Jefferson Starship, John Waite to play outdoor Mocama concert

Two veteran rock acts, Jefferson Starship and John Waite, will perform in Fernandina Beach on Oct. 17 as Mocama Beer Company launches an effort to bring nationally touring musicians to Amelia Island.

The concert, presented by First Port City Bank, will be held in the brewery’s front lot, which will be converted into a large outdoor music venue. Mocama says the show is intended to be the first in an ongoing series featuring national touring acts.

Jefferson Starship brings a catalog stretching back more than five decades that includes “Jane,” “Miracles,” “Find Your Way Back” and “Count on Me.”

Waite is best known for his 1984 No. 1 hit “Missing You.” He also was lead singer of The Babys and later Bad English.

For Mocama owners Andrew Batey and Kim Delnegro, the concert represents an expansion of the brewery’s growing involvement in the music business.

“Music has been a huge part of both of our lives, so this feels much bigger to us than simply putting on a concert,” Batey said. “We want Mocama to be a place where people come together, and music has always had an incredible ability to do that.”

Batey said Mocama has increasingly incorporated music into its business through artist collaborations, custom beers and limited releases.

“Bringing artists like Jefferson Starship and John Waite to Amelia Island is the next evolution of that,” he said.

Batey also has professional ties to the music industry. He co-founded Beatdapp, a technology company that works to identify streaming fraud and manipulation. His career has included work with artists, record labels and entertainment companies.

The goal, Batey said, is to give Amelia Island residents access to concerts they might otherwise travel to Jacksonville, Atlanta or other larger cities to attend.

“We want people to be able to see incredible artists, with great production, in a setting that still feels uniquely Amelia Island,” Batey said. “If we do this right, our hope is that these shows become something the community is proud of and something artists genuinely look forward to playing.”

First Port City Bank is the title sponsor. Barefoot Amelia and Ullman Wealth Partners are also sponsoring the concert. The event has additional support from SoundExchange, a Washington-based music industry organization.

Mocama said it plans to build on the October concert with additional national touring acts, combining larger-scale concert production with the brewery's existing entertainment operations.

Tickets went on sale Aug. 21.

Concert details: Jefferson Starship and John Waite, Saturday, Oct. 17, at Mocama Beer Company in Fernandina Beach.