"Down by the Riverside" is back!! FREE concerts, Sunday nights in Mayo Park, July 11 - August 15. Lineup announced!

Rochester Civic Music is pleased to announce the return of the "Think Bank Down by the Riverside" FREE outdoor concert series.

The series takes place over six Sundays in July and August (July 11 through August 15) in one of the most beautiful green spaces in the area, Mayo Park (behind the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Art Center) along the banks of the Zumbro River. This is an open-to-the-public City park, so lawn chairs, blankets, and coolers are welcome. On-site concessions will also be available.

All events to feature local Southeastern Minnesota bands as opening acts starting at 7:00 p.m., with headliners taking the stage at 8:00 p.m.

This summer will mark the 29th year the City's Music Department (Rochester Civic Music) has produced the popular outdoor concert series.

Video: Experience the Think Bank Down by the Riverside

Who's coming?

Hot country superstar Lindsay Ell, Minnesota based indie folk and soul singer-songwriter Chastity Brown. '90s alt pop hit makers Smash Mouth, Minnesota natives and electronic indie pop groundbreakers Polica, Grammy winning southern jazz and folk fusion band Ranky Tanky, and classic southern rock icons 38 Special.

Local openers to include trad/outlaw country man Luke Hendrickson, native blues band Bluedog, reggae infused blues/jam band Push & Turn, indie-rock from Amateur, roots rock from Thomas & the Shakes, and classic rock, Americana, country, and alt-rock from Fred the Bear.

SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC - It has been, and will continue to be, a policy of Rochester Civic Music to showcase regional, state, and local (from the 11 county Southeastern Minnesota region which includes Rochester) artists.

Related: "Looking to the future, Rochester's ready to rock"

Related:  "Rochester rocks: How Med City is becoming Music City" - Local Current Blog

Related: "Schmidt still here — and is arts person of the year" - Post-Bulletin's arts and entertainment person of the year for 2015

It has become a Rochester tradition, that on Sunday nights in the summer, many of the citizens of Rochester and surrounding communities put the finishing touches on their weekend by gathering together in the friendly confines of Mayo Park; to laugh, dance, sing, relax, play, eat, drink, socialize with friends and family, meet new friends, soak in those steamy Minnesota summer nights; all to a soundtrack of live music featuring local, national and international artists from a broad range of genres and eras.

LINDSAY ELL (Headliner) - Lauded as “one of the most exciting and talented young artists in country music” (Forbes), Lindsay Ell is a triple threat: accomplished musician, unique vocalist and songwriter. She is a multi CMA, ACM, CCMA, and CMT award nominee with radio hits like "Criminal", "Waiting On You", “What Happens In a Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert, and her most recent single "I Don't Love You" from her latest album Heart Theory, an emotional concept LP about the seven stages of grief.

Luke Hendrickson (Opener) - Hendrickson has been a staple of the Southeast Minnesota country music scene since 2010, when he started performing as part of Luke n Bob Texas. He’s been taking his solo rootsy country/folky blues music around the country and even internationally in the last few years, since the release of his Comfort Food EP. His hard work ethic and down home attitude really shines through on his latest full-length effort One Night At the Crystal Lounge.

CHASTITY BROWN (Headliner) - Based in Minnesota, but with roots in Tennessee, Chastity Brown grew up surrounded by country and soul music. Melding folk, roots, and soul with topical lyrics, weaving together a poet’s lyrical ear and a soul-laid-bare quality, her music seems especially timely. Brown has been featured extensively on MPR’s The Current, and her most recent release, Silhouette of Sirens, was chosen as an NPR “First Listen".

Bluedog (Opener) - Bluedog is a blues/rock band whose music is influenced by life experiences of Native people. “Native people have experienced the blues too. For us it reflects a significant part of life for Native people and our relationship with the U.S. government. All the pain we’ve endured from massacres, boarding schools, and forced removal from our homes, etc… all attempts to erase our culture and our people. We are still here. Our music celebrates life, the good and bad.” - Joni Weston, Bluedog

SMASH MOUTH (Headliner) - The band’s unparalleled wealth of original and legendary material is strong and deep. Smash Mouth boasts seven smash hits including the chart-topping “Walkin’ On The Sun”, “Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby”, and “Then The Morning Comes”, as well as “Pacific Coast Party”, and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”, both of which made the top-30, and of course the smash #1 hits “All Star”, and “I’m A Believer”, both featured in the blockbuster animated film Shrek.

Push and Turn (Opener) - Push & Turn is an energetic reggae/rock band from Rochester, MN consisting of Cameron Smith on drums, Kyle Truex on bass, and Sothea Lam on lead vocals/guitar/loop station. After years of playing the local music scene, they recently added lead guitarist/vocalist Tyler Kispert, and backup vocalist/keyboardist Zach Kase, adding a blues and jam band feel to their reggae sound with harmonies that turn heads.

POLIÇA (Headliner) - Collaberations with the likes of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (who told Rolling Stone, "they're the best band I've ever heard"), to performances at festivals like SXSW and The Current's Rock the Garden, to appearances on popular british shows like Later...with Jules Holland and BBC Radio 6 Music's Lauren Laverne Show, the indie, synth pop, alternative rock group Poliça have become one of the most successful bands to have come out of the Twin Cities in the past decade.

Amateur (Opener) - Amateur is an indie rock band from Rochester MN. Over the past few years, the band has been trying to write, record and articulate their debut album It Is What It Is, soon to be released in the  summer 2021. Amateur draws influences from bands such as Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Fleet Foxes, Interpol, Bahamas and much more. They are a band who likes to make big and small amounts of noise with an urge to explore and share what their music has to offer.

RANKY TANKY (Headliner) - This Grammy Award winning, Charleston, SC-based quintet, performs timeless music born from the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands. Their debut album was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and The TODAY Show. It also soared to the #1 position on the Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes Jazz Charts. Playful game songs, ecstatic shouts, and heartbreaking spirituals can all be found on their latest release Good Time.

Thomas & The Shakes (Opener) - Rochester, MN-based roots rock band known for their authentic blend of rock, r&b, folk, and reggae sounds. Formed in 2013 by Thomas Wescott (guitar/vocals) and Garrett Kolb (drums), the duo recorded and self-released their acoustic EP, All My Favorite Things Are Free, before recruiting Mark Walsh (Sax/Flute) to complete the lineup. The expansion resulted in the bigger, more energetic sound heard on their debut album, Mind Your Time, featuring dynamic rhythms, laid back melodies, rich vocal harmonies and emotionally charged lyrics.

38 SPECIAL (Headliner) - After more than four decades, 38 Special continues to bring their signature blast of southern rock to over 100 cities a year. With sales in excess of 20 million, most associate them with their arena-rock pop smashes, “Hold On Loosely”, “Rockin’ Into the Night”, “Caught Up in You”, “Fantasy Girl”, “If I’d Been the One”, “Back Where You Belong”, “Second Chance”, and more – Timeless hits that remain a staple on radio, immediately recognizable from the first opening chord.

Fred the Bear (Opener) - SE Minnesota band that blends soulful, bluesy vocals and skilled guitar playing with multi-part harmonies, sweet organ sounds, and an unstoppable rhythm section, putting their own stamp on an eclectic mix of classic rock, Americana, country, and alt-rock. They write and perform their own original music, highlighted by insightful lyrics reflecting on life’s promises and disappointments, set to dynamic melodies and rhythms.