The Rochester Lilac Festival announced the music lineup for its 117th edition, with 65 free shows that will feature a mix of well-known headliners, up-and-coming acts, and regionally-based bands. The 2015 festival will take place Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 17.
“It’s always a delight to plan the musical lineup for the Rochester Lilac Festival,” said Jeff Springut, festival producer and president of the Springut Group. “It’s a wide-open canvas, a free stage that goes from 10:30 in the morning until 8:30 in the evening.”
The headliners anchoring this year’s schedule will be: The Outlaws; ZBTB: Zac Brown Tribute Band; The Psychedelic Furs; Dr. Dog; Cracker; Blues Traveler; Rusted Root; Mingo Fishtrap; Charlie Musselwhite; and Ana Popovic.
Beyond the headliners is a group of up-and-coming bands on tour: The Blind Owls; Guthrie Brown and The Family Tree; Pokey LaFarge; Deborah Magone; Adam Ezra Group; Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds; Davina and the Vagabonds; Noble Vibes; Sirsy; The Prickers; and Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People.
“Soon our audiences will say, ‘I remember when I saw that band at the Rochester Lilac Festival, just before they broke big,” Springut said.
The regional acts this year will be: Tommy Brunett; Cool Club with the Lipker Sisters; Natalie B; Fred Vine; Fat City; Anonymous Willpower; Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band; Extended Family; The Buddhahood; Thunder Body; Big Mike & The Motivators; Shine; Prime Time Funk; Joe Beard; The Blind Owl Band; and The Blind spots.
Also, several school choral groups and bands from across the greater Rochester area will perform during the festival.
Music begins daily at 10:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. on weekend) and continues through 8:30 p.m. Headline concerts begin at 7 p.m. All shows are free. For more information, visit Lilacfestival.com.
The full schedule follows:
Friday, May 8
10:30 am Cosgrove 7th Grade Chorus
11:30 am Passion For Purple Event
12:30 pm TBA
1:00 pm TBA
4:00 pm The Blind Owls
5:30 pm Tommy Brunett
7:00 pm The Outlaws
Saturday, May 9
12:30 pm Cool Club with the Lipker Sisters
1:30 pm Natalie B
2:30 pm The Blind Owls
4:00 pm Guthrie Brown and the Family Tree
5:30 pm Pokey LaFarge
7:00 pm ZBTB: Zac Brown Tribute Band
Sunday, May 10
10:30 am Fred Vine
11:30 am Fat City
12:30 pm Anonymous Willpower
2:30 pm Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band
4:00 pm Deborah Magone
5:30 pm The Blind Owls
7:00 pm The Psychedelic Furs
Monday, May 11
10:30 am Webster Montessori School Chorus
11:00 am Gates Chili Middle School Jazz Band
12:00 pm Bishop Kearney High School: Murder of Crows
1:00 pm Twelve Corners Middle School Jazz Band
4:00 pm Exztended Family
5:30 pm Adam Ezra Group
7:00pm Dr. Dog
Tuesday, May 12
10:30 am St. Joseph’s Elementary School Band
11:00 am Holley Elementary Chorus & Band
12:00 pm School 22
1:00 pm Leroy Central School District Bands
4:00 pm The Buddhahood
5:30 pm Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
7:00 pm Cracker
Wednesday, May 13
10:30 am Paul Road Elementary School Band
11:00 am Richard Mann Elementary 5th Grade Band
12:00 pm NRCS Select Choir and Wind Ensemble
1:00 pm Twelve Corners Middle School Jazz Band & Select Choir
4:00 pm TBA
5:30 pm Davina and the Vagabonds
7:00 pm Blues Traveler
Thursday, May 14
10:30 am Pal-Mac Select Ensembles
11:30 am Indian Landing Singers
12:15 pm School #19
1:00 pm Northstar Christian Academy
4:00 pm Noble Vibes
5:30 pm TBA
7:00 pm Rusted Root
Friday, May 15
10:30am – 3:00pm Rochester City School District “Bloomin Arts”
4:00pm Sirsy
5:30pm Thunder Body
7:00pm Mingo Fishtrap
Saturday, May 16
10:30 am Clayton Band & Choir
11:30 am Big Mike & The Motivators
12:30 pm TBA
2:00 pm Shine
3:30 pm Prime Time Funk
5:00 pm Joe Beard
7:00 pm Charlie Musselwhite
Sunday, May 17
11:30 am TBA
12:30 pm The Blind Owl Band
2:30 pm The Blind Spots
4:00 pm The Prickers
5:30 pm Danielle Ponder & The Tomorrow People
7:00 pm Ana Popovic
This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2015.
