The Rotary Club of Wilsonville has announced its 2018 lineup for the Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts. Performing this year will be Portland rock n’ roll tribute legends Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts (July 19); Salem bluesman Ty Curtis and his band (July 26); high energy covers-of-all-genres band Hit Machine (August 2); and Nashville-based (with Oregon roots) country band Cloverdayle (led by husband and wife Chad and Rachael Hamar, August 9). The concerts take place Thursday evenings at Town Center Park in Wilsonville. Opening acts take the stage at 5:30 p.m., with the headliners following at 6:30 p.m.
“We are quite excited about this lineup of performers,” said Dr. Laura LaJoie-Bishop, D.C., who is serving as club president for the 2018–19 Rotary Year. “All four have performed in Wilsonville in the past and have really engaged our audience. The Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts are where people get together to relax, enjoy great music, maybe dance a little bit, and reconnect with other members of the community.”
Although the concerts are FREE, they afford patrons the opportunity to support End Polio Now, an effort by Rotary International and its partners to eradicate the disease from the face of the earth. Immunization workers continue to make progress. Polio is now endemic in just three countries — Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria — with fewer and fewer cases reported each year. Last year, Wilsonville concertgoers contributed more than $12,000 to the cause. Donations were matched two-to-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and will be again this year.
“So much effort has gone into eradicating polio, and we shouldn’t miss this opportunity to finish the job,” LaJoie-Bishop said. “It will take at least a few more years of sustained effort to immunize in remote areas, make sure the disease has nowhere to run, and then certify areas as polio-free. Residents have been great about supporting this vital cause, and their continued generosity will help ensure that children will no longer suffer the debilitating effects of polio.”
The series has a strong set of opening acts lined up to entertain people who arrive early to claim their spots on the lawn. Opening for Johnny Limbo and the Lugnuts on July 19 will be local rocker Bryan Flannery. On July 26, Wilsonville-based roots duo The Whiskey Darlings (Michele Van Kleef and Rob Rainwater) will open for Ty Curtis, performing a rare full-band set featuring selections from their new album, The Weight of Time. Wilsonville/Portland-based Americana/country singer-songwriter Christina Cooper will open the August 2 concert by Hit Machine and will perform songs from her new album, No Other Place. And finally, on August 9, Canby-based country singer Briana Renea will open for Cloverdayle.
The concerts are produced by the Wilsonville Rotary Foundation with support from sponsors, and co-chaired by Rotarians Curt Kipp and John Holley. The series is also made possible in part by a grant of Wilsonville transient lodging taxes and the City of Wilsonville. Concert organizers hope to have several food vendors on hand, so that patrons can enjoy dinner and/or treats on the lawn; watch www.wilsonvilleconcerts.com for updates.