The Levitt AMP Utica Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with towns and cities across America to activate underused public spaces through the power of free live music, creating welcoming, inclusive destinations. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues and concert sites are community anchors where families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together. Learn more at levitt.org.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
Levitt AMP is proud to once again be a part of a 5-day Juneteenth Celebration in the City of Utica and our first concert falls ON Juneteenth - Monday, June 19th. The Harlem Gospel Travelers from New York City will kick off our 7th season. They draw deeply on the gospel quartet tradition of the 1950s and 60s and will bring a timeliness, uplifting sound to the park.
Local singer Amos Donnell will kick off the night as opener – Amos has auditioned for The Voice and America’s Got Talent.
Brandon Niederauer drew Levitt AMP Utica’s biggest audience ever back in 2019, bringing in over 1,000 people to the park. The 20-year old guitar phenom will be back this summer in a rare repeat performance for the series. Nicknamed “Taz” for his ferocious guitar playing, he has performed in some of the most legendary venues in America with some of the most legendary people in America, was cast in Broadway’s School of Rock and has been hailed as the “next Jimmy Hendrix”.
Jimmy Wolf will be opening for Taz – a local blues legend, Native American Music Awards winner and an inductee in the New York State Blues Hall of Fame.
It’s been many years since reggae has been in the line up, and Levitt AMP is excited to welcome Massachusetts-based singer, songwriter and guitarist Joe Samba to Utica. He finds the sweet spot between Caribbean bliss and punkified energy – matched with his dynamic vocals.
Opening for Joe will be The Old Main - a local favorite that delivers everything from sentimental folk ballads to foot stomping rock and bluegrass.
www.funkydawgzbrassband.com
Hip Hop. Funk. Brass. Energy. Hailing from Connecticut, Levitt AMP will welcome international touring band Funky Dawgz Brass Band. Their horn section has played with bands to sold out shows in Madison Square Garden, they have closed out The Peach Music Festival, been featured on ESPN, Hulu and the FX series “Fargo”.
Opener Handsome Bob is an experience. Influenced by all types of music, they could serve up anything from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime or 311, to the Temptations and Johnny Cash with their own flavor and mash-ups.
Folks have been asking for bluegrass and on July 24th, we will deliver! Hailed as one of today’s most boundary-pushing progressive bluegrass groups on the scene, Nefresh Mountain Band was declared “A Powerhouse Unit” by Rolling Stone Magazine. A husband and wife duo, they blur the lines between Americana, Bluegrass, Folk, Jass and Blues.
Kicking off the night is otismonk, an original American band based out of Central NY. Their music incorporates elements from a diverse multitude of genres and is dependent on extended musical improvisation over rhythmic grooves.
2023 will feature an encore performance by B2wins. Brazilian twins Walter and Wagner are “violin and ukulele meet rock concert, dance party, jam session and vacation for the soul”. They have performed over 1,000 shows around the world in the past decade. From hip-hop heads to jazz aficionados, pop enthusiasts and ravers, rockers to reggae fans, all find common ground together with the B2wins.
Opener Stephen Phillips is a pop/funk artist from Syracuse. This multi-instrumental young artist also has extensive vocal range and TONS of energy.
www.taemusic.com/taeandtheneighborly
Tae & the Neighborly hails from Wisconsin and got together during Covid – the five members all lived alone in a 5-story flat and were literally borrowing sugar from each other during the pandemic to bake with. A soul/pop-rock band of powerhouse players was the result. Tae has performed as a one-woman band since 2012 and after joining forces with the others, the new project has been taking off.
Opening for Tae and returning to the Levitt AMP stage is the Jess Novak Band. Jess is a triple threat – singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who can transform from gorgeous classical piano solo to rockin’ the stage with her full band.
Latin night will feature Battle of Santiago – an Afro-Cuban band from Toronto! They have a super unique sound and energy… defined as “Cuban Post Rock from Canada” with classic rhythms, a bit of Radiohead meets Fela Kuti with some cumbia, latin rock and smooth funk mixed in.
Opener Trump Tight 315 is no stranger to Utica, having performed many years at Juneteenth and just a couple years ago at Munson’s Summer Festival. The husband and wife lead singers are POWERFUL, fun and bring you nostalgic and modern R&B, soul and pop.
Erin Harpe is a Massachusetts-based blues vocalist and guitarist. She has been dubbed “one of the most dynamic talents and exciting roots rocking blues women on the scene” by Living Blues Magazine, has been compared to legendary blues women like Bonnie Raitt and Rory Block and fun fact… her dad is from Utica!
19-year old Sydney Irving will open for Erin - this young super star was named the 2020 young adult artist of the year by the International Singer Songwriters Association and the 2022 Best New Artist at the SAMMYs.
Levitt AMP has never featured an Irish headliner band before and has been working hard for a few years to get Hermitage Green here to Utica. Straight from Ireland, the band has played together since 2010 after a spontaneous jam session and have been touring the world since – from South Africa and Australia to Dubia, London and Canada. Their unique arrangement of instruments that includes the bodhrán, djembe, rhythmic guitar and banjo sets them apart as a truly original offering of Irish Music.
Locally-loved Irish band Blarney Rebel Band will open for the closing concert of the season.