Rotaryfest Stage 1 Concert Previews!!

It's now time for our second concert preview post of the day, but be sure to check out our previews of non-Rotary shows from tonight through Saturday in Sault Ontario in the post below this one! This post is 100% devoted to our extended preview of this year's Rotaryfest Stage 1 lineup at Clergue Park, as there are three days worth of live music in store once again as part of our annual summer festival, and before we dive into the schedules, remember that the music is FREE and ALL AGES as usual! Of course, visit Rotaryfest's website for full details on the extensive non-musical events this weekend. We'll start at the covers-only main stage TONIGHT, whose lineup is themed "A Musical Journey Through The Years", but it remains hard rock free as usual. Today's headliners are 1960s classic rock cover quartet The Peace Vibe at 10:00 PM, with new classic rock quintet Jukebox Deluxe playing at 9:00 PM, 50s-60s classic rock band Flathead Ford at 8:00 PM, country veterans Crossroad at 7:00 PM, and new jazz/blues collective Lise White & The Sault Crew at 6:00 PM.

Though Flathead Ford & Crossroad are each making their third Rotaryfest appearance, tonight's bands are mostly making their Rotaryfest debuts, so if you like classic rock in particular, be at Stage 1 tonight, and remember, it's FREE & ALL AGES, as is to be expected!

TOMORROW'S Stage 1 lineup (which is themed "Rock the Night Away") will remain at just 5 bands for a third straight year, but a solid lineup is on hand, with local hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom rocking the main stage for the second time in three years as the 10:00 PM headliners, and they should be in fine form with their party-inspired covers! R&B cover big band The Reptiles will return to the festival at 9:00 PM in their sixth Stage 1 set since 2009, while classic rock veterans Mustang Heart take the mantle of Rotaryfest's iron men (and woman) by continuing their 12+ year run of main stage sets at 8:00 PM. Newer hard rock quartet The 3 Day Millionaires will make their Rotaryfest debut tomorrow at 7:00 PM (which should pique the interest of fans who ever wanted to see their sister band Havadder on Stage 1), while classic rockers Mid Life Crysis will play their fifth straight Rotaryfest set to open tomorrow's lineup at 6:00 PM.

Though only The 3 Day Millionaires are new to Rotaryfest, just 2 of tomorrow's bands played the festival last year, so there's enough variance from 2015 that skeptical fans should be receptive, especially if you love classic and hard rock! Be there tomorrow for the FREE & ALL AGES action, and here's Stiffler's Mom at Rotaryfest two years ago!

And finally for Stage 1, the covers action concludes on SATURDAY with music all day at Clergue Park for what is called the "Saturday Sound Smorgasbord", and for the third time in four years, two out of town bands are on tap! Pembroke folk/classic rockers The Ghost Town Cryers (featuring veteran local musician Kyle McKey) will headline at 10:15 PM, while his brother Dean and his London-based Beatles/Paul McCartney tribute The McCartney Years are the day's featured band at 8:30 PM. It's great to see the McKey brothers (and former Sailor's Tongue bandmates) back home, so be sure to give them a big welcome back! The highest placed local or hard rock band are classic/hard rock veterans That's Chester at 7:00 PM, in their (at least) seventh Rotaryfest appearance, their first show since the passing of guitarist Eugene Orlando last fall & their preceding stage production of The Who's Tommy, and first traditional concert set since last year's Rotaryfest. I'm sure That's Chester will do Eugene proud in their long awaited return, so rock out with them as well on Saturday!

Note that That's Chester's Facebook page has been strongly hinting that their set will feature guest singers in some fashion, though to what extent (or their identities) have not been publically confirmed. If we hear anything, we'll let you know! Country rock cover favourites Mojo will make their festival debut at 6:00 PM, while hard rock cover quartet Griphook will play Stage 1 for the fourth straight year at 5:00 PM, also marking just their second announced show since last year's main stage. Hopefully the guys have more in the works, they've been missed as of late! Classic rock veterans Obsession will play their eighth Rotaryfest set since 2008 at 4:00 PM, while classic rock quartet RPM (with new bassist Rob Gilmar in tow) will play the main stage for the first time at 3:00 PM. New classic rock/country cover band Indians & Cowboys (not the defunct original indie band Cowboys & Indians) will hit the stage at 2:00 PM, while classic rock veterans Coverfly will open Saturday's lineup at 1:00 PM in their eighth Rotaryfest set in nine years.

Very strong Saturday lineup this year, and while it is familiar from past years, the double whammy of homecoming sets for the McKey brothers, the long awaited return of That's Chester, and three debuting local bands should keep things varied enough! Of course, it's worth noting that recent Rotaryfest regulars like The Bob Jenkins Band, Spyder's Web, Summer Thunder, and Thin Ice are not playing this year, but hopefully they'll be back in the future, as their fans will miss them in 2016! Saturday's Stage 1 lineup is of course FREE & ALL AGES, so check the above links for full details on this year's covers-centric main stage, and here's That's Chester (with Eugene) last year!



That's all for today, but stay tuned next for Sault Michigan concert previews and more! Thanks everyone!