to Headline Concert at ParkStage on July 17th
Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards
LoMotion Live Presents America at 250: A Celebration in Song to Benefit Elks Army of Hope
The Menzingers to Celebrate Album Release at Stone Pony on Friday
Grounds For Sculpture and Third Way Cultural Alliance to Present an Intimate Evening of Art and Music on July 18th
bergenPAC presents Swingtime Big Band on Saturday
DePue Brothers Band to Bring “Grassical” Music to Sewell
Albert Music Hall’s “Back to Our Roots” Benefit on Sunday to Support Preservation of Pinelands Music History
FEATURED EVENTS
