Free concerts staged twice weekly through Aug. 21 at Johnson Park
By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
The village of Liverpool stages the busiest summer concert series in Central New York, presenting 24 free shows featuring a wide variety of talented musicians at Johnson Park. The 34th annual Liverpool Is The Place Summer Concert Series kicked off June 3 with performances by scholastic combos and continues at 7 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday through Aug. 21.
Music-lovers from across the Syracuse area bring their blankets and lawn chairs to the park’s amphitheater twice a week to enjoy the tunes and a cone of hot popcorn. The LITP Committee, chaired by village resident Yvette Hewitt, staffs a concession stand that also sells cold soda, water and hot coffee.
Other performers with ties to the village include the Liverpool Community Chorus conducted by Bob Allen on June 12; The Liverpool Community Concert Band playing patriotic tunes on July 1. Syracuse Area Music Hall of Famer Jan Fetterly returns to Johnson Park July 3 to play drums for the Other Guise, and the Ron Spencer Band featuring the Galeville blues guitarist plugs in on July 22.
Two big bands are booked this summer, the Stock Market Swing Orchestra on July 15 and the Mario DeSantis Orchestra on Aug. 19. Two Beatles tribute nights are also on the schedule, Paul Davie’s BeatleCuse Revue on July 10 and Studio Two from Boston on Aug. 5.
The 2019 series concludes Aug. 21 with the Annual John Denver Memorial Food Drive concert featuring the folk group Two Feet Short. That night audience members will bring non-perishable food items to share with St. Joseph the Worker Church food bank.
Sponsors are still being sought for several concerts, including the Second Line Syracuse brass band set for July 31, Mark Doyle and the Maniacs Aug. 7 and Dave Novak’s Party Nuts Aug. 14. If you or your business would like to sponsor a concert, call the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce at 315-457-3895.
All concerts are free and take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Johnson Park, at the corner of Route 57 and Vine Street, in Liverpool’s central business district.
For more information, visit liverpoolistheplace.com.
Liverpool Is the Place concert schedule
The annual Liverpool Is The Place concert series has begun. All concerts are free and take place from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday through Aug. 21 at Johnson Park, at the corner of Route 57 and Vine Street, in Liverpool’s central business district.
For more information, visit liverpoolistheplace.com.
Here is the concert schedule:
Wednesday, June 5: The Joe Whiting Band. – Rock, blues, originals.
Monday, June 10: Carol Bryant Trio w/Dick Ward. – Americana and jazz.
Wednesday, June 12: Liverpool Community Chorus. – Show tunes.
Monday, June 17: Neverly Brothers Band. – Oldies.
Wednesday, June 19: Letizia and The Z Band. – Classic rock and disco.
Monday, June 24: The Dirty River Dixie Band. – New Orleans jazz from Texas.
Wednesday, June 26: Ménage A Soul. – Classic rock and oldies.
Monday, July 1: Liverpool Community Concert Band. – Patriotic tunes.
Wednesday, July 3: The Other Guise. – Oldies.
Monday, July 8: Count Blastula. – Rock originals.
Wednesday, July 10: BeatleCuse All-Star Revue. – Beatles tribute.
Monday, July 15: Stock Market Swing Orchestra. – Jazz standards.
Wednesday, July 17: TrumpTight315. – Soul/R&B.
Monday, July 22: The Ron Spencer Band. Blues-rock.
Wednesday, July 24: Mid-Life Crisis. Classic rock.
Monday, July 29: Tarzan Brothers. – Roots rock.
Wednesday, July 31: Second Line Syracuse. Brass band.
Monday, Aug. 5: Studio Two. Beatles tribute.
Wednesday, Aug. 7: Mark Doyle and The Maniacs. – Blues rock.
Monday, Aug. 12: Marc Berger and Ride. – Country rock.
Wednesday, Aug. 14: Dave Novak’s Party Nuts. – Rock ’n’ roll.
Monday, Aug. 19: Mario DeSantis Orchestra. – Variety.
Wednesday, Aug. 21: Two Feet Short. – Folk and oldies.
Annual John Denver Memorial Food Drive.
