Melissa Etheridge, Billy Idol, Dave Matthews Band and Tim McGraw are some of the artists coming to Upstate this season
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Outdoor music concerts embody the season as people come together to savor the weather and shared enjoyment of performing art. Why not find a top act year you?
Concert Venues
■ At CMAC in Canandaigua this season, catch Chicago (June 26), RPO: Red, White & Boom! (July 2), Alison Krauss & Union Station (July 25), and Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration (Sept. 1).
■ The Empower FCU Amphitheater in Syracuse has become a top venue for popular concerts including Jelly Roll & Kashus Culpepper (June 23), TobyMac, Zach Williams, Seph Schleuter & Jamie McDonald (June 26), Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots & Dorothy (June 30), Pussycat Dolls, Lil Kim & Mya (July 8), Weird Al Yankovic (July 10), Phish (July 21), Tim McGraw & 49 Winchester (July 31), Billy Idol (Aug. 15), Pitbull & Lil Jon (Aug. 26), and Goo Goo Dolls (Sept. 3), among others.
www.syracuseamphitheater.com/information
■ The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse hosts concerts (free with admission) at Chevy Court and Suburban Park. This year, see The Commodores (Aug. 26), Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 28), Ashanti (Aug. 31), ZZ Top (Sept. 3), Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone (Sept. 3), Trace Adkins (Sept. 5) and many more.
■ Point of the Bluff in Hammondsport on Keuka Lake, will host numerous performing artists, including Hanson (July 19), Three Dog Night (July 5), Melissa Etheridge (Sept. 7), Old Crow Medicine Show (Sept. 19).
www.facebook.com/Concertsatpointofthebluff
Farms
■ Long Acre Farms in Macedon welcomes Grand Canyon Rescue Episode (June 26), The John Payton Project (July 10), Hey Mabel (July 24), Big Blue House (July 29), Petty Thieves (Aug. 7), Earthtones (Aug. 21), and Bill Schmitt & the Bluesmasters (Sept. 18).
■ At Lincoln Hill Farms in Canandaigua this summer are The Hip Abduction (June 14), The Disco Biscuits (June 20), Mihali with Mike Powell (June 25), Keller & The Keels (July 4), Dogs In A Pile (July 10), Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters (July 31), and Oteil & Friends (Aug. 9).
www.lincolnhillfarms.com/calendar
■ Concerts at Beak & Skiff in Lafayette include Hot Mulligan (June 5), Dark Star Orchestra (June 12), Whiskey Myers (June 14), Charley Crockett Age of the Ram Tour (June 18), Dustin Lynch (June 19), The Head and the Heart: 15th Anniversary Tour (July 21), Cole Swindell (Aug. 6), Slightly Stoopid: Road Trippin’ Summer Tour (Aug. 16) and Indigo Girls (Aug. 23).
https://beakandskiff.com/events
Parks
■ The Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum in Sodus Point has cultivated a following for its weekly Sunday Summer Concert Series. The free community concert lineup this season includes Cinque (June 7), Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra (July 19), Midnight Storm (Aug. 9) and more.
https://sodusbaylighthouse.org/summer-concert-series
■ Emerson Park in Auburn plans to host My Buddy’s Band (June 25), Scars N’ Stripes (July 2), Super 400 (July 16), Menage A Soul (July 23), Jam Theory (July 30), Monster (Aug. 06), Motley Crouton (Aug. 13), The Echo Sound (Aug. 20) and Rock Jester (Aug. 27).
www.cayugacounty.gov/1391/Emerson-Park
■ Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora will bring this summer Ten Cent Howl (July 10), AJ and the Woods (July 17), Leroy Townes Band (July 24), and Slip Madigan (July 31).