The Chautauqua Institution announced its 150 season, and annual Summer Assembly events, running from June 24 to August 27.
The Chautauqua Institution will be putting on live performances ranging from lectures, orchestras, and concerts with new and old faces. Some lecturers include Stranger Things and The Goonies actor Sean Astin on June 30, NPR puzzle master Will Shortz on July 7, political commentator Bill Kristol on July 10, and Jordan’s Her Majesty Queen Noor on Aug. 25.
The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra will have 23 performances in weeks one through nine. The Music School Festival Orchestra will present five concerts in 2023 during its residency weeks one through six. The School of Dance will be in residence weeks one through seven, with performances inclusive of two student dance galas and the beloved Alumni All-Star Dance Gala. The Chautauqua Opera Company & Conservatory will produce a combined season featuring five productions. The 2023 theater and opera repertoire will be announced in January.
The Chautauqua Institution announced some exciting performers set to come to the Amphitheater. On June 30 at 8:15 p.m. a special performance by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons graces the stage. The group has sold over 100 million records worldwide, with Valli having a very successful solo career as well. July 7 at 8:15 p.m. brings Straight No Chaser to the stage, a group with 2 RIAA Gold Certified albums, over 1.5 million concert tickets sold, over 1 billion streams on Pandora, and over 2 million albums sold worldwide. Other artists performing include Natalie Merchant and Girl Named Tom, among others.
The Chautauqua Institution has an exciting lineup announced for the Summer Assembly programs. Gate passes and single event tickets, as well as parking and docks, will go on sale to the public on Jan. 17, with the season’s best prices from Jan. 17 through Feb. 20.
From August 10-13, the Whirlybird Music & Arts Festival will return to downtown Jamestown for four days of shows and entertainment. The event will include over 40 bands and artists, live painting, comedy, dancing, and more.
Funk band and western NY’s Smackdab will headline the festival, alongside Chicago-based Mungion. Other artists and acts include electronic funk rockers LITZ, indie artist Mikaela Davis, a Grateful Dead tribute by Workingman’s Dead, eberwine, and many more. The festival is full of talent from various artists across multiple genres, including funk, rock, jazz, R&B, soul, electronic, blues, and folk. Attendees will truly find something to enjoy throughout the four-day festival.
The Whirlybird Arts & Music Festival will take place at various venues across downtown Jamestown such as The Beer Snob, Jamestown Wine Cellar, Pearl City Hops, 4 Below, Labyrinth Press Co, Brazil, and Crown Street Roasting. Free pop-up solo performances by Buffalo indie pop singer Marina Laurendi, Adam McKillip, Kyle Gustafson, SON, and more will occur throughout the festival.
Other free shows for all ages will occur at the Winter Garden Plaza with performances from Miller & the Other Sinners, Porcelain Busdrivers, St Vith, and many more. The event will also include vendors, food, and a beer garden.
For tickets and more information, visit the Whirlybird Music & Arts Festival’s website. For the full schedule of events, see below.
Winter Garden Plaza
313 N Main Street | 21+ | No Cover
5:50 – 6:30 Leopard Geckos
6:35 – 6:55 Kallie Williams
7:00 – 8:00 Emily Strong
8:10 – 9:30 The Assembly
The Beer Snob
318 N Washington Street | 21+ | No Cover
8:00 – 10:00 Comedy Open Mic, hosted by Karate Sleepover
Jamestown Wine Cellar
309 N Main Street | 21+ | No Cover
9:30 – 10:00 Kallie Williams
10:00 – 12:00 Open Mic, hosted by Sara, the Greatest!
THURSDAY – August 11, 2022
Crown Street Roasting Co.
16 W 3rd Street | All Ages | No Cover | Starts at 11:00AM
11:00 – 1:00 Songs of Sixpence
Labyrinth Press Co.
12 E 4th Street | All Ages | No Cover
4:00 – 6:00 SON
Winter Garden Plaza
313 N Main Street | All Ages | No Cover
6:00 – 7:30 St Vith
7:30 – 8:00 Thee Ukaladz
8:00 – 9:30 Mikaela Davis
The Beer Snob
318 N Washington Street | 21+ | No Cover
9:30 – 10:15 Hot At Bats
10:25 – 11:45 Feverhawk
Jamestown Wine Cellar
309 N Main Street | 21+ | Weekend Pass or $5 at the Door
10:15 – 11:00 Cindy Love
11:00 – 1:00 Surprise Guise
FRIDAY – August 12, 2022
Crown Street Roasting Co.
16 W 3rd Street | All Ages | No Cover | Starts at 11:00AM
11:00 – 1:00 Kyle Gustafson
Brazil
12 E 4th Street | 21+ | No Cover
5:00 – 7:00 Gavin Paterniti
Pearl City Hops at DoubleTree, Jamestown
150 W 4th St | 21+ | No Cover
5:00 – 7:00 Mike Brunacini
Jamestown Cruise-In
N Main Street & 3rd | All Ages | No Cover
5:00 – 8:00 In Crowd, Presented by the Jamestown Cruise-In
The Beer Snob
318 N Washington Street | 21+ | Whirlybird Pass or $20 at the Door
8:30 – 10:00 eberwine
10:00 – 10:30 LTTL
10:30 – 12:00 LITZ
12:00 – 12:30 LTTL vs DJ Jim Blomquist
12:30 – 1:45 The Audience
Jamestown Wine Cellar
309 N Main Street | 21+ | Whirlybird Pass or $10 at the Door
5:00 – 8:00 Bill Ward (FREE)
8:00 – 9:30 Deep Fried & Dipped in Honey
10:00 – 11:30 Cold Lazarus
12:00 – 1:30 Orange Corner
4 Below Haggy’s Bar and Grill
104 E 2nd St | 21+ | No Cover
10:00 – 1:00 Ryan Buzzetto
SATURDAY – August 13, 2022
Jamestown Public Market
16 W 3rd Street | All Ages | No Cover | Starts at 10:00AM
10:00 – 10:45 Miranda Wilcox
11:00 – 2:00 Marina Laurendi
Labyrinth Press Co.
12 E 4th Street | All Ages | No Cover | Starts at 10:45AM
10:00 – 10:40 Chase Johnson
10:40 – 11:20 Adam Gould
11:20 – 12:00 Harmony Dillingham
Winter Garden Plaza
313 N Main Street | All Ages | No Cover
2:30 – 4:00 Miller & the Other Sinners
4:00 – 4:30 Harmony Dillingham
4:30 – 6:00 Workingman’s Dead
6:00 – 6:30 DJ Jim Blomquist
6:30 – 7:30 Porcelain Busdrivers
7:30 – 8:00 DJ Jim Blomquist
8:00 – 9:45 Smackdab
The Beer Snob
318 N Washington Street | 21+ | Whirlybird Pass or $20 at the Door
9:00 – 10:00 Space Junk
10:30 – 12:15 Mungion
12:45 – 2:00 Solar Circuit
Jamestown Wine Cellar
309 N Main Street | 21+ | Whirlybird Pass or $10 at the Door
If you’re searching for the eternal sound of summer, the alternative indie punk-pop outfit the Wrecks might be just the thing you need to remember the season is here. The Wellsville, NY band’s sophomore full-length album Sonder drops on June 10 across all streaming platforms via Big Noise Music Group.
Eleven tracks nod to the quintessential pop/punk sound of the early 2000’s paying homage to the pioneers of the genre. But in Sonder, the Wrecks have developed their own unique 2020’s twist incorporating elements of current pop trends and new wave style synth to the mix.
Lyrics are relatable; the kind of lyrics you can apply to your life without knowing original context or origin story. “I’d say our lyrics have always been honest and vulnerable,” noted Wreck’s vocalist/producer Nick Anderson, “and not only was I able to depend on that narrative compass once again, but I found it taking me to a whole new place this time creatively.” Anderson’s vocals shine. There is a powerful delicate balance to his vocal performance, a beautiful dichotomy that fits the band’s musical vibe – soft and tepid to robust and commanding and back again with a natural ease.
The album’s lead single, “Sonder” is a musical punch. Musically, the tune is sharp and demands attention. The chorus’s unexpected hook warrants a “car windows down, singing at the top of your lungs like no one is next to you at the red light” type of moment. “Where Are You Now” showcases a different side to the band’s sound – acoustic guitar and ethereal vocals create an unexpected ballad early in the track listing. The album’s latest single “Lone Survivor”, a flashy earworm, closes the album with a dance heavy bass groove that justifies using the repeat button for a few listens.
The Wrecks are currently touring in support of Sonder with a 33-show tour this summer. New York stops include dates in Buffalo at the Rec Room (June 29), Albany at the Empire Underground (June 30) and Webster Hall in New York City (Jul 8). Full tour dates can be found here.
Key Tracks: Sonder, Where Are You Now, Lone Survivor, I Love This Part
The Chautauqua Institution in Jamestown has announced its 2022 Amphitheater shows, with a huge lineup of artists and comedians.
Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater.
Prominently, singer Sheryl Crow will be playing on July 12, bringing hits like “All I Wanna Do” and “Soak Up the Sun” to the Amphitheater. Her openers will be five-time Grammy-winning bluesman Keb’ Mo’ and blues band Southern Avenue.
Sheryl Crow.
On July 11, Cuban pianist and composer Aldo-López-Gavilán will be performing. Excelling as a recitalist and performer, he will also be joined by his brother Ilmar Gavilán, who is a child prodigy and began his career at age 14.
The Gavilán Brothers.
July 15 brings ABBA The Concert, said to be the most authentic tribute to ABBA. They will play all the songs that made ABBA great, including “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S,” “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes All,” and “Waterloo.”
On July 16, Chautauqua School of Music faculty members Aaron Berofsky, Kathryn Votapek, and Felix Wang with pianist Phillip Bush will be performing.
Aaron Berofsky, Kathryn Votapek, Felix Wang, and Phillip Bush.
On July 23, pianist Brian Zeger and the members of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and School of Music will be performing. Zeger appears regularly as guest faculty at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory and is widely recognized as one of today’s leading collaborative pianists.
Brian Zeger and other members of the Orchestra.
On August 5, Brett Eldredge will be performing. He is a country music star, with seven number one radio hits, nine gold and platinum-certified singles, two gold-certified albums, and multiple CMA, ACM, and CMT Music nominations and wins.
On August 8, there will be a dynamic ensemble filled with America’s top brass players, called Seraph Brass, performing. They are winners of the 2019 American Prize in Chamber Music.
Seraph Brass.
On August 17, jazz pianist and organist Matthew Whitaker will be at the Amphitheater. Profiled on shows such as 60 Minutes and The Today Show, Whitaker has played at places like Carnegie Hall and with artists like Jason Moran and Jon Batiste.
Matthew Whitaker.
There are loads of other events happening at the Chautauqua Amphitheater including comedian Jay Leno, The Voice winners Girl Named Tom, The Avett Brothers, and Stars of the Peking Acrobats.
This summer’s shows at the Chautauqua Amphitheater in Jamestown will be packed with loads of talent, from musicians to comedians to even acrobats. Tickets can be found here.
