Back In the Norwich Groove: 5 Acts You Have to See at the Rose Arts Festival
With summer just beginning, it’s that time of year in New England when there’s going to be a bunch of cool stuff going on every weekend. Stacked tours are rolling through various venues around the region along with numerous festivals taking place either on a grandiose scale or in a small, more localized fashion. Leaning towards the latter is the Rose Arts Festival, which is taking place all over downtown Norwich, Connecticut on June 28 & 29. There’s a ton of talented acts taking part in this year’s edition with it being free admission and all ages, which makes it an ideal and affordable way to have fun with the whole family. To know who you can’t miss out on, here are five must-see acts who will be performing.
June 28 @ These Guys Brewing Company
78 Franklin Street
7:45–9:30pm
A singer-songwriter who has been a bit of a troubadour due to living in places such as Charleston, South Carolina, Providence and Boston among other locations, Jacob is bound to encapsulate whoever is listening to him perform with his stellar and soulful voice. He’s a fantastic storyteller with his songs and he possesses an uncanny ability to take over a room by himself with a guitar in his hands. That’s exactly what he’ll be doing when he performs during the Rose Arts Festival’s opening night.
June 29 @ Chelsea Parade
11:15–11:55am
Dred Buffalo are an incredible act based both in Bristol, Rhode Island and Plymouth, Massachusetts who have been ripping up the scene with sheer emphasis over the past couple of years. The quartet of vocalist Alerisa Rose, guitarist Chase Cavacco, drummer Logan Underwood and bassist Nate Svogun have a sound that evokes the best qualities of ’70s blues-rock while exhibiting an electrifying cohesiveness. Also, Rose could very well be the best singer in the festival’s lineup and I’m not just saying that to shoot the breeze.
June 29 @ Chelsea Parade
5–6:15pm
A band who has been really blowing up around the festival circuit is Doom Flamingo, who hail from Charleston. Their synth-dosed blend of funk, rock and soul is infectious while creating a unique experience for anyone who gives them a listen. I have a feeling that they’re going to be making some people dance when they do their thing on stage, so make sure to get in on that when it happens.
June 29 @ Chelsea Parade
7–8:30pm
Ever since a friend of mine told me about him a few years ago, I’ve been a huge fan of Neal Francis and his music. He’s not your typical Chicago artist with his New Orleans influenced approach and a sound that evokes the greatness of the ’70s singer-songwriter era. Him and his band are incredible live, and you should check out the live album Francis Comes Alive before seeing them close things out on the Chelsea Parade stage.
June 29 @ Strange Brew
86 Water Street
10:30–11:45pm
One Time Weekend are a fantastic progressive rock act who are based out of an underrated music scene in Hartford. They’re all about high-energy and abstract structures, which is what folks should expect when they play at Strange Brew as part of the evening portion of the event. Bassist and lead vocalist Ian D’Arcangelo is going to be performing earlier from 8:45–9:20pm at Billy Wilson’s Ageing Still located on 57 Broadway, so go see him play some of his solo material beforehand.
These are only a handful of the many acts who are going to be showcasing their musical talents at this year’s Rose Arts Festival. For all the info, here’s the full schedule.
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