The 2019 Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts lineup will be one of the strongest since the series was founded back in 2002, according to organizers. The concerts will take place on four consecutive Thursday evenings this summer at 5:30 p.m. The dates are July 18, July 25, August 1 and August 8.
“We can’t wait to share these four evenings of highly talented musicians with our friends and supporters in Wilsonville,” concert co-chairmen Curt Kipp and John Holley said. “It’s a great opportunity to buy dinner from a local vendor or bring a picnic, and enjoy a wonderful and relaxing evening with neighbors and friends.”
The lineup is as follows:
- July 18 — Longtime favorites Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts will be performing their tribute to the golden age of rock and roll for the 15th consecutive year at the Wilsonville series. Wilsonville-based pop-country vocalist Christina Cooper will open the show.
- July 25 — One of Portland’s most talented bands, Dancehall Days, will make their series debut. This versatile and professional combo will play hits to suit every taste, from the 1970s to today. Opening will be Wilsonville-based Americana music duo The Whiskey Darlings (Michele Van Kleef and Rob Rainwater).
- August 1 — World-class guitar virtuoso Jennifer Batten will play with her band, Full Steam, for the first time at the series. Batten served as lead guitarist on three of Michael Jackson’s world tours, and has since played with Jeff Beck and others. Crooked Corner Band will open with their rock covers and originals.
- August 8 — Portland’s favorite supper club impresario, Tony Starlight, will make his second appearance at the Wilsonville series. He’s known for his tributes to Neil Diamond, the Rat Pack, and James Bond movie themes. He will be performing a little bit of each at this show. Opening will be Basso á Deux, a husband-wife duo performing jazzy versions of rock and pop hits on vocals and standup bass.
For each evening, the opening act is onstage at 5:30 p.m. and the headline act follows at 6:30, with shows ending around 8:30 p.m. People are encouraged to arrive early to stake out their spot on the lawn.
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville produces these free concerts for the community, as thanks for financial support given at the Heart of Gold fundraiser in late winter, and in gratitude for allowing Rotary to serve the community throughout the year at other events and projects. The concerts are supported with sponsorships from local businesses, as well as a tourism grant from Wilsonville’s lodging tax.
Each concert includes an opportunity to support End Polio Now — Rotary International’s worldwide campaign to eradicate polio — with a voluntary gift. Donations are matched two-to-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, thus giving donors triple the impact as Rotary and its partners get closer to their goal of ending this crippling disease forever.