Woodbridge’s annual free, five-nights-a-week concert series announces 2023 acts

by JAY LUSTIG
free shows woodbridge 2023

Former Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre performs at Parker Press Park in Woodbridge, June 21.

Longtime Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre, Ruthie Foster, Selwyn Birchwood and Radney Foster all will be featured in Woodbridge’s annual Mayor’s Free Concert Series, which always offers one of the state’s best lineups of free summer concerts.

There will be national acts on Wednesdays; local bands on Thursdays; country music on Sundays; oldies on Mondays and tribute bands on Tuesdays.

The Wednesday shows, which moved to the Woodbridge High School football field in the first year of the pandemic and stayed there in 2021 and 2022, will move back to Parker Press Park this year.

In addition to the weekly shows, Sundays through Thursdays, there will be a free, all-day Woodbridge Summerfest, Sat., June 3 at Merrill Park in Iselin, with Beginnings (Chicago tribute), Moroccan Sheepherders, Saints in the City (Bruce Springsteen tribute), One Hit Wonderers, Hollow Molly and Revolver.

Here is the schedule. For information and updates, visit woodbridgeartsnj.org/free-concerts.html.

JAKE THISTLE

SUNDAY COUNTRY/AMERICANA TRIBUTES, 7 p.m. at Woodbridge High School

June 25: Southern Steel
July 2: DeadGrass, Grateful Dead tribute
July 16: Sailing Shoes, Little Feat tribute
July 23: Live at the Fillmore, Allman Brothers Band tribute
July 30: ZBTB, Zac Brown Band tribute
Aug. 6: Eddie Clendening & the Blue Ribbon Boys, rockabilly Elvis Presley tribute
Aug. 13: The THE BAND Band, The Band tribute
Aug. 20: Panama Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage tribute
Aug. 27: Jeff Slate’s Weekend Wilburys, Traveling Wilburys tribute
Sept. 3: Late for the Sky featuring Jake Thistle, Jackson Browne tribute
Sept. 10: Kinderhook (postponed from July 9)

MONDAY OLDIES, 7:30 p.m. at Woodbridge High School

June 19: Lady Supreme, Diana Ross tribute
July 10: The Capris
July 17: Jesse Garron, Elvis Presley tribute
July 24: Forever Ray, Ray Charles tribute
July 27: The Everly Set, The Everly Brothers tribute (rescheduled from June 26)
July 31: The Duprees
Aug. 7: Bobby Miranda & the Happenings
Aug. 14: Bobby Wilson
Aug. 21: The Cameos
Aug. 28: The Infernos

TRIBUTE TUESDAYS, 7:30 p.m. at Woodbridge High School
June 20: Starman, David Bowie tribute
June 27: Pure McCartney, Paul McCartney tribute
July 11: Broken Arrow, Neil Young tribute
July 18: Best of The Eagles
July 25: The Linda Ronstadt Experience
Aug. 1: Gypsy, Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac tribute
Aug. 8: Guthrie Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel tribute
Aug. 15: Frontiers, Journey tribute
Aug. 22: Beatlemania Again, The Beatles tribute
Aug. 29: The ELO Tribute, Electric Light Orchestra tribute
Sept. 5: Back to the Garden, Woodstock tribute
Sept. 12: The BStreet Band, Bruce Springsteen tribute

JOANNA CHATTMAN

EILEN JEWELL

WOODBRIDGE WEDNESDAYS, 7:30 p.m. at Parker Press Park

June 21: Martin Barre
June 28: Light of Day Benefit Concert (donations accepted at show) with Guy Davis, Joe D’Urso, Williams Honor, Jake Thistle, Miss Emily, others
July 5: Eilen Jewell, Cold Chocolate
July 12: Selwyn Birchwood, Abbie Gardner
July 19: Bywater Call, Phoebe Hunt
July 26: Joslyn & the Sweet Compression
Aug. 2: Ruthie Foster, Emily Duff
Aug. 9: Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Joseph Alton Miller
Aug. 16: Radney Foster, Goldpine
Aug. 23: Tami Neilson, Low Lily
Aug. 30: The Slambovian Circus of Dreams
Sept. 6: Alex Cuba, Vance Gilbert
Sept. 13: Screaming Orphans, Sheridan Ruítín
Sept. 20: The Harlem Gospel Travelers

THURSDAY LOCAL BANDS, 7:30 p.m. at Herbert Rankin Park, Sewaren

June 22: The Other Band
June 29: Kickback Band
July 6: 9 South
July 13: 3rd of July
July 20: Blame It on Richie
July 27: Atlantic Sound Machine
Aug. 3: Dead Cowboys
Aug. 10: Power Train
Aug. 17: Seven Stone
Aug. 24: Uncle Pecos

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2 comments

richard John Liptak June 20, 2023 - 6:05 pm

please sign me up for newsletter

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JAY LUSTIG June 20, 2023 - 6:06 pm

Do you mean Woodbridge newsletter or NJArts.net newsletter?

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