For longtime fans, the evening offers an opportunity to revisit music connected to their lives. For younger guests, it provides something recordings and movie clips cannot fully reproduce: the communal excitement of hearing the songs performed by a live band in a historic theater.

The veteran tribute artist will recreate the excitement of an Elvis concert Friday in the historic Main Hall in downtown Wilmington.

WILMINGTON — The music, movement and unmistakable stage presence of Elvis Presley will return to downtown Wilmington when Jesse Garron’s Tribute to Elvis performs Friday, Aug. 28, at The Queen.

The all-ages show begins at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. in The Queen’s Main Hall.

Garron has performed his tribute since 1997, developing a full concert experience supported by live musicians and female backup vocalists. His show focuses heavily on Presley’s concert years, complete with period-inspired costumes, audience interaction and the scarf serenades associated with Elvis’ Las Vegas performances.

It is designed to be more than a collection of familiar songs. Garron attempts to recreate the energy and emotional connection that made an Elvis concert an event.

Known professionally as “The Closest Thing to the King,” Garron was inducted into the International Elvis Tribute Artist Hall of Fame in 2019. His stage name also carries a personal connection to Presley: Jesse Garon Presley was Elvis’ twin brother, who was stillborn.

A performer inspired by Elvis

Garron became interested in Presley at age 4 and first performed an Elvis tribute during a high school talent show at 17, according to his biography.

He later moved from performing with prerecorded tracks to leading a professional touring production. The current show features a live band, backup singers and arrangements intended to capture the sound and scale of Presley’s later concerts.

Garron has performed across the country and was invited to appear for the U.S. Embassy in Algiers. His tribute has also shared bills with performers including Wayne Newton, The Commodores, Little Big Town and Bret Michaels.

The show reaches across Presley’s catalog, drawing from rock ’n’ roll, pop, country, gospel and traditional ballads. Songs featured in Garron’s repertoire include “Burning Love,” “Always on My Mind,” “In the Ghetto,” “Moody Blue” and “You Gave Me a Mountain.”

More information about Garron and samples of his performances are available on the performer’s official website.

Why Elvis continues to matter

Nearly 50 years after Presley’s death, his music continues to find listeners who were not alive during his career.

Older fans may connect Elvis with personal memories of his recordings, films and television appearances. Younger listeners often encounter him through movies, streaming services, social media and the artists he influenced.

Presley’s lasting importance also comes from the range of his music. His performances brought together elements of country, blues, gospel and rhythm and blues during a transformative period in American popular culture. His voice, clothing, movement and command of an audience helped establish a model for the modern music superstar.

His career remains part of a more complicated conversation about the Black artists and musical traditions that helped shape rock ’n’ roll. That history does not diminish Presley’s impact, but it provides important context for understanding the cultural moment in which he became famous.

For tribute performers such as Garron, the goal is to keep the live experience accessible while acknowledging that there was only one Elvis.

A fitting room for a larger-than-life show

The Queen offers an appropriate setting for that experience. Its Main Hall combines a classical balcony, carved pillars and a historic pipe organ with contemporary lighting, sound and a full-size stage.

The building became a movie theater in 1916, when Presley was still decades away from becoming a film star himself. It closed as a theater in 1959 and remained dark for more than 50 years before reopening as a live entertainment venue in 2011.

That combination of restored history and modern concert production gives Garron’s performance a sense of occasion. The room is intimate enough for his audience interaction but large and theatrical enough to support the costumes, vocals and spectacle associated with Elvis’ concert years.

For longtime fans, the evening offers an opportunity to revisit music connected to their lives. For younger guests, it provides something recordings and movie clips cannot fully reproduce: the communal excitement of hearing the songs performed by a live band in a historic theater.

To Go

• What: Jesse Garron’s Tribute to Elvis
• When: Friday, Aug. 28, at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7 p.m.
• Where: The Queen, Main Hall, 500 N. Market St., Wilmington
• Admission: All ages; ticket prices and availability are listed on The Queen’s event page.
• Box office: Open Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and 30 minutes before performances
• Parking: Street parking is generally free after 5 p.m. The Renaissance Centre Garage is located nearby on East Fifth Street between Market and King streets.

Delaware LIVE collaborates with a network of professional journalists to cover a diverse range of stories across various fields.  Staff Writers include experienced journalists and young professionals.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected] or our publisher, George D. Rotsch, at [email protected]