Live & Local

The Musicians

By Robert Waldner

Shayla Nelson & Hudson Vance Photography by Ken Bacchus

To experience live music in the Ancient City is to be enlightened on

the fundamental values of music itself. On any given night, the streets

are alive with a melodious aura that can only be upheld by bestowers

imparting a love for their timeless craft to the world at large. Especially

during this season, music comes alive here in Our Town. The walls of

local venues like The Milltop Tavern and Spinster Abbott’s appear to

inhale the light autumn breezes and exhale the musical prowess of our

local artists. The Colonial Oak Music Park provides an open-air retreat

that comes complete with a monumental Live Oak tree furnishing

shade and ambience for all under its canopy and a rustic stage boasting

impeccable acoustics. Of course, we would be remiss to leave out the

St. Augustine Amphitheatre, the Ancient City’s own concert hub that

brings in the biggest names in the industry.

St. Augustine’s musical charisma is not necessarily an exact science.

The charm of old Spanish architecture combined with our semi-

tropical climate and small town feel are a recipe that attracts a larger

than life lineup of melodious faculty. There is a magic in the air that

renders a plethora of musical talent spanning nearly every known

genre. Perhaps the most prominent here though, just as with most of

the world today, is Rock and Roll. That said, St. Augustine’s rock scene

is inherently unique. No one band or artist who graces our coquina

utopia is anything like the other. Performers like Chelsea Saddler and

Colton Mckenna infuse the emotive renderings of folk into their brand

of rock with original music and cover versions from some of America’s

most beloved heavy hitters. Others like Rachael Warfield and Stevie

Lynne inject a concoction of jazz and pop into their original songs.

Still further, we have larger bands like Ramona and The Riot and

Chillula, offering up a smorgasbord of R&B, reggae, and big band

music, propagated through saxophones, trumpets, and trombones.

One young solo artist, Shayla Nelson has grown up through the local

scene. With her sights on a bright career ahead, she reflects on her

journey thus far. “I feel lucky to have matured through the ranks of

a place where local music is so revered,” she says. “This has been the

best stepping stone I could have imagined. I have made so many great

connections over the years.”

While lesser known than musical metropoli such as Austin or Nashville,

St. Augustine has still undoubtedly left an impression on a country that

views music as its most valued asset. For young artists, the city provides

all the tools of the trade. Hudson Vance knows this firsthand. “The

community is very supportive of young local musicians like myself,”

he says. “I have been given so many opportunities to perform publicly,

which have helped me grow immensely.” The tools that have nurtured

Hudson’s growth are the same ones that have grown St. Augustine into

the music haven it is today.

"Loving Our Town" October 4, 2025