The Athens Performing Arts Corporation (APAC) has announced its the lineup for its annual Summer Concert Series. The series will feature eight weekly concerts beginning on July 19th. The Summer Concert series will host performances including jazz, funk, and tributes to classic groups.
Athens is a quaint village in the Northern Catskills that is home to a little under 2,000 people. Located at the heart of Greene County, the village is just West of Hudson, and a short 30 minute drive South of Albany. With a history dating back to 1665, the village is home to many historical sites and a rich arts scene.
At the head of the arts scene is APAC, which is dedicated to spreading music to Athens’ residents. For almost two decades, APAC has hosted free yearly concerts in Athens Riverfront Park. As founding member Rick Suranno said “Our main goal from day one was to bring something different and to keep it free. We wanted national touring acts, although we started with all of my friend’s bands for years, we knew what our goal was.”
APAC has achieved that goal, with the Athens Summer Concert Series continuing into 2024. The series will feature eight weeks of Friday concerts lasting from July 19th to September 6th. All concerts will take place in Athens Riverfront Park from 7-9pm.
Sonny Landreth will kick off the Summer concert season with a July 19th performance. Landreth or “Louisiana’s King of Slydeco” has graced the blues world with his slide guitar prowess for over 50 years. Across his 18 solo albums, Landreth has received awards from the Americana Music Association and Blues Music Awards.
Toronto’s Bywater Call will ring in the second week with a July 26th concert. The seven-piece blends southern soul, roots, and blues to create their award-winning sound. The band won the 2024 UK Blues Award for best international artist, with European media hailing singer Meghan Parnell as one of the best voices in blues today. In 2023, the band toured across 10 countries, and shared the stage with legendary guitarist Joe Bonamassa.
August 2nd will feature a tribute to the music of the Dave Matthews Band. This will be followed by an August 9th concert by Vanessa Collier. Collier is an award-winning vocalist and saxophonist. Her music blends jazz, blues, soul, and rock. On top of multiple Blues Awards, legends like Buddy Guy have praised Collier’s musical ability.
British bluesman Matt Schofield will perform at the series’ August 16th concert. Throughout his 30 years of performing, Schofield has become one of the most influential guitarists of his generation. His brand of British Blues, which incorporates jazz and funk elements, has taken him everywhere from Tokyo to Texas. Schofield is a 3x “British Blues Guitarist of the Year” winner, and was ranked in the “Top Ten British Blues Guitarist of All Time” by Guitar & Bass Magazine.
August 23rd will feature a show by Beginnings, the foremost Chicago tribute band. The New York-based seven-piece has performed across the country since their founding in 2002. Beginnings is dedicated to creating the most authentic Chicago experience, bringing accuracy and intensity. An August 30th tribute to Creedence Clearwater Revival will follow this concert by Beginnings. APAC has not announced the final concert of the series taking place on September 6th.
Athens Summer Series Schedule
7/19 – Sonny Landreth
7/26 – Bywater Call
8/02 – The Dave Matthews Tribute Band
8/09 – Vanessa Collier
8/16 – Matt Schofield
8/23 – Beginnings
8/30 – Creedence Revived
9/06 – Final Show TBA
Concert-goers can bring lawn chairs to sit on during concerts. Athens Riverfront Park is located at 1 Water Street, Athens, NY. For more information, visit the APAC website here.
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