The first day of summer is still a month away, but it’s time to dive into big, outdoor concerts because there are a ton scheduled, starting this weekend.

Country singer Parker McCollum kicks things off on Saturday at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in Bangor.

From newer bands to acts that date back decades, this year’s outdoor summer concert season has something for everyone, and the shows don’t let up until after Labor Day.

Here are 15 of the summer’s biggest outdoor shows.

Aeriel view of the Snow Pond Center for the Arts amphitheater in Sidney. Photo by Izzy Bouchard

Jo Dee Messina
June 6. Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Sidney, $40 general admission lawn, $60 general admission pit. snowpond.org
Country singer Jo Dee Messina struck gold with her debut 1996 song “Heads Carolina, Tails California” from her self-titled release. Four albums have followed along with five EPs, and Messina has racked up nine No. 1 singles including “Bye, Bye” and “Stand Beside Me.” She’ll be the first outdoor act of the season at the Snow Pond Center for the Arts.

Hootie & The Blowfish
June 14. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $56.25 to $211.95. waterfrontconcerts.com
Thirty years ago, Hootie & The Blowfish released its debut album “Cracked Rear View” with hits like “Hold My Hand,” “Let Her Cry” and “Only Wanna Be With You.” The album is a ’90s pop culture zeitgeist and won the band Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Let Her Cry.” You can expect to hear all the hits along with tunes from the rest of the rock band’s catalog. Collective Soul and Edwin McCain, who also rose to fame in the ’90s, open the show.

See jam band Goose at Thompson’s Point on June 25 & 26. Photo by Daniel Prakopcyk

Goose
June 25 & 26. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $59.95 in advance, $70 day of show, $119.50 two-day pass, $184.95 VIP, free for kids 3 and under. statetheatreportland.com
Goose is a Connecticut-based rock and jam quintet that formed a decade ago and released its first album in 2016. The band has risen quickly up the ranks and has played venues like the Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Goose’s latest album, released in February, is a three-hour live improv compilation called “Ted Tapes.” With two nights of shows at Thompson’s Point, fans can expect some epic, wandering jams.

James Taylor & His All-Star Band
June 30. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $62.25 to $228. waterfrontconcerts.com
Singer-songwriter James Taylor has countless iconic songs, and his first hit was from the 1970 album “Sweet Baby James.” “Fire and Rain,” about the death of a childhood friend of Taylor, reached the No. 3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and still elicits an emotional response from audiences when he performs it live. With six Grammy awards, 19 albums and 38 charted singles, we’ve all got a friend in Taylor.

Patty Griffin Photo by Michael Wilson

Patty Griffin
July 17. Wilcox Main Stage at Prescott Park, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, $15. prescottpark.org
Singer-songwriter Patty Griffin is a longtime resident of Austin, Texas, who was born and raised in Old Town, Maine. With 11 albums and a pair of Grammy Awards, Griffin continues to be a highly respected artist on the strength of songs like “Let Him Fly,” “One Big Love,” “Rain” and “Heavenly Day.”

The British Invasion
July 20. Narrow Gauge Amphitheater, Farmington, $30. whistlestopconcertseries.com
Here’s a chance to hear two Maine bands pay homage to two of the biggest British musical acts in one night. Based in Augusta, Yellow Brick Road – A Tribute to Elton John, fronted by singer and pianist Gerald Brann, will be playing all of the British pop star’s biggest hits. The spirit of Freddie Mercury will be present with Portland’s The Masterstroke Queen Experience, fronted by Sean Slaughter.

Hozier performing in Amsterdam, Nov. 28, 2023. Ben Houdijk/Shutterstock.com

Advertisement

Hozier
July 24. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $55.95 to $122. waterfrontconcerts.com
Irish singer-songwriter Hozier (Andrew John Hozier-Byrne) released his debut single in 2013. “Take Me to Church,” with more then 2.5 billion streams on Spotify, appeared on the U.S. Billboard charts seven times, including at No. 1 on the Adult Top 40 and Hot Rock & Alternative Song categories. Hozier has released three albums and is currently touring “Unreal Earth,” released last year.

The Flaming Lips
July 25. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $49.50 in advance, $59.50 day of show. statetheatreportland.com
The Flaming Lips is an alternative and psychedelic rock band that formed in 1983 and has a cult following. Fronted by Wayne Coyne, the band has an astounding 22-album discography. Alternative rock fans might remember the 1993 single “She Don’t Use Jelly” as well as popular tracks “Do You Realize,” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Vol. Pt.”

Elle King
July 28. Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Sidney, $39.50 general admission in advance, $45 day of show, $89.50 VIP in advance, $95 day of show. snowpond.org
Blues and country-infused singer-songwriter Elle King collided with Billboard charts in a huge way in 2014 with the track “Ex’s & Oh’s.” Since then, King has released the albums “Shake the Spirit” and “Come Get Your Wife.” The latter peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard  U.S. Top Country Albums chart. King’s latest single, released in April, is the country call and response rocker “Baby Daddy’s Weekend.”

Rock band Styx. Left to right: Todd Sucherman, Will Evankovich, Lawrence Gowan, James “JY” Young, Terry Gowan, Tommy Shaw and Chuck Panozzo. Photo courtesy of the artist

Foreigner and Styx
Aug. 3. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $44.10 to $399.95. waterfrontconcerts.com
You can’t talk about music from the ’80s without mentioning the bands Foreigner and Styx. The tour is called Renegade & Juke Box Heroes, and the opener is John Waite who surely will be singing his 1984 hit “Missing You.” Some of Foreigner biggest hits are “Jukebox Hero,” Hot Blooded,” “Cold As Ice” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Styx is famous for “Come Sail Away,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Babe” and “Mr. Roboto,” among others.

The Smashing Pumpkins
Aug. 4. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $67.25 to $150.50. waterfrontconcerts.com
In 2000, alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins was given a key to the city from then Portland Mayor Nicholas Mavodones. Fans flocked to Bull Moose on Middle Street to get autographs. This time around, the band, fronted by Billy Corgan, will be in Bangor as part of its The World Is a Vampire tour. From albums like “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” and “Siamese Dream,” some of the band’s best-known songs are “1979,” “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and “Disarm.”

Guster. Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

Guster On The Ocean
Aug. 10 & 11. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $110 to $290, $20 kids. statetheatreportland.com
This is the sixth time alternative rock band Guster, featuring Mainer Adam Gardner, has presented its multi-day Guster On The Ocean shows. It starts on Aug. 9 at the State Theatre then heads to Thompson’s Point for two days of music. Every year, Guster invites other bands to be part of the weekend, and this year’s lineup features Grace Potter, Kevin Morby, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Dip, Trousdale, Sunny War and The Wolff Sisters.

Lake Street Dive. Photo by Shervin Lainez

Lake Street Dive
Aug. 17 & 18. Thompson’s Point, Portland, $55 in advance, $65 day of show, $104 two day pass, $180 VIP, free for kids 3 and under. statetheatreportland.com
Pop/soul group Lake Street Dive celebrates its 20th anniversary with a pair of shows at Thompson’s Point. Fronted by vocalist Rachael Price, Lake Street Dive has played in Portland many times through the years including a few shows at One Longfellow Square in the early 2010s. The concerts are always a fun and festive experience. On both nights,  fans will be treated to opening sets from singer and electrifying guitarist Celisse.

Emily Saliers (left) and Amy Ray of Indigo Girls. Photo by Jeremy Cowart

Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge
Aug. 18. Bowl in the Pines at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Sidney, $99.50 general admission in advance, $105 day of show, $99.50 VIP in advance, $105 day of show. snowpond.org
For the first time in both of their long careers, Indigo Girls (the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers) and Melissa Etheridge are touring together. Indigo Girls’ debut album “Strange Fire” was released in 1987 and Etheridge followed a year later with hers. The Etheridge album went Platinum and a few years later she won a pair of Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance. In 1989, Indigo Girls won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album for their second album featuring the duo’s signature song “Closer to Fine.” Both acts have released numerous albums and have loyal followings.

Bret Michaels
Sept. 1. Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, $56.15 to $334.90. waterfrontconcerts.com
It’s back to the ’80s and ’90s for Parti-Gras starring Bret Michaels from the rock and glam metal band Poison on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Warrant, Firehouse and Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) will also be slinging the hits during a night of music that starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends when the last bit of hairspray has been used up. It ain’t nothin’ but a good time in Bangor, even if every rose has its thorn.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Next »

Related Stories

Advertisement

Harpswell, Brunswick, Freeport, Kennebunkport, Belfast, St. George, Bath, and now Phippsburg. These are the towns where Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering sustainable fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and supporting Maine’s fishing businesses, has co-hosted panels to discuss the variety of issues facing Maine’s working waterfronts.

The next in the series, titled “Hidden Working Waterfronts,” will be held in Phippsburg from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on May 23 at the Maine Oyster Company’s basecamp. This will be a discussion of the small working waterfronts that often go unnoticed along the coast of Maine, particularly those in Phippsburg and Georgetown, and their significance to the waterfront economy and heritage of this area.

Panelists will include those involved in shellfish harvesting, oyster farming, commercial fishing and management of coastal resources. It will be moderated by MCFA Director of Community Programs Monique Coombs, with space for questions and discussion from participants. The event is free, but registration is required. Maine Oyster Company will also have lobster lunch boxes and oysters for sale on site. More information as well as registration is available at maine-coast-fishermens-association.networkforgood.com/events/71734-hidden-working-waterfronts-a-working-waterfront-conversation.

This panel follows on the heels of another panel recently held in Bath to address the impacts of this winter’s storms on the coast of Maine. Held at the Maine Maritime Museum on April 3, that panel discussed the future of maritime industry and the challenges that lay ahead in recovering and rebuilding the coast’s working waterfront infrastructure. Resources related to storm recovery as well as a synopsis of that panel as well as recordings and information about previous panels are available at mainecoastfishermen.org/working-waterfront.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Over time, Maine has affectionately earned the nickname “Vacationland,” a title that comes as no surprise to those who have made the trek to visit it. Beautiful shores, lush forests, shimmering lakes, and native wildlife abound, creating an atmosphere of untouched beauty. Charming little towns, steeped in history and brimming with stories passed down through generations, are tucked away within these natural wonders. As the weekend approaches, these towns come alive with a vibrant energy, beckoning travelers from far and wide who seek the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Swan’s Island

Swan’s Island is the ideal destination for a short weekend getaway. The 7,000-acre island is easily explorable within a couple of days. Stunning rocky coastlines and dense forests populate the island. The adventure begins during the journey to reach the island, which is accessible exclusively through the Maine State Ferry Service. Outdoor lovers can venture along the island’s 1.8-mile marked trails and explore its four public beaches, three of which require hiking for access.

Visitors can explore the island’s rich history at the Swan’s Island Lobster & Marine Museum, showcasing artifacts from its fishing industry past. The Swan’s Island Historical Society offers additional insight through various exhibits. Those wanting to disconnect can stay at the Harbor Watch Inn, one of the Island’s few hotels.

Boothbay Harbor

Those who love spending the day out on the water will love Boothbay Harbor. Many travelers take to sailing, fishing, kayaking, or paddleboarding, enjoying the sea breeze and scenic views of the rocky coastline. The picturesque views continue, with travelers having various waterfront restaurants to select from, including McSeagull’s and 727 Ocean Sunset Bar.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, featuring over 300 acres of gardens, is also a Boothbay favorite. Charming bed and breakfasts line the downtown area, making it easy to find a place to spend the night. Harbour Towne Inn, a waterfront inn surrounded by lush gardens, will enchant visitors with Boothbay’s relaxed spirit.

Castine

Despite its modest population of just over 900, Castine’s 400-year history, adorned with Greek and Federal Revival architecture, coupled with its enchanting harbor, promises an abundance of activities for a weekend escape. Castine does not shy away from recreational activities. Between sailing, kayaking, tennis, and golf, the town has a sport for everyone.

Visitors can also hike a short footpath around the Dyce Head Lighthouse, established in 1829. Shoppers can easily spend a Saturday afternoon strolling through Castine’s village of shops and galleries before stopping at a mouthwatering restaurant. Pentagoet Inn completes the Castine experience with its charming Queen Anne Victorian architecture. It also features a wine bar with delicious food and drinks!

Greenville

Nestled alongside Maine’s largest lake, Moosehead Lake, Greenville emerges as an ideal hub for fishing, boating, canoeing, and hiking enthusiasts. Positioned amidst this expansive 40-by-20-mile lake, intrepid travelers can embark on a hike up Mount Kineo, a towering 763-foot cliff, to relish breathtaking 360-degree vistas from its summit. Lily Bay State Park, nestled on the shores of Moosehead Lake, offers ample room for swimming and boasts a sandy beach perfect for sun-seekers.

Wishing for a memorable excursion? Book a Moose Safari on Moosehead Lake to encounter majestic moose in their natural habitat. The Greenville Inn is an excellent place to stay. It showcases the town’s history through photographs and paintings splayed on the walls, accompanied by a well-preserved historic interior.

Rockland

Rockland has a plethora of activities, from summer festivals to island explorations and water sports. Every July, the renowned North Atlantic Blues Festival attracts visitors worldwide, showcasing acclaimed jazz performers like Jr. Wells and Koko Taylor alongside delectable seafood, embodying the essence of the Atlantic Coast. While most beaches in Rockland host rocky shores, Barrett’s Cove on Megunticook Lake provides a rare sandy oasis for sunbathing and swimming without the usual crowds, even during peak summer.

For a sophisticated dining experience to cap off the day, 18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill stands out with its upscale ambiance and locally sourced seafood delicacies, ensuring a memorable culinary journey. Nestled in Rockland’s quaint historic district, the LimeRock Inn is a Victorian mansion converted into a cozy bed and breakfast that is a great lodging option for a short getaway.

Harpswell

Harpswell stands out as a truly distinctive town, on Harpswell Neck, a cluster of sizable islands interconnected by bridges. The best way to become quickly familiar with Harpswell is by embarking on a kayak tour. Those who have always wanted to sail but have never known where to begin are in luck. Orr’s Bailey Yacht Club provides beginner sailing sessions that will take its students through racers to practice. Back on solid ground, Harpswell has lots of history to share. The colonial era Old Meeting House is a fascinating landmark, dating back to the 1750s and used by generations to host church services.

Additionally, a historic colonial burial ground lies just behind it. For hikers, Cliff Trail is a true gem. The rugged, 2.3-mile trail features stunning views overlooking 150-foot cliffs. Heading back into town for the night, The Harpswell Inn, dating back to the 1700s, offers a comfortable retreat at the waterfront.

Rumford

Fishers and hikers flock to Rumford in the summer months due to its scenic and relaxing surroundings. Androscoggin River becomes a haven as the weather warms, with locals and tourists participating in fishing, boating, and paddling. Those up for a challenge can hike up Rumford’s Whitecap Mountain, which has two trails that lead to panoramic views of the forests and hills below. Back in town, Rumford offers an array of antique, collectible, and thrift shops, making it easy to find a unique souvenir. The J. Eugene Boivin Park along the river is a great place to wrap up an afternoon before heading to your lodging. Hotel Rumford is a classic; a cozy stay right on the river.

Although travelers could easily spend beyond a month exploring Maine’s treasures, a weekend trip provides a fantastic taste of what this state has to offer. From coastal paradises like Boothbay Harbor to serene island escapes like Swan’s Island, each destination represents a unique side of Maine’s rugged culture. As you prepare your weekend itinerary for some much-needed time away, do not shy away from these memorable destinations in Vacationland.