Some of the best things in life are free in Montgomery County, where summer concert series are underway. Pack a picnic or patronize nearby restaurants or onsite food vendors and settle in on a blanket, a lawn chair, the sidewalk or the grass. Feel free to sing or dance along, and enjoy – amid neighbors and friends — beautiful music of all genres in the open air. In the (hopefully) rare case of rain, concerts may be canceled or rescheduled.
The Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center in Silver Spring, which opened in October, is the site of a brand-new second-Saturday-of-the-month concert series produced by a partnership between Montgomery County Recreation and Strathmore as part of the Bloom initiative that creates and supports programs beyond the North Bethesda-based arts center’s campus.
The April and May concerts, held indoors, “were a great success,” attended by more than 60 people, ranging in age from 4 to 80,” said Strathmore’s Education Manager Oyin Ogungbemile. Singer-songwriter Chris Urquiaga, she said, “had the audience on their feet and stomping to salsa rhythms, and taught them a little bit about the Portuguese language and history of the culture of Brazil.” And classical guitarist Piotr Pakhomkin “played songs by Cuban classical guitarists, and even invited virtuoso kora and djembe player (and former Strathmore Artist in Residence) Amadou Kouyate to join him on stage.”
“The artists received such an enthusiastic response,” Ogungbemile said. “Audience reviews span from ‘best concert I’ve seen in my community’ to ‘we are so glad that you all are making our rec center entertaining and arts-oriented. We know that audience members are particularly excited for the outdoor concerts beginning June 8, so I can’t wait to see how this series grows.”
The remaining three concerts, “are sure to be a hit,” she added. “Patrons who attended the first two concerts have already marked their calendars and many have personally told me they’ll be inviting friends and family.”
Here’s a listing of the free outdoor concerts planned for this summer all around the town.
Bethesda
Strathmore www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/free-summer-outdoor-concerts
Front Country
Adam Roszkiewicz, Jeremy Darrow, Melody Walker, Jacob Groopman and Leif Karlstrom make up the modern bluegrass band Front Country
Live From the Lawn Front Country Band of Us Joe Falero Band Miss Tess & The Talkbacks The Josanne Francis Septet Rare Essence UkeFest Finale Aaron Abernathy
Bethesda Urban Partnership www.bethesda.org/bethesda/summer-concert-series
Oasis Island Sounds
Oasis Island Sounds
Summer Concert Series (Rock/Country) May 23 – Moxie Blues Band (Blues/Rock) May 30 – 19th Street Band (Folk) June 6 – Oasis Island Sounds (Reggae) June 13 – Hall Williams Band (Funk)
Gaithersburg
City of Gaithersburg www.gaithersburgmd.gov/about-us/city-facilities/concert-pavilion
Thursday Morning Kids Concerts (10:30 AM) (Magic & Humor) (Dance) (Latin American) (Human Beat Box) (Magician) (African Story Telling)
Thursday Evenings in Olde Towne (6 – 7:30 PM)Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes (Blues, Soul) The Talbott Brothers (Folk, Rock) June 20 – The Hula Monsters (Hawaiian Swing) Janeliasoul (World Music Fusion) July 11 – Orquesta Nfuzion (Latin) July 25 – East of Monroe (Bluegrass, Americana) Sept. 5 – Iona Celtic Band (Celtic) Ruthie & the Wranglers (Rockin’ American Roots) The Fishermen Band (Folk, Rock, Reggae) Rhodes Tavern Troubadours (Rock, Pop)
Rio Washingtonian Center
Friday Free Concerts (Elvis Tribute) (Oldies) (Motown, Rock & Pop) (Rock, Pop & Motown) (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop) (Jimmy Buffet Style) (R&B, Funk, Pop) (Oldies) (Pop, R&B, Rock) (Reggae) (Paul McCartney Tribute) (Latin) (Rock, Pop, Motown) (Pop, Rock, Motown) (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop)
Saturday Free Concerts (Motown, Rock, Pop) Motown) (Rockabilly, Oldies) (Pop, Rock, Motown) (Santana Tribute, Latin) (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop) (Country Rock) (Motown, Rock, Pop) (Latin) (Classic Rock, Pop) (R&B, Motown) (Classic Rock, Motown) (Country Rock) (Oldies) (1980s)
Germantown
BlackRock Center for the Arts www.blackrockcenter.org
Summer Concert Series Mama’s Black Sheep (Country, Pop, Soul, Blues) Marv Ashby & High Octane (Bluegrass, Country, Americana) The VI-Kings (1960s Soundtrack of Your Life) David Cole & Man Street Blues (Blues) BlackRock Woodstock , 2 PM
[/media-credit] BlackRock celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock with an all-afternoon festival. Glen Echo
Glen Echo Partnership for Arts & Culture https://glenechopark.org/summerconcerts ,
[/media-credit] US Marine Band Free Country Thursday Summer Concerts
June 6 – Flower Hill String Band(Cajun, Zydeco)
Rockville
Rockville Town Square select http://rockvilletownsquare.com/events/friday-night-live/
The Crawdaddies will perform July 2 at Brookside Gardens and July 19 at Rockville Town Square.
Friday Night Live Summer Concert Series Dublin 5 (Celtic Rock) Dan Haas (Pop, Variety) Unity Reggae Band (Reggae) Billy Coulter Band (Americana) Mambo Combo (Latin, Salsa) Scott Kurt & Memphis 59 (Country) The Crawdaddies (Roots, Zydeco) Hustle Souls (Indie Pop) The Natty Beaux (Swing) The Players Band (Ska, Reggae) Guys in Thin Ties (’80s Tribute) Matt Hutchison & the Big Gin (Pop, Rock)Moonshine Society (Blues, Roots, Soul) Will Hill (Reggae, Rock, Soul) Baltimore Rockabilly (Rockabilly) Justin Trawick & the Common Good (Bluegrass, Americana) Mambo Combo (Latin, Salsa)
Silver Spring
Bloom by Strathmore www.strathmore.org/bloom/programs/urquiagagoodhope/16437
[/media-credit] Chris Urquiaga played indoors at the new Good Hope Recreation Center. The remainder of the concerts will be held outdoors. Free Concert Series (contemporary jazz vocalist) (composer-cellist) (steel pan)
Downtown Silver Spring Silver Spring Civic Building , Veterans Plaza, www.silverspringdowntown.com/summer-concert-series
All ages, family friendly fun!
All ages, family friendly fun!
Thursday Night Summer Concert Series (Classic Rock) (Country, Classic Rock, Big Band, Rockabilly) (Rock, Classic Rock, Blues, Motown, Boogie Woogie, Country) (American Roots) (Countywide talent competition for middle & high school students ) (Boogie, R&B, Soul) (Party, Motown Soul)
Wheaton
Brookside Gardens www.montgomeryparks.org/events/summer-twilight-concert-series-10/ Summer Twilight Concert Series (Spanish Flamenco, Latin Pop) (African World Beat) (Cajun, Zydeco, Roots Rock)
