The Long’s Park Summer Music Series will kick off in June, bringing with it 13 free, unique concerts.
The concert season kicks off June 4 with Washington, DC, swing and jazz group Swingology.
The season continues with weekly concerts on Sundays, starting at 7:30 pm
Notable performers at this year’s summer music series include the Grammy-winning bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers and duo Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar.
“We’ve curated an incredibly diverse season, spanning many genres and cultural traditions, that’s sure to appeal to a variety of musical tastes in the Lancaster community,” says Kristin Chronister, chair of the Long’s Park Summer Music Series.
Soul/rock band Con Brio, which performed in the summer music series in 2022, was invited back because their previous concert got rained out, Chronister says.
Here’s the lineup for the Long’s Park Summer Music Series in 2023.
June 4: Jay Ungar & Molly Mason’s Swingology
Expect to see the dance floor in front of the Long’s Park amphitheater stage filled for Swingology, the latest project from Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. The six-piece instrumental band includes a violin, an accordion, guitars and more. This band is new to the Long’s Park Summer Music Series.
June 11: Las Cafeteras
Afro-Mexican hip hop and folk band Las Cafeteras will offer an energetic, upbeat performance that’s a little English, a little Spanish and a little Spanglish. This band prides itself on love and justice and performs to raise awareness of social issues by way of “artivism” (art activism). This band will make its Long’s Park debut this season.
June 18: Kandace Springs Trio
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kandace Springs is inspired by the likes of Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill. Her most recent release, “The Women Who Raised Me,” celebrates women with covers of popular songs like “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” popularized by Roberta Flack and later, Hill and the Fugees. Springs is new to the summer music series.
June 25: Popa Chubby’s Jimi Hendrix Tribute
Music veteran Popa Chubby has been performing for more than 30 years. He’s best known for his bluesy sound and is known for his faithful, convincing covers of Jimi Hendrix songs. Popa Chubby is new to the summer music series.
July 2: The US Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”
Having attracted as many as 25,000 spectators in past years, the US Army Band Pershing’s Own is one of the summer series’ most popular annual acts. The band has performed patriotic music since its inception in 1922.
July 9: Rune
Celtic folk band Runa melds traditional Irish music with more modern bluegrass and jazz energy. Runa last performed in the summer music series in 2013.
July 16: Steep Canyon Rangers
Grammy-winning bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers are known for their commitment to the genre, being compared to the likes of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Band and the Zac Brown Band. The band frequently collaborates with actor (and banjo player) Steve Martin.
The Steep Canyon Rangers are new to the summer series, but they aren’t new to the area — the band has performed at the Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival.
July 23: Sonny Landreth and Cindy Cashdollar
Depending on who you ask – in this case, musician Eric Clapton – Sonny Landreth is one of the best guitar players to exist. Guitarist Cindy Cashdollar, with five Grammy awards under her belt, has a similar reputation. The two will perform together in a “rare duo appearance,” according to the musicians’ agency’s website. Landreth last performed in the summer series in 2008.
July 30: The David Wax Museum
By the time Virginia-based folk band David Wax Museum performed in the summer series, it’ll have a new album, “You Must Change Your Life.” The band takes on some influence from Americana and regional Mexican music. It will be the David Wax Museum’s first summer series performance, although the band has also performed locally at Lancaster Roots & Blues.
Aug. 6: Jupiter & Okwess
Jupiter & Okwess has its feet firmly planted in traditional Congolese music while also exploring other genres such as roots and dance. The band has attracted the likes of Damon Albarn (Gorillaz) and Money Mark (Beastie Boys), who have both helped work on Jupiter & Okwess’ music. This is the band’s first summer series performance.
Aug. 13: Con Brio
Soul/rock and roll band Con Brio is a seven-person outfit known for its high-energy performances. The band has played at music festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo. Music publication Consequence of Sound describes the band as a “party punk version of Sly and the Family Stone.” The band last performed in the summer series in 2022.
Aug. 20: Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with The Guilty Ones
Dave Alvin, former member of roots band The Blasters, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, of country band The Flatlanders, will perform together. Visitors can expect to see a setlist filled with outlaw country and roots music. Alvin last performed in the series in 2013; this is Gilmore’s first summer series performance.
Aug. 27: Lost Bayou Ramblers
Chances are, even if you’re unfamiliar with Cajun band Lost Bayou Ramblers, you may have heard some of their music before. The band contributed to the score of the Oscar-nominated film “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and have toured with the likes of the Violent Femmes. This is the band’s first summer series performance.
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