Gather on the lawn at Fruitlands Museum for a picnic concert with stunning sunset views. Bring your blanket, lawn chairs and picnic basket. There is plenty of room on the concert lawn to spread out and get comfortable. Please click each concert for more information.
The Concord Band (Wednesdays, June 28 – July 26)
We are thrilled to welcome back the Concord Band, a group of 65 musicians from 40 area towns who have been performing since 1959. The Concord Band will treat concert-goers to a fun roster of timeless music, including pieces memorializing historic events, show tunes, holiday favorites and more.
Chicken Slacks Funky Summer Dance Party (Thursday, July 13)
Get ready to be “twistin’ the night away.” Dubbed “Boston’s Hardest Working Classic Soul, Funk, and R&B Band” by Jed Gottlieb of the Boston Herald, the Chicken Slacks are set to bring the horns and the heat for a Funky Summer Dance Party.
The band consist of 7-members and repertoire spans hits and uncovered gems from Classic Soul and R&B labels such as Motown of the late-50s to the early-70s. Other influences include STAX, Tamla, Atlantic, Volt, Capitol, Chess, Rounder, and Soul records to name just a few.
Session Americana (Thursday, July 20)
Session Americana (Boston) is a rock band in a tea cup, or possibly a folk band in a whiskey bottle. This band/collective of talented musicians craft an musical experience unlike any other. On stage is a collapsible bar table wired with microphones, a vintage suitcase recast as a kick drum, an old Estey field organ, a pre-war parlor guitar, a mandocello and all of its smaller siblings, a harmonica case fire damaged when Jack’s bar went up in flames and graffitied by Depeche Mode roadies, and an assortment of other instruments that get passed around in this freewheeling modern hootenanny.
The Love Dogs (Thursday, July 27)
Based out of Boston, this hard-blowing septet recently celebrated its twentieth year wowing audiences and critics alike with their combination of great musicianship and pure fun. The Love Dogs combine elements of jump blues, New Orleans R&B and early rock and roll into their powerhouse sound. We dare you to listen without getting up to swing your hips or tap your feet!
Duppy Conquerors (Thursday, August 3)
The quintessential Bob Marley tribute band – the Duppy Conquerors – are a rich collection of high-caliber musicians playing in tribute to the music of Bob Marley. Nominated for a Boston Music Award, this 9-piece ensemble of veteran musicians embodies a soulful authenticity that honors the artist and his timeless collection. With nearly 80% of Marley’s repertoire under their belts, the Duppy Conquerors are equipped to provide hours of entertainment and positive vibrations.
Deb Talan, Kris Delmhorst, and Heather Maloney (Thursday, August 10)
For one night only, three legendary songwriters will share the same stage for an incredible night of music at Fruitlands Museum. Deb Talan (formerly of the Weepies), Kris Delmhorst, and Heather Maloney will share some of their incredible catalogues of songs.
Heather Maloney will be teaching a songwriting workshop that afternoon prior to the show.
An Evening with Kyshona (Sunday, August 13)
Kyshona is an artist ignited by untold stories, and the capacity of those stories to thread connection in every community. With the background of a licensed music therapist, the curiosity of a writer, the patience of a friend, the vision of a social entrepreneur, the resolve of an activist, and the voice of a singer – Kyshona is unrelenting in her pursuit for the healing power of song.
Different from our Summer Picnic concerts, this concert will take place in Fruitlands open air event tent with seating provided.
American Idol Winner, Maddie Poppe (Thursday, August 17)
Unless you’ve experienced it firsthand, there’s no way to understand just how dramatically instant fame can mess with your head. In winning American Idol in 2018, Maddie Poppe experienced all types of emotions — from elation to self-doubt.
In these last four years, Maddie has grown tremendously, as both a person and an artist. The Iowa native has evolved from folksy singer-songwriter into a multi-faceted powerhouse artist and musician. Maddie, now 25, can still very much bowl over a crowd with only her honeyed voice and acoustic guitar. But she’s upped her game by tapping into a modern sound that blends R&B, pop, and Americana, and by committing herself to writing her own songs.
Hotel California (Thursday, August 24)
For over three decades now HOTEL CALIFORNIA have been recreating the legendary sound of THE EAGLES, and thrilling audiences all over the world.
What makes HOTEL CALIFORNIA so special? Well, incredible lead vocal similarity, intensely accurate instrumental work, soaring harmonies, and top flight live performances, just for starters. These are the band’s hallmarks, and the foundation on which their reputation has been built. With over a century of collective professional experience in the band today, they’re still going stronger than ever!
Fall Concert Series
In September and October, join us under the Fruitlands event tent for a series of intimate concerts with incredible artists.
Please note, these seated concerts have a limited capacity and pre-registration is required.
Taylor Ashton (Thursday, September 7)
Taylor Ashton is a Canadian singer and songwriter living in Brooklyn. His music takes influence from the cosmic emotionality of Joni Mitchell, the sage vulnerability of Bill Withers, the humour and heartbreak of Randy Newman, and old-time and Celtic folk music. Alternately accompanying himself on clawhammer banjo and electric guitar, Taylor croons poignantly clever lyrical insights while effortlessly gliding between a Bill Callahan-esque baritone to a Thom Yorke-like falsetto.
Antje Duvekot (Sunday, September 10)
On Sunday, September 10th we are thrilled to host a special concert event: the Album Release show for Antje Duvekot, celebrating the arrival of her newest album, “New Wild West.”
Mary Gauthier (Thursday, September 14)
Her eleventh album, Dark Enough to See the Stars, follows the profound antidote to trauma, Rifles & Rosary Beads. It garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album, as well as a nomination for Album of the Year by the Americana Music Association.
Mary’s songs have been recorded by dozens of artists, including Jimmy Buffett, Dolly Parton, Boy George, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Bettye Lavette, Mike Farris, Kathy Mattea, Bobby Bare, Amy Helm and Candi Staton and have appeared extensively in Film and Television, most recently on HBO TV’s Yellowstone.
Mary Gauthier will be teaching a two-day songwriting workshop.
John Gorka (Thursday, September 21)
“…the leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement” – Rolling Stone
From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter. His stunningly soulful baritone voice and original songwriting has turning heads for decades. Those who had at one time inspired him – Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin – had become his peers.
BLKBOK (Thursday, September 28)
Born and raised in Detroit’s inner-city, BLKBOK (born Charles Wilson III), grew up in a music-filled house and by the time he was 8, BLKBOK was an acclaimed piano prodigy, winning statewide accolades and college-level competitions. When it came to music, most of the kids he grew up with pursued hip-hop, adopting rap names.
BLKBOK’s live, high-energy performance is culturally reflective and seeks to entertain with a live piano based performance like none you have ever seen before. BLKBOK’s vision is to illuminate awareness for all, encouraging dialogue and counterpoint in the way we perceive ourselves and the world we live in together.
Susan Werner (Thursday, October 5 – two performances 5:30PM and 7:30PM)
Over the course of her twenty-five-year career, Susan Werner has earned a reputation as “one of the most innovative songwriters working today” (Chicago Tribune). With formidable chops on guitar (she began playing at age 5) and piano (she was a guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz), along with a graduate degree in voice performance, her shows are a one-woman master class in musicianship.
Chris Trapper (Thursday, October 12)
Chris entered a studio near his home in Boston, MA to record his new album “Cold Water Waltz”.
“Recording an album in normal times is an interesting experience, so imagine creating new music during a global pandemic. Although I worked intensely with the producers (Brad Young and Jason Meeker) in their respective studios, I could rest assured because as most musicians know; audio engineers social distanced before it was trending.”
The album is a mostly stripped-down affair, with the focus squarely on Trapper’s achingly honest lyrics, honeyed tenor and delicate fingerpicking. The record features Boston legends Duke Levine (Aimee Man, Peter Wolf) & Jim Prescott (G Love & Special Sauce) as well as Matt Beck (Matchbox Twenty, Rod Stewart) & even a co-write with Rob Thomas.
Vance Gilbert (Thursday, October 19)
Willy Porter (Thursday, October 26)
Willy Porter continues on a musical and personal odyssey spanning over two decades, 11 albums, and multiple continents. His journey has been defined by an inquisitive love for humanity and the language that describes what we all hold to be true. Porter’s songs weave a universal perspective about the questions, struggles, and triumphs of human existence. His live shows are guitar-driven grit, soul, silence and muscle– at times electrifying, dynamic, and unique in the way that Porter’s voice blends and fuses with his fret work.
