History, charm and live music

Is there anything better to bring a community together than enjoying live music, outdoors, on a summer evening? Downtown Chester lives up to its tradition of live music this summer with the Chester Concert Series on Tuesday nights.

Beginning Tuesday, June 14th at 7 p.m., the Village of Chester will present its Chester NY Concert Series, at Larkin’s Green, the field behind the Village Police Station. The schedule includes a diverse line-up of regional favorites and tribute bands, a national act and an all-day festival.

The concert series is run by Village Trustees Brian Boone and Alan Battiato. According to Boone they believe the series will bring more visibility to downtown Chester, pointing out the short walk from dinner, pizza, and ice cream.

The concert series kicks off June 14th with party band Hudson Blue, followed by Hillbilly Parade (6/21), Some Guys and A Broad (6/28), Rebel Souls: The Bad Company Tribute (7/5), Jungle Love (7/12), Back to the Garden (7/19), and Loose Wheel Band (7/26).

Bill Perry Day will be Saturday, July 30th, starting at noon. The all-day festival will showcase multiple bands playing in tribute to late blues guitarist Bill Perry. The annual event, started in 2008 by Rachel Bertoni in Sugar Loaf, honors the life and musical legacy of the beloved Chester native. Bertoni started a music scholarship in Perry’s name, presenting it to the recipient annually during the festival. Some of the musicians scheduled are the Dan Brother Band, the Barrel House Blues Band, and John Reddan, with the finale featuring a band of Bill Perry alumni.

August brings River of Dreams: A Tribute to Billy Joel (8/2), horn-energized Sass & Brass (8/9), Georgia 5 (8/16), Hurley Mountain Highway (8/23), and Damn the Torpedos, a Tom Petty tribute on August 30th.

In a special performance, the multi-platinum John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band will rock the stage on Saturday, August 20th. John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band are best known for their number one hit “On the Dark Side” from the 1980s film Eddie & the Cruisers.

The Chester NY Concert Series is free to the public. People may bring lawn chairs. There will be concessions of snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine.