Labor Day weekend is giving us a pretty good excuse to turn the volume up.
We found 18 live music picks stretching all the way from Friday night through Monday afternoon, and this might be one of the most varied lineups we’ve put together this summer.
There’s classic rock from Grand Funk Railroad, Los Lobos at a vineyard, Goo Goo Dolls with Neon Trees, reggae on the Niantic River and in downtown New London, the music of the Beatles and Stones going head-to-head, and Badfish bringing Sublime to the beach. You can even join the choir at the UNITED and sing “Come On Eileen.”
Prefer something a little different? Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brings the funk, Mystic Dead takes us into Grateful Dead territory, Salt Marsh Opera performs Tosca at the Stonington Lighthouse, and the U.S. Coast Guard Band gives us a free concert overlooking Long Island Sound on Monday.
Four days. Eighteen shows.
Here’s where to find the music this Labor Day weekend.
Speakeasy Choir: “Come On Eileen” at the UNITED
Fri. @ 7:00 pm
The UNITED and Chorus of Westerly turn the audience into the performers for a one-night collaborative choir, teaching everyone Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen” before bringing it all together.
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Grand Funk Railroad at Foxwoods
Fri. @ 8:00 pm
Grand Funk Railroad brings more than five decades of classic rock to the Great Cedar Showroom, including favorites like “We’re an American Band,” “The Loco-Motion” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.”
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Mystic Dead at the Charlestown Rathskeller
Fri. @ 8:00 pm
Mystic Dead brings the music and improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead to the Rathskeller for three hours of classic songs, extended jams and outdoor Friday-night energy.
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Labor Day Weekend at Stonington Vineyards
Sat. @ 1:30 pm
Stonington Vineyards kicks off its Labor Day weekend celebration with an afternoon of live music, local wine and food in the vineyard.
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Red Lion Reggae Band on the Niantic River
Sat. @ 5:00 pm
Red Lion Reggae Band brings an evening of reggae rhythms to the Niantic River waterfront for a laid-back Labor Day weekend performance by the water.
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Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery
Sat. @ 7:00 pm
Grammy-winning Los Lobos brings its unmistakable blend of rock, blues, Tex-Mex, country and Mexican musical traditions to Jonathan Edwards Winery, joined by blues-rock trio GA-20.
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Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown at Foxwoods
Sat. @ 8:00 pm
Abbey Road and Satisfaction face off in a musical battle between the Beatles and Rolling Stones, alternating sets of hits before the two tribute bands come together for the finale.
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Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the UNITED
Sat. @ 8:00 pm
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe takes over the UNITED Black Box for a high-energy night blending funk, soul and rock from one of the jam scene’s most celebrated live acts.
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Sugar at the Charlestown Rathskeller
Sat. @ 8:00 pm
Sugar brings a high-energy mix built for dancing to the Rathskeller’s outdoor stage for three hours of live music beneath the trees.
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Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime at Paddy’s Beach Club
Sat. @ 9:00 pm
Rhode Island-born Badfish celebrates the music of Sublime with ska, punk and reggae on the beach at Paddy’s, joined by Rhode Island ska-punk band TJ & The Campers.
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ROMXN with Mutter & The Knife Kickers at Oasis Pub
Sat. @ 9:00 pm
Providence’s underground music scene takes over Oasis Pub as ROMXN, Mutter and The Knife Kickers bring alt-pop, indie rock and raw emo-folk to downtown New London.
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Ben Freiert at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard
Sun. @ 3:00 pm
Local musician Ben Freiert provides the Sunday soundtrack at Kingdom of the Hawk, pairing live music with vineyard views, wine and food from Fire in the Kitchen Pizza.
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60’s Explosion at the Charlestown Rathskeller
Sun. @ 4:00 pm
60’s Explosion turns Sunday afternoon into a trip through the British Invasion, Motown and psychedelic rock with a free three-hour show at the Rathskeller.
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Music at the Lighthouse: A Tosca Portrait
Sun. @ 5:30 pm
Salt Marsh Opera brings A Tosca Portrait to the Stonington Lighthouse, featuring soprano Emily Margevich, tenor John Pickle, pianist Simon Holt and a string quartet performing excerpts from Puccini’s Tosca.
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Shoreline Reggae Fest at Hygienic Art Park
Sun. @ 6:00 pm
Reggae takes over Hygienic Art Park for a Labor Day weekend festival bringing live music and island rhythms to downtown New London.
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The Fixx, Colin Blunstone & Peter Asher
Sun. @ 7:00 pm
Three generations of British rock come together as The Fixx, Colin Blunstone, the unmistakable voice of The Zombies, and Peter Asher of Peter & Gordon share one bill.
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Goo Goo Dolls with Special Guest Neon Trees
Sun. @ 7:30 pm
Goo Goo Dolls bring decades of alternative-rock hits to the stage with special guest Neon Trees, pairing two bands with plenty of instantly recognizable songs.
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Free U.S. Coast Guard Band Concert at Avery Point
Mon. @ 2:00 pm
The U.S. Coast Guard Band closes out Labor Day weekend with a free outdoor concert overlooking Long Island Sound at UConn Avery Point in Groton.
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