July is usually the best time of the year to see live music in Eastern Connecticut. Last year in early July we were attending festivals like Sail Fest, and fairs like the North Stonington Fair. We were going to shows at the Xfinity Theater. Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods were hosting concerts nearly every night. There were concerts on the green and every bar was featuring live music. So much has changed!
Finally we are starting to make the move from “virtual” concerts to actual live concerts in public venues. As we mentioned in our last column, the Roadhouse Saloon at Mohegan Sun now has live concerts every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, along with their weekly comedy shows at Comix.
This past weekend we had one of our favorite local country singers; Katie Perkins performing for fans on blankets and lawn chairs at the Allyn Brook Park in Hebron.
Room to Move is a local band out of Lebanon and they had their second live performance since the lockdown Wednesday evening at the Lebanon Green. You can see them every second Wednesday of the month. Bring dinner, snacks, lawn chair and a blanket and enjoy getting out of the house, while supporting our local country musicians. Room to Move has also been performing at the Olde Mystic Village gazebo.
Last weekend hundreds of cars showed up at the Misquamicut Drive in Theater to see a Garth Brooks concert that was beamed to over 300 Drive In theaters in America. A record 350,000 people got out of the house and paid the $100 per car to attend. Artists are getting creative.
Over at Indian Ranch in Webster, Massachusetts, they are moving ahead with their Margaritaville Cruises. The next one will be on July 31st. You will get a steamboat tour of Lake Webster while enjoying a Jimmy Buffett cover band. The venue is also going forward with a country concert featuring Jamie Johnson on August 2, 2020.
Mohegan Sun is still planning on hosting Toby Keith on September 5th and Dan and Shay on October 10th in the arena.
Slowly but surely, the concert experience is returning with live music. This is good news for the musicians, the fans, and the venues.
