2019 EDITION

Your ultimate guide to summer music and more

By Ross Boissoneau | June 8, 2019

Hear that? There’s a twang in the air, voices raised in song, the beat of the drum, squealing saxophones, and the rumble of bass lines. It’s the sound of summer, from music in the park to vast auditoriums filled with people shouting out choruses. 

From folk to barbershop, tribute bands to pipes and drums, Cajun to country to classical and classic jazz, there’s something for every musical taste somewhere in the north country this summer. Get out your calendar and make a plan to get your groove on.

Lavender Hill Farm
Located on Horton Bay Road, one mile north of Boyne City Road and three miles south of 31, Lavender Hill Farm is a popular site for weddings as well as an active lavender farm. It hosts a concert series every year. For tickets, go to www.LavenderHillFarm.com.

June 22 – The Moxie Strings

June 29 – Lemon Squeezy

July 5 – Cari Ray & The Shaky Legs

July 6 & 7 – Thunderwüde

July 27 – Brian Ashley Jones

Aug. 2 & 3  – The Appleseed Collective

Aug. 24 – Jill Jack

Aug. 31 & Sept. 1 – Sons of the Never Wrong

Sept. 7 – Suzie Vinnick

Boyne City Evenings at the Gazebo
Wednesday evenings beginning at 6:30pm at Old City Park. Concerts are free, donations accepted. Not available as of press time was the schedule for Stroll the Streets, returning for its 17th season from 6 to 9pm Fridays. Each Stroll features a host of entertainers at various locations throughout the city. For the latest schedule, go to www.boynechamber.com/stroll–the–streets.

June 19 – James Michael Duo

June 26 – Calamity Jane (Theresa Wagner and Kathy McCoy)

July 4 – No concert (4th of July festivities w/live music at Veterans Park)

July 10 – Matt Gabriel

July 17 – Wyatt & Shari Knapp

July 24 – Mike Dhaseleer 

July 31 – Full Cord

August 7 – Awesome Distraction

 
Grand Traverse Pavilions Concerts on the Lawn, Traverse City
Thursdays at 7pm. Concerts are free, donations accepted.
June 13 – Gordon Lightfoot Tribute

June 20 – The Drew Hale Band

June 27 – The Overtones

July 4 – The Cherry Blossom Ramblers

July 11 – Miriam Pico & Friends

July 18 – Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums

July 25 – The Petoskey Steel Drum Band

Aug. 1 – Cool Lemon Jazz

Aug. 8 – Bay Area Big Band

Aug. 15 – Jim Hawley: Remembering Dan Fogelberg

Aug. 22 – K. Jones and the Benzie Playboys

Aug. 29 – The Backroom Gang

Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor
June 8 – Judy Collins

June 29–July 1 – Million Dollar Quartet 

July 5 – Michael Feinstein 

July 28 – Grand Rapids Symphony 

July 31 – Great Lakes Music Festival w/the Crane Wives and the Michigan Rattlers

Aug. 2 – Mitch Albom and Special Friends 

Aug. 17 – The Del McCoury Band

Aug. 24 – The Joffrey Ballet: Beautifully Moving 

Aug. 31-Sept. 1 – McKechnie & McArdle Celebrate Sondheim & Hamlisch 


Interlochen Center for the Arts

June 8 – Josh Groban

June 25 – Steve Miller with Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

June 28, 29, and July 5, 6 – Interlochen Shakespeare Festival: Richard III

June 29 – The Harlem Quartet

June 30 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conductor Cristian Macelaru

July 1, 2, 3 – Interlochen Shakespeare Festival : The Niceties

July 3 – The Capitol Steps

July 6 – Dorrance Dance

July 7 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conductor Mei–Ann, Midori violin

July 9 – Collage

July 11 – Casting Crowns

July 12 – Reba McEntire

July 14 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conductor Dr. Leslie Dunner

July 16 – I’m With Her feat Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan

July 16 – Russian Renaissance

July 17 – Diana Ross

July 19 – Joshua Davis with special guests Steppin’ In It

July 21 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conductor JoAnn Falletta

July 23 – Peter Frampton

July 25 – Weird Al Yankovic

July 25 – Aja Gabel

July 26 – Pacifica Quartet

July 27 – Detroit Symphony Orchestra

July 28 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra, conductor Erik Nielson

July 29 – Jake Shimabukuro

Aug. 1, 2, 3, 4, – High School Musical Theatre Company, “9 to 5, The Musical”

Aug. 4 – World Youth Symphony Orchestra and Les Preludes, conductor Jung–Ho Pak

Aug. 9 – Lady Antebellum with Kylie Morgan

Aug. 13 – Jonny Lang with JJ Grey & MoFro

Aug. 15 – Double Vision Revisited w/Bob James, David Sanborn, and Marcus Miller

Aug. 21 – Vince Gill

National Cherry Festival
June 29 – Trapt & Saving Able w/Tantric

June 30 – Styx

July 1 – Brett Young

July 2 – Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias

July 3 – Nelly w/Chingy & Montell Jordan

July 4 – The Four Tops and the Spinners

July 5 – Josh Turner

July 6 – Jeff Dunham

Northport Music in the Park
The tiny town at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula has some big music. Haserot Park on the water is the perfect summertime venue.
June 28 – K Jones and the Benzie Playboys

July 5 – Jazz North

July 12 – Wild Sullys

July 19 – Mulebone

July 26 – TBA

Aug. 2 – Soul Patch

Aug. 9 – Denise Davis and the Motor City Sensations

Aug. 16 – The Jimmys

Aug. 23 – Ron Getz and Don Julin Quartet

Aug. 30 – The Old Microtones

Northport Performing Arts Center
June 16 – Northport Community Band/The Village Voices

June 30 – Traverse Symphony Orchestra

July 20 – The Accidentals

Michigan Legacy Art Park
Set on an intimate amphitheater tucked inside a wooded art park, Summer Sounds is part hike, part picnic, part concert, and all fun for all goers. Shows run 7pm to 9pm; kids 12 and under are free, adults pay $11.25 per ticket. Bring your own dinner or buy some at the nearby Mountain Market on your way in. The amphitheater is accessible via a ¼-mile ADA trail from the Art Park parking lot; golf cart rides for those in need available beginning at 6:15pm. Buy online: www.michlegacyartpark.com

June 5 – Nina & The Buffalo Riders

July 12 – Last Gasp Collective

July 19 – The Go Rounds + Charlie Millard Band

July 26 – Channing & Quinn

Aug. 3 – The Bootstrap Boys

Aug. 10 – The Ragbirds

Bay View
The Chautauqua on the north end of Petoskey is home to more than just Victorian cottages, hosting concerts by national acts and visiting musicians. Wednesday and Sunday night concerts are a staple throughout Bay View’s season. Go to www.BayViewAssociation.org.
July 6 – Jefferson Starship

July 11-13 – West Side Story

July 20 – Texas Tenors

July 25 – Durand Jones and the Indications

Aug. 3 – The Second City

Aug. 6-7 – The Magic Flute
 

Charlevoix Main Street Summer Series
Starting June 27, every Thursday night from 5 to 7pm, you can enjoy Buskers on Bridge Street at various downtown locations, with four performers each week. Then, from 7 to 9pm, head to East Park Odmark Performance Pavilion and catch the following. (Don’t forget special performances Tuesdays by the Charlevoix City Band from 8 to 9pm.)
June 27 – The Horton Creek Band

July 4 – Buskers on Bridge Street only

July 5 & 6 – Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company presents: Romeo & Juliet

July 11 – The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Band

July 18 – Petoskey Steel Drum Band

Aug. 1 – Ray Kamalay & His Red Hot Peppers

Aug. 8 – 1000 Watt Prophets

Aug. 15 – Matt Austin

Aug. 22 – Doug Thomas Music

Cadillac in the Park
Concerts take place at Cadillac Rotary Pavilion in the lakeside park. Concerts are free, donations accepted. Monday nights July 1 through Aug. 12 from 7 to 9, it’s the Ancient & Honorable Clam Lake Dock & Dredge Marching & Chowder Society Silver Cornet Band.
June 20 – Paul Nelson Band

June 27 – Robin Connell/Paul Brewer Quartet

July 4 – Organissimo

July 11 – Double Trouble

July 18 – Carla Cooke

July 25 – Planet D Nonet

Aug. 1 – The Phil DeGreg Trio with Petra Van Nuis

Aug. 8 – Tell Yo Mama

Aug. 15 – James Armstrong

Aug. 22 – Cheryl Hodge Group

Odawa Casino
June 21 – Gilbert Gottfried

Little River Casino Resort
June 15 – Clay Walker

July 13 – Cheap Trick

July 26 – Lee Brice

Aug. 10 – Happy Together

Aug. 24 – Gary Allan

Beulah Park
Concerts are free, donations accepted.
June 27 – Jake Allen  

July 4 – The Standing Hamptons 

July 11 – Jazz North   
 
July 18 – Don Julin and the Ol’ Microtones

July 25 – Dig A Pony 

Aug. 1 – Awesome Distraction 

Aug. 8 – The Back Porch All Stars   

Aug. 15 – The Accidentals 

Petoskey in the Park
June 19 – Steel and Wood

June 21 – Crosscut Kings

June 26 – Katherine Ryan and Owen James

June 28 – The Real Ingredients

July 3 – Pete "Big Dog" Fetters

July 5 – Keith Scott Blues

July 10 – Something Great

July 12 – The Faux Paws

July 17 – Nathan and Jessie 

July 19 – Holly Keller–Thompson

July 24 – Indigo Moon

July 26 – Chris Koury

July 31 – Jeff Pagel

Aug. 2 – Under the Moon

Aug. 7 – The North Carolines

Aug. 9 – Story and James

Aug. 14 – CTAC School of Music Garage Band

Aug. 16 – Sean Miller

Aug. 21 – The Pistil Whips

Aug. 23 – Fowler and Richey

Manitou Music Festival
The concerts take place at Studio Stage at Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor, with the exception of the July 3 concert on the lawn at the Glen Arbor School, July 14 at the foot of the Dune Climb in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Aug. 7 at the Leelanau School lawn and Aug. 13 at Glen Lake Community Reformed Church.

July 3 – NMC Concert Band

July 14 – Dune Climb Concert with Bumpus

July 21 – Jazz North

July 24 – Ruth and Max Bloomquist

July 28 – May Erlewine

July 31 – Réalta

Aug. 4 – Chatham Rabbits

Aug. 7 – The Founding

Aug. 13 – Summer Singers

Manistee Shoreline Showcase
Concerts are free, donations accepted.
June 18 – Paul Nelson Band

June 25 – Robin Connell/Paul Brewer Quartet

July 2 – Organissimo

July 9 – Double Trouble

July 16 – Carla Cooke

July 23 – Planet D Nonet

July 30 – The Phil DeGreg Trio with Petra Van Nuis

Aug. 6 – Tell Yo Mama

Aug. 13 – James Armstrong

Aug. 20 – Cheryl Hodge Group

Aug. 27 – Sunset Grove

Manistee Roots on the River
Follow Roots on the River on Facebook for dates and performers.

 

Concerts in the Park, Onekama Village Park 
Concerts are free, donations accepted.
July 1 – Schrock Brothers with Madcat

July 8 – The Rough & Tumble

July 15 – Miriam Pico and David Chown

July 22 – Scottville Clown Band

July 29 – Elvis Tribute by Jake Slater

Aug. 5 – Awesome Distraction

Aug. 12 – Benzie Playboys

Aug. 19 – Jim Hawley and the Piano Man

Baroque on Beaver
The annual 10-day musical sojourn on Beaver Island is celebrating its 18th year of classical music and more. Previously unscheduled pop-up concerts take place at a moment’s notice.

July 26 – The Lincoln Trio

July 27 – Jeyoon Kim, piano

July 30 – Chamber Music Across Eras

July 31 – The Founders Concert

Aug. 1 – Papas and Sons

Aug. 2 – Mozart’s Farewell

Aug. 3 – All the World’s a Stage

So is that all? Not by a long shot — there’s plenty of live music at wineries, breweries, bars and restaurants across the area. For a look at what’s ahead any particular week, be sure to check out our calendar of events.

***MUSIC NEWS***
One notable venue missing from the list is Fountain Point Resort on Lake Leelanau. Minus one recently announced limited-ticket concert with dinner — The Accidentals at 6pm, Sunday, June 16 — the classic resort is taking the year off from presenting shows to explore nonprofit status and partnering with local businesses and organizations to sponsor shows. (See www.mynorthtickets.com or call 1-800-836-0717 for The Accidentals show; stay abreast of future happenings at the Fountain Point Music page on Facebook.)