Levitt AMP Utica Music Series returning to Kopernik Park. Here's who is coming this summer
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The Levitt AMP Utica Music Series returns to Kopernik Park in downtown Utica this summer for 10 weeks of free outdoor concerts in a family-friendly, nonalcoholic environment.
Concerts are from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday nights June 20 through Aug. 29 except for July 4. The diverse lineup of talent spans genres like pop, soul, country, R&B, hip hop and more. Each concert also features opening local and regional acts and youth intermission acts.
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The lineup includes:
June 20: The New Respects from Nashville. The Fitzgerald siblings - Darius and twins Zandy and Lexi - and their cousin Jasmine Mullen deliver funky, high energy, exuberant blues-rock. All members of the quartet are in their twenties, and concertgoers will hear hints from their inspirations, including Lenny Kravitz, Alabama Shakes, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones.
June 27: Roberta Lea from Virginia. With a voice like cinnamon and a pen like butter, Lea is a rising artist, ready to give the world a taste of her country music. Fellow artists have called her Hampton Roads’ best kept secret - it’s as though she’s a family recipe, kept hidden until now.
July 11: B2wins from Iowa. Walter and Wagner Caldas, 31-year-old identical twins better known as the Brazilian 2wins or “B2wins,” bring youthful exuberance and optimism to the stage with instrumental music ranging from pop to hip hop and iconic classics reimagined.
July 18: Argonaut & Wasp from Brooklyn. Obsessed with 1970s fashion, 1980s synths and 1990s culture, Argonaut & Wasp are a quirky amalgamation of indie vibes, alternative, edge, electro dance and funk grooves whose music has been described as the perfect soundtrack to NYC.
July 25: Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble from New Orleans. Hailing from the heart of Creole country in Louisiana, Taylor's soulful, bluesy vocals and the band’s hard driving beat blend to create their unique style of zydeco and blues that keeps audiences dancing.
Aug. 1: Bassel & the Supernaturals from Chicago. With Syrian heart and Chicago soul, Bassel & The Supernaturals tell the story of Bassel Almadani’s experience as a first generation Syrian-American using soulful melodies, funk-inspired rhythms and captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, and the war in Syria.
Aug. 8: The Big Takeover Band from the Hudson Valley. Fronted by the charismatic Jamaican-born singer and songwriter Nee Nee Rushie, the seven-piece New York band plays original music that is rooted in and reverent toward the genres and rhythms of Jamaican pop: reggae, rocksteady and ska.
Aug. 15: Miranda Writes from New York City. Writes is a hip hop artist known for her modern yet back-to-basic sound with strong lyrics and diversified beats. She throws down wicked wordplay, Caribbean beat, feel good vibes along with a raw, classic New York style.
Aug. 22: Ariel Posen from Winnepeg, Canada. Posen is one of the most exciting guitar players around with extended solos and a rootsy sound that nods to his influences - heartland rock 'n' roll, electrified Americana, blue-eyed soul, R&B and Beatles-inspired pop.
Aug. 29: Eh Shawnee from Providence, Rhode Island. Shawnee Taveras is a Dominican-American singer-songwriter who brings the heat to the stage with high energy Latin/salsa and a multi-faceted band that provides a layered sound that’s impossible not to dance to at their concerts.
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The public is invited to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs to the concerts. The series also will offer art activities for young concertgoers and food trucks will be onsite. Kopernik Park is at 317 Genesee St. at the corner of Eagle Street and Park Avenue near DeSales.
Concerts are sponsored in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation. The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties is a presenting sponsor for the sixth season of live concerts. Partners in the series include Rust 2 Green Utica, DeSales Center, the City of Utica and Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute.
Utica Monday Nite is the fiscal sponsor for the series. Premier season sponsors include Empire Recycling, the M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund, Bank of Utica and The Fountainhead Group.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Levitt AMP Utica Music Series returns with diverse lineup this summer
