Summer in Maine is such a precious commodity, most of us want to spend as much time outside as we can.
Thankfully for music fans, they’ll have more opportunities to attend concerts outdoors this summer than at any time in recent memory.
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The lineup includes the return of the L.L. Bean summer concert series in Freeport, shows by Toby Keith and at least eight other major acts at the relatively new Bangor Waterfront Pavilion, and two new concert series planned for Portland’s waterfront – at the Maine State Pier and the Ocean Gateway marine terminal.
Plus, Brad Paisley will be headlining the new Seacoast Country Music Festival at the Scarborough Downs racetrack on July 17.
Even with the absence of the Nateva Music Festival in Oxford – the promoter pulled the plug on the event after only one year earlier this month – it’s going to be the busiest summer for outdoor concerts in Maine in quite some time.
“It’s been tricky in the past – everyone knows that Portland is prime for outdoor concerts since we have such amazing weather and a beautiful city, but it’s been tricky to make things work with limited open space on the peninsula,” said Lauren Wayne, general manager of the State Theatre, which is putting on the Ocean Gateway series.
“But now that we are looking to develop Concerts on the Waterfront at Ocean Gateway as a new outside site, we’ll be able to grab some of those larger acts for outdoor plays here.”
The L.L. Bean schedule has been a little lighter the last two years compared to prior years, but still includes some major performers: singer-songwriter Amos Lee on July 30; two-thirds of The Dixie Chicks on July 16; Rickie Lee Jones on Aug. 13; and America on Sept. 3.
While the L.L. Bean series is free, for most of the big shows, you’ll have to buy a ticket. So even though there will likely be more summer concerts scheduled, now is a good time to start planning for the shows that have already been announced.
And keep a close eye on our weekly Got Tix feature in GO for news of upcoming shows. It’s the most comprehensive local media source for up-to-date concert listings for not only Maine, but for New Hampshire and Massachusetts as well.
Here’s a look at some of the big outdoor summer shows around Maine that have been announced so far:
• “SUMMER IN THE PARK” AT DISCOVERY PARK, L.L. Bean, 95 Main St., Freeport. Llbean.com/events; (877) 755·2326. All shows start at 7:30 p.m.
L.L. BEAN’S POPULAR SERIES of free concerts returns, and follows last year’s lineup by offering mostly low-key acts. You’ll need to bring your own lawn chair or blanket, but be aware that last year L.L. Bean restricted the placement of chairs and blankets to a day before the event.
JULY 2: Ryan Shaw
JULY 4: Red Horse
JULY 16: Court Yard Hounds featuring Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of The Dixie Chicks
JULY 30: Amos Lee
AUG. 13: Rickie Lee Jones
SEPT. 3: America
• BANGOR WATERFRONT PAVILION, 1 Railroad St., Bangor. Waterfrontconcerts.com; 783-2009, Ext. 208.
AT LEAST TWO other shows in addition to those below are confirmed for the Bangor Waterfront Pavilion, according to the venue’s operator, and details will be announced within the next month or so. The series was launched last year at an outdoor riverfront venue with portable seating for 8,000.
MAY 26: Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs, 7 p.m. $31.50 to $51.50
JUNE 4: Beatles Tribute with The Bangor Symphony Orchestra, 7 p.m. $28.50 to $52.50
JULY 9: Toby Keith with Eric Church, 5 p.m. $22.50 to $129.50
JULY 23: Melissa Etheridge, 7:30 p.m. $41.50 to $71.50.
SEPT. 5: Lady Antebellum, 7 p.m. $37.75 to $61.75
• KAHBANG’S MUSIC ON THE STATE PIER, Maine State Pier, Commercial St., Portland. kahbang.com
THE ORGANIZERS of Bangor’s annual KahBang Music, Art and Film Festival announced April 12 that they’d be starting a summer concert series at the Maine State Pier, with a possibility of six or more shows from early June into September.
THE GROUP has to get approval for each show from the Portland City Council, and so far the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame funk group George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic is the only approved show. But they will be bringing two more shows to the City Council on Monday. The pier holds about 3,000 for concerts.
MEANWHILE, the Kahbang Music, Art and Film Festival will return to Bangor Aug. 5-13.
JUNE 4: George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. Time and ticket prices have not yet been announced.
• CONCERTS ON THE WATERFRONT AT OCEAN GATEWAY, 14 Ocean Gateway Pier, Portland. Statetheatreportland.com; (800) 745-3000
THE STATE THEATRE’S general manager, Lauren Wayne, announced this series last week and called the venue – in the parking lanes at the Ocean Gateway marine terminal – “an exciting new outdoor space” for music. She said the State Theatre will likely put on at least one more show at the venue this summer.
MEANWHILE, THE STATE, which reopened with much fanfare in 2010 after being shuttered for years, will continue to bring big names to its indoor venue on Congress Street. This summer’s schedule includes The Avett Brothers, Elvis Costello, Chris Isaak, The John Butler Trio and more, and the venue announces more acts on a weekly basis.
AUG. 6: Guster with Ra Ra Riot, 7 p.m. $32 in advance; $35 day of show; free for children under age 2.
• SEACOAST COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Scarborough Downs, 90 Payne Road, Scarborough. SpeedyTix.com; (888) 333-3101
SCARBOROUGH DOWNS will be closed for racing when a new music festival starring one of country music’s hottest stars takes over. The parking lot and doors open at 3 p.m.
JULY 17: Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann, 7 p.m. $55 to $125.
Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:
rrouthier@pressherald.com
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