Real Good for Free: Summer Concert Series @ Lake George’s Shepard Park

The Lake George Arts Project is once again producing its Summer Concert Series, a fabulous summer of free concerts in Lake George’s Shepard Park, an intimate amphitheater setting with the shimmering lake as a perfect backdrop for a summer night of fine music.

The concerts take place at 7:30pm on Wednesdays – except where noted – throughout the months of July and August, beginning on Wednesday (July 4) with Groove Therapy.

Here’s the line-up of shows for the 2012 summer season:

Wednesday (July 4): Groove Therapy, an electric seven-piece band recreating all the most exciting dance party music from the ’70s through today.

July 11: The Chandler Travis Philharmonic, a wild ‘n’ woolly nine-piece ensemble from Boston that just might be the missing link between the Kinks and Sun Ra…

July 18: C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, the modern-day torchbearers for hot-wired zydeco music.

July 25: Missy Raines & the New Hip, a band that blurs the lines between jazz, bluegrass and R&B led by bassist extraordinaire Missy Raines.

August 1: Paul Cebar & Tomorrow Sound, Milwaukee’s finest, incorporating influences from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean into the rock format.

August 5 (Sunday, 4pm): The Luzerne Music Center Symphony, conducted by Charles Peltz performs Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.

August 8: The Ernie Williams Band, a blues tribute concert to the band’s late namesake bandleader. With Street Corner Holler opening.

August 15: Ramblin Jug Stompers, carrying on the great American string band tradition with a winking sense of humor and a 78RPM repertoire for the 21st century.

August 22: Brave Combo, the Grammy Award-winning veteran Texas dance band armed with a vast songbag of Tex-Mex, rollicking, rockin’ polkas, and more. Much more…

August 23 (Thursday, 7pm): The Lake George Music Festival Symphony Orchestra performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Op.35 and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, Op.90 (“Italian”) with Roger Kalia conducting. Followed by fireworks.

August 29: Loren Barrigar & Mark Mazengarb, the amazing acoustic guitar duo melds together bluegrass, jazz and country music with dazzling finger-picking. With sublime singer-songwriter Rosanne Raneri opening the show.

ADDITIONAL REAL GOOD FOR FREE EVENTS:

Beat Fest @ River Street Beat Shop, Troy (Saturday, July 7)
Skidmore Jazz Institute Concert Series @ Skidmore College’s Zankel Music Center, Saratoga Springs (various days thru July 6)
New York State Summer Writers Institute @ Skidmore College’s Davis Auditorium, Saratoga Springs (weekdays through July 27)
Freedom Park Concert Series @ Freedom Park, Scotia (various days thru August 29)
Performing Arts at the Common @ Clifton Common Stage, Clifton Park (various days thru August 26)
Music in the Park @ Schodack Town Park, Schodack (Tuesdays thru July 10)
Concerts On the Lawn @ the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown (Tuesdays thru July 24)
Cook Park Concert Series @ Cook Park, Colonie (Tuesdays thru August 28)
Sounds of Summer @ VFW Hall, Great Barrington (Tuesdays thru August 28)
Rockin’ On the River @ Green Island Bridge parking lot, Troy (Wednesdays thru August 29)
Music in the Park @ the North End Firehouse, Rensselaer (Wednesdays thru August 29)
Jazz On Jay @ Jay Street, Schenectady (Thursdays thru August 30)
Alive at Five @ Riverfront Park, Albany (Thursdays thru August 9)
Music in the Garden @ Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, Clifton Park (July 6 & August 3)
Backlot Music Festival @ Waterford Public Library, Waterford (Thursdays thru July 26)
Guilderland Performing Arts Center @ Tawasentha Park, Guilderland (Thursdays thru August 23)
Concerts in the Park @ Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa (Thursdays thru August 30)
Music in the Park @ Dutchman’s Landing, Catskill (Thursdays thru August 30)
Fridays at the Lake @ Shepard Park, Lake George (Fridays thru September 7)
Music at Sunset @ Greenport Town Park, Hudson (Fridays thru August 31)
Upbeat On the Roof @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs (Fridays thru August 31)
Garage Bands in the Garage @ Albany Public Library, Albany (select Fridays thru September 21)
The Summer Sounds of Salem @ the Train Depot Green, Salem, (Saturdays thru September 1)
Fabulous Fourth Celebration @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Wednesday, July 4
GE’s Kids Day @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Sunday, July 8
McDonald’s African American Family Day @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Saturday, August 4
Empire State Plaza Food Festival @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Wednesday, August 15
Local Legends Live @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Saturday, September 8
Hannaford Hispanic Heritage Celebration @ Empire State Plaza, Albany, Saturday, September 22
Powers Park Concert Series @ Powers Park, Troy (Saturdays in July and August)