The Substitutes

🔥 Kick off Memorial Day Weekend the RIGHT way! 🔥

Get ready for a full-on flashback party with The Substitutes as we rock out all your favorite 80’s & 90’s classics at Ballyhoos! 🎸🎤

From post punk anthems and new wave hits to singalong favorites and guilty pleasures — we’re bringing the soundtrack of your youth and turning Ballyhoos into the ultimate retro party!

📍 Ballyhoos
2865 Lynnhaven Dr.
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

📅 Friday, May 22nd
🕗 8PM

Bring your crew, grab some drinks, and get ready to dance, sing, and party all night long!

😎 Music so cool you’ll need a sweater.

Upcoming Shows

Ballyhoos
Fri, 22 May 26 8:00 PM
2865 Lynnhaven Dr., Virginia Beach

Keagan's Irish Pub
Fri, 05 Jun 26 8:00 PM
244 Market St., Virginia Beach

Peake Tavern
Sat, 06 Jun 26 8:00 PM
1245 Cedar Rd. STE F., Chesapeake, VA

South Beach Grill
Sat, 13 Jun 26 9:00 PM
1091 Norfolk Avenue, Virginia Beach

Send a message to learn more

“Meet the Musicians” - Day 4: Steve o’ the Mighty Bass!!!

“Meet the Musicians” - Day 3: Our stellar drummer and backup/co-vocalist, Eric.

“Meet the Musicians” - Day 2: A man who seems to need no introduction, but we’ll give him one anyway, because he rocks righteously…

Meet Stephen Karl Bittner…

Steve’s been a fixture of the Virginia Beach music scene since the early 90s, bending strings and breaking hearts back when flannel was a lifestyle choice, and hair product was serious business. Legend has it he was plucked from obscurity during a heated air guitar battle at Flipper McCoys arcade. Later, while others were chasing high scores on Pac-Man, he was chasing the perfect distortion tone, a quest that led him through local legend bands like Rock Candy, Asphalt Jungle, and Radio 80s.

Keeper of the lost art of the “power stance” and a true prophet of retro riffs, he is the six-string time traveler we didn't know we needed. He remembers a time when the Oceanfront clubs were packed every weekend and music was loud, live, and sticky. When he's not busy nailing the perfect U2 delay effect, you can find him meticulously organizing his cassette collection or arguing about the definitive best Soundgarden album. He brings decades of experience, unparalleled authenticity, and an impressive collection of Doc Martens.

Stephen is here to remind you that music was better when you had to physically rewind it. He’s a walking encyclopedia of 80s hair metal and 90s grunge trivia, though he frequently forgets his own social security number. Come witness a true VB original channel the ghosts of alternative music past, one meticulously curated riff at a time, and just try to convince him that the 90s are actually over.

(Not with us, they’re not.)

We are STOKED to have earned so many new followers since the last time we introduced ourselves! So how’s about another daily round of “meet the musicians?” starting with our fearless “front woman,” Sarah…

Whew!!!!! What a fun weekend that was. Two amazing venues…

Friday night at Froggie’s was an absolute party, a wonderful crowd and transference of that fabulous full moon energy between us all. Ending with one long howl at the moon. Good stuff.

Saturday night at Old Beach Tavern saw lots of bodies on the dance floor, really gettin’ down!!!
So many fellow musician friends in the Hampton Roads area came out to see us and support us this weekend… We appreciate you!!!

Thanks for the warm welcome, all you music-loving party people!!

Photo credit to Lori Van De Wal and Cris May

We’re stoked. Sarah (our lead vocalist) has kicked a bad cold’s arse so we could bring y’all a great show tonight on this, the 1st of May… And it’s a full moon to boot! Gonna be a good-weird and wonderful night… Join us!!
🤘🏻😁🎸🌕🥁🔥💃🏻🎙️✨🐸

Tonight Friday May 1st The Substitutes leap onto the Froggies stage with their parachutes ready. Playing highly awesome covers of some of your favorite New Wave/Punk/Post-Punk/Alternative/Grunge jams from the 80s and 90s. The Substitutes