Big Acts Headed for Upstate

If you love a concert, you won’t need to travel far this season

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper

Here are some of the top musicians headed to venues near you.

1. The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse (www.nysfair.ny.gov/entertainment/music) offers several stages with free concerts. This summer during The Fair, you can see Counting Crows, Big & Rich, Smokey Robinson, Herman’s Hermits and more, all for free at Chevy Court with Fair admission. More artists will be announced at Chevy Court and The Fair’s other stages closer to The Fair, which runs Aug. 22 to Sept. 3.

2. Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona (www.turningstone.com) welcomes some well-known artists this summer, including Barry Manilow (July 12), Boy George & Culture Club (July 26), Michael Bolton (Aug. 29), Molly Hatchett (August 30) and more.

Yo Yo Ma
Yo Yo Ma

3. Appearing at Del Lago Resort in Waterloo (https://dellagoresort.com) are The Spin Doctors (June 8), Lee Greenwood (June 22), The Temptations (July 26) and more.

4. Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse (http://lakeviewamphitheatre.com) has an ambitious lineup this summer, kicking off its top concerts with Dave Matthews Band (June 5 and 28), Kenny Chesney (June 7), Cheap Trick/Poison (June 13), Styx/Joan Jett (June 28), Brad Paisley (June 30), Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers (July 3), Janet Jackson (July 17), K-Rockathon/Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson (July 22), Chicago/REO Speedwagon (July 27), Yanni (July 28), Slayer (Aug. 4), Breaking Benjamin (Aug. 22), Lynyrd Skynyrd/38 Special/Marshall Tucker Band (Aug. 24), Ozzy Osbourne/Stone Sour (Sept. 1), Kid Rock/Brantley Gilbert (Sept. 14) and others.

5. Artpark in Buffalo (www.artpark.net) plans to host Steven Tyler and The Loving Mary Band (June 12).

Beyonce & Jay-Z
Beyonce & Jay-Z

6. Also in Buffalo, at Shea’s Performing Arts Center (www.sheas.org) Yanni is slated (July 20) and Goo Goo Dolls (Oct. 19 and 20).

7. Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown (https://glimmerglass.com) plans Roseanne Cash (June 23).

8. At SPAC in Saratoga (www.spac.org), see Keith Urban/Kelsea Ballerini (June 27), Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers (June 30), Rascal Flatts (July 7), Dave Matthews Band (July 13 and 14 ), Janet Jackson (July 26), Chicago/REO Speedwagon (July 31), Kid Rock/Brantley Gilbert (Sept. 15), Willie Nelson/Neil Young (Sept. 23) and other acts.

9. At Darien Lake Amphitheater in Darien Center (www.darienlake.com/concerts), concertgoers can hear Dave Matthews Band (June 27), Lady Antebellum/Russell Dickerson (July 21), TobyMac/Hollyn/Reggie Dabbs (Aug. 1), Slayer (Aug. 3), Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson (Aug. 12), Deep Purple/Judas Priest (Sept. 5), among other performers.

10. Key Bank Center in Buffalo (www.keybankcenter.com/events.cshtml) offers James Taylor/Bonnie Raitt (July 1), The Eagles/Vince Gill (July 14) Sir Elton John (Sept. 15), Metallica (Oct. 27), Justin Timberlake (Oct. 28) and other artists all summer long.

Taylor
Taylor

11. CMAC in Canandaigua (www.cmacevents.com) presents Keith Urban/Kelsea Ballerini (July 8) and Earth, Wind and Fire (August 29).

12. At Bethel Woods Center in Bethel (www.bethelwoodscenter.org), see Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers (July 14), Lynyrd Skynyrd (July 21), Lady Antebellum/Darius Rucker/Russell Dickerson (July 26), and to wrap the summer, Deep Purple/Judas Priest (Sept. 2).

13. Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls (www.senecaniagaracasino.com/entertainment) presents The Bacon Brothers (July 27), 3 Doors Down/Collective Soul (Aug. 18), The Beach Boys/The Righteous Brothers (Aug. 5), and Deep Purple/Judas Priest (Sept. 2).

14. Times Union Center in Albany (www.timesunioncenter-albany.com/events) hosts Slayer (Aug. 1), Justin Timberlake (Oct. 20) and Metallica (Oct. 29), along with other artists all summer.

15. At Batavia Downs, (www.bataviadownsgaming.com/events-groups/event-calendar)you can hear Three Dog Night at Batavia Downs (Aug. 3).

Jackson
Jackson

16. Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua (http://chq.org/season/arts-entertainment/popular-entertainment) presents The Silkroad Ensemble with Yo Yo Ma (Aug. 10) and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (Aug. 25) as two of its key performances for the summer.

17. Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen (http://phish.com) hosts Phish (August 17 and 18).

18. At New Era Field in Orchard Park (www.buffalobills.com), make plans to hear Beyonce and Jay-Z perform (Aug. 18).

19. State Theatre in Ithaca (www.stateofithaca.org) hosts Joan Baez (Sept. 11).

20. Palace Theatre in Albany (www.palacealbany.org/events) features Celtic Thunder (Sept. 23) and Alice Cooper (Oct. 4).

Timberlake
Timberlake
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Manson
Manson
Urban
Urban