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The annual Rockin' on the Point series is geared up differently from many outdoor music events in the Charleston area. Set within the Charleston Harbor Resort's courtyard at Patriots Point, the weekly event kicked off last week with local party-band champs Plane Jane on the stage.

Formerly billed as Party at the Point, these festive Friday evening bashes succeed partly due to the series' ability to book such a colorful variety of popular — and solid — acts, and also for its bucolic waterfront setting.

"We created the event to reach all demographics," says main organizer Rob Lamble, a longtime Charleston booking agent. "Young professionals and families can bring their kids out there, and there's plenty of beach area for them to enjoy. Also, it's a great opportunity for someone to come out, unwind, and catch some great live music."

The main stage is situated at the far end of the resort's Sunset Deck area — a loungy patio and yard behind the main hotel with a beachy tiki bar vibe, replete with grand views of the big bridge, downtown's skyline, and the bustle of activity in and around the harbor.

Party at the Point first began at this spot in 2000. Ear For Music has been a partner with the event since the beginning along with the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina and the Apex radio group. Last year, the series underwent a name change.

"We started doing Rockin' on the Point so we could start branding it better, and do more events, like 'Oysters on the Point' and stuff like that," says Lamble. "We're on our ninth year, and we're rolling into our tenth. We're definitely excited about this year's lineup."

Lamble has lived in Mt. Pleasant since 1993. An avid music fan, he cut his teeth on the local music scene working as the manager at his dad's old record store, Tunes Discs & Tapes, and worked as the booking guy at the old downtown hot-spot nightclub Acme Bar from 1994-'96. He founded his own Ear For Music booking agency in 1997 and soon after became the head talent buyer for the Wild Wing Café, handling the band schedules and gig details for 18 Wild Wing venues in the Southeast.

In 2006 and 2007, he collaborated with Riddick Lynch (of Shoreline Productions), Rick Jones (of Fish Bait Marketing), and others on the all-day, multiple-stage ChazzFest on Daniel Island.

This year's Rockin' on the Point boasts a few upgrades, offering free parking and a golf cart shuttle service. They've expanded the number of bar stations scattered across the deck and courtyard, and there are more toilet facilities near the front doors as well.

"We're also going to have some great drink specials this year," adds Lamble. "Plus, we're allowing patrons to recycle their drink tickets, so that they can bring unused tickets back and use them again."

This Friday, popular groove-rock singer/guitarist Zack Deputy (from the Hilton Head scene) hits the main stage. Upcoming events feature a pretty wide array of acts, including Who's Bad, Cravin' Melon, Simplified, Virginia Coalition, and the Tams. Local bands on this season's schedule include Sol Driven Train, Milhouse, Uncle Mingo, Soul Fish, Baby Fat, Spunjwurthi, Occasional Milkshake, East Coast Party Band, Playlist, Sadler Vaden (of Leslie), and Plane Jane.

"One of my goals is to bring some continuity to the musical lineup, and bring in some bands who bring their own unique styles to the shows," says Lamble. "The Wild Wing keeps me busy, and it's a great outlet for regional bands to come through and get in front of some faces, but I especially look forward to working on Rockin' on the Point every year. Everyone enjoys it, and that's the whole point."

Visit www.rockinonthepoint.com and www.charlestonharborresort.com for more info.

LIVE REVIEW | Dinosaur Jr. & Mike Watt

Caught Mike Watt + The Missingmen last night (Sat. April 25) with Dinosaur Jr. at the Music Farm. My ears are still ringing (more than usual).

It was a good crowd with lots of old-schoolers who probably saw Watt with the Minutemen or fIREHOSE back in the day, as well as Dino guitarist J Mascis with whichever lineup he had back in the late '80s and '90s. Loaded frontman Duff McKagan (the former bassist with Guns N Roses) was there, too.

In front of a very packed house, Dinosaur was about twice as loud as Watt's band, especially during the big choruses, solos, and transitions, when Mascis hit the pedals and wailed through his trebly triple-stack of Marshall cabinets (plus a Mesa Boogie aimed back at him). Murph and Lou Barlow locked in pretty tightly on the old tunes. A very fast and heavy rendition of "In a Jar," my favorite track from Youre Living All Over Me , came second in the set, which was an encouraging sign of things to come.

Watt's opening set was even more engaging and weird, however. While Dinosaur Jr. stuck with their familiarly loose and loud approach, Watt's band really ventured way out with some of the most inventive and creative new rock songs Ive heard in a while. With guitarist Tom Watson (ex-Slovenly) on guitar and young newcomer Paul Morales on drums, the Missingmen blazed through a wild, jumpy, high-energy set which intensified with every tune.

Watt's playing style has evolved from his early pick-handling days into an odd mix of two-finger picking, fist-banging, five-finger spanking, and over-the-top left-hand vibrato. Music school students might recoil in horror at such a strange and emphatic technique, but it fits this music.

It only took two songs for Watt to get warmed up proper on his Gibson SG "thunderbroom." With Morales set up at center stage, facing Watt, the tightly-packed trio kicked off with a dozen new songs from a forthcoming studio album to be titled Ten and Twenty Don't Make Fifty. The new stuff sounded riffy and tight and not nearly as groovy and progged-out as some of Watt's previous stuff. Watson laid it on thick with some sonic effects at times, and it worked well. I cant wait to hear to new recordings.

The second half of the opening set gained even more momentum, as they sprinted through four tunes from the Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime ("One Reporter's Opinion," "Toadies," "The Glory of Man," and "Anxious Mo-Fo"), two Wire covers ("Three Girl Rhumba" and "Ex Lion Tamer"), a heavy-duty version of the Stooges' "Fun House," and a fiery, Minutemen-style take on Blue Oyster Cult's "The Red and the Black."

Watt looked like he was going to have a heart attack between a few of the closing numbers, staggering back, and grabbing hold of his bass amp while he caught his breath. He was totally fine, though, both physically and in spirit very into what he was singing, hollering, and thumping.

(photos by T. Ballard Lesemann)