We’re days away from Darius Rucker’s Riverfront Revival, a two-day music festival described as a “love letter to the Lowcountry.”
The music and family-friendly fun returns this Friday, Oct. 11 + Saturday, Oct. 12. Use this guide to navigate the festival + keep reading for our conversation with the Lowcountry’s own music icon, Darius Rucker. Bonus: Watch the full interview.
How did the Riverfront Revival come about?
I was talking to my manager about five years ago and I just said to him, “I want to do my own festival in Charleston.”
We wanted it to be like Charleston — quaint and small, family-oriented, and where people come and have a great time. We started the first year and it was a success — we’re in our third year now.
What does it mean for you to be able to play in your hometown?
Playing at home is always great. I get to see my family, all my sisters and brothers, my nieces and nephews, and cousins all come out and it’s just great.
To have grown up there, still live there, and to have had the career I’ve had — now to be back, bringing something to Charleston, and being a part of it just feels awesome.
How do you and the rest of the team curate the lineup each year?
A lot of times it’s people I like.
Arrested Development — we toured together and I know how great they are live and what they’re gonna do to that crowd.
Jamey Johnson is one of my favorite artists ever. I think “In Color” is the greatest country song of the last 30 years, and to have him and Tedeschi Trucks there... I mean, come on, they’re always amazing and we just got off tour with Collective Soul, who killed it every night.
Just to have those bands come in and do their thing and know that Charleston is going to get two days of music is what it’s all about.
A portion of each ticket goes back to the children’s hospital and the nonprofit Just Be You. What does it mean to give back to your community?
I always think Charleston has been so good to me that I can’t give enough; it’s been such a great place for me to grow up. Even the bad things were great.
My mom worked at the Medical University for 30 years. That’s how we ate. That’s how I got clothes. That’s how we survived in life. For me to be able to give to the children’s hospital — I mean that’s amazing to me.
One thing my mom always told me when I was a kid is, “You help people who need help,” and you know, that’s all I’m trying to do.
This is the third Riverfront Revival, how have you seen the event evolve over the last few years?
The cool thing about it is that it’s becoming a staple now, people expect it. You know, it’s like when Hootie was doing the “Homegrown Tour” for those 20 years, people were expecting it.
Now, with Riverfront Revival, people are waiting for the date to come out, they buy tickets before they even know who is playing — and I love to see that happen. And I love that more bands are coming — bigger bands are coming. We’re also getting a lot of local acts. Elizabeth Covington, who was basically my daughter’s best friend growing up and now she’s a musician, she’s part of the show. It just feels good, it feels right — it was just a little idea I had because I wanted to play music in my hometown and it’s turning into a great thing.
👀 Stay tuned, after we wrapped things up with the festival, we put Darius through a rapid-fire series of questions about Charleston. Keep an eye out for the interview where he’ll share his favorite golf courses, restaurants, Lowcountry beach + favorite songs.
