One of the Midwest’s Best Kept Secrets: Rochester MN’s Riverside Music Series
The long-running concert series pairs national and regional acts for free outdoor shows in downtown Rochester, and this summer’s lineup has some can’t-miss gems.
Image courtesy of Rochester Public Music.
Rochester, Minnesota, is about a 90-minute drive from the Twin Cities. Renowned in the Midwest and beyond as a community centered around the nation’s top-ranked hospital, Mayo Clinic, the city may not be as well-known for its cultural strengths. I, for one, was surprised to learn that the city’s government includes a department called Rochester Public Music, established in 1936, whose mission is to bring people together through live music events.
One of their longest-running initiatives is the Riverside Music Series, founded in 1992. Every summer, the city brings five or six national touring acts, pairs them with a local artist or band, and puts on free outdoor shows on Sunday evenings in Mayo Park by the Zumbro River in downtown Rochester. What started as a classical music series has expanded to embrace, country, folk, rock, and more.
If you haven’t heard of it—despite the range of well-known acts it’s featured over the years, from Margo Price to 10,000 Maniacs to En Vogue—you’re not alone. “I lived here for years before I knew it existed,” says Rosei Skipper, who now serves as the marketing and public relations specialist for Rochester Public Music. “It’s not exactly a hidden gem, but there are people who don’t know about it even in Rochester.”
Which is a shame, because the concert (and the city) have a lot to offer music lovers, even if you’re coming from out of town. “It’s in a gorgeous park, and we’re super easy to get to from the Cities, and so chill on Sundays,” Skipper says. “It’s free to park everywhere on the weekends, and you can walk or bike into the park from any parking deck. It can be really relaxing to be in a town that still has all the stuff you want—coffee shops, bookstores, bars—just a lot smaller and less crowded.”
The regional supporting acts are a big part of their mission, she says: “We always have a local opener, or someone who grew up in Rochester. It’s a way for Midwest acts to get on a bigger stage.” This year’s series kicks off July 14 with popular ’90s alt rockers Everclear (Minneapolis’ own rock goddess Cindy Lawson opens) and closes out in August with “Max Weinberg’s Jukebox,” an interactive show led by the E-Street Band drummer/Late Night with Conan O’Brien bandleader, with an opening set by groovy Minneapolis outfit Orange Goodness. The tentpole of the series is genre-blending singer/songwriter Vanessa Lee Carlton, supported by Rochester jazz/fusion act Madison Parish Ensemble.
The other two shows of the summer are especially intriguing for Americana lovers: On July 21, Kentucky native Elvie Shane brings his trademark blend of modern country, rock and hip-hop, with Nashville-based (but southeast Minnesota-raised) Aaron Simmons opening. And on August 4, rising Korean-American fingerstyle country-blues artist Nat Myers (originally from Kansas) will headline, supported by Minneapolis-based alt-country/indie-rock diva Molly Brandt.
Image courtesy of Rochester Public Music.
“We try hard to pick musicians who will appeal to lots of people regardless of genre,” Skipper says. “Some people come to all of them and don’t care what type of music it is, while others may only come every five years for a specific act.”
With local food trucks and local beer on offer, Skipper describes the series as having a family-friendly atmosphere: “I know families who map out their spot and hang out in the park all day every Sunday.” She proudly notes that even though it’s free and open to the public, all musicians get paid, even if their show is canceled. “And it’s rain or shine,” she adds; “we only cancel for thunder, lightning or strong winds.”
Skipper’s advice to newcomers is to tailor the experience to their taste. “The advantage of a concert-concert is that the sound is loud. You can get right up front or sit wherever you want to and be able to hear—even on the other side of the river, the sound will carry, and it’s more chill and quiet over there.”
Even if you can’t make it out this year, hopefully the Riverside Music Series will stay on your radar. “It’s worth following the lineup announcements,” Skipper says. “You might be able to see someone you’d ordinarily have to pay a lot to see or someone who doesn’t come through the Midwest very often. It’s a very low-stress way to see some great music with great production.”
Rochester Music Series Details
Sundays, 7-9:30 p.m.
Free and unticketed
Mayo Park
40 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, MN
All ages
Schedule
July 14: Everclear with Cindy Lawson
July 21: Elvie Shane with Aaron Simmons
July 28: Vanessa Lee Carlton with Madison Parish Ensemble
August 4: Nat Myers with Molly Brandt
August 11: Max Weinberg’s Jukebox with Orange Goodness
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Carol Roth is the primary writer, social media manager, podcast producer and event-calendar updater for Adventures in Americana. By day she’s a marketing writer/brand strategist. In addition to playing guitar and songwriting, she writes self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley.
