During the height of the pandemic, touring musicians were forced into hibernation and live performances were few and far between. The summer of 2022 at Boothbay Harbor’s Opera House is now brimming with dozens of nationally touring acts scheduled to come to this historic stage over the coming month, including the upcoming July 7 concert featuring folk icon Tom Rush alongside singer-songwriter Matt Nakoa, and on Friday, July 8, a concert by the Kruger Brothers trio.

Tom Rush Medora Hebert photo

Celebrating five decades of touring, Tom Rush has been performing longer than many of his fans have been alive. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s, the folk-rock movement of the ’70s, and then the renaissance of folk in the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Garth Brooks have cited Rush as a major influence. His early recordings introduced the world to the work of Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor. Subsequently, his Club 47 concerts brought national attention to emerging artists such as Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin. He appears at the Opera House alongside singer-songwriter Matt Nakoa.

The Kruger Brothers Courtesy of Uwe Kruger

Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a very young age and they began their professional career in 1979. The Krugers’ first public performances were as a duo, and in just a few years they were busking on the streets of cities throughout eastern and western Europe. CBS Records contracted with Jens and Uwe when Jens was just 17 years old. Several years later, the brothers teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg, a native of New York City who also had a very extensive musical upbringing in classical and jazz music (studying with jazz great Milt Hinton), thus forming a trio that has been playing professionally together since 1995. Together, they established the incomparable sound that The Kruger Brothers are known for today. The trio moved to the United States in 2002 and is based in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, The Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. The honesty of their writing has since become a hallmark of the trio’s work.

Advance discounted tickets for each show are $30, regular tickets are $35. Advance tickets are only available through the box office at 86 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor, or by calling (207) 633-5159. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Online tickets are available at boothbayoperahouse.com. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening 30 minutes before the show.