Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026
Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026 brings Motown, soul, R&B, classic rock, and blues to the woods of Charlestown on Sunday, September 13, with a free afternoon performance from 4 to 7 p.m.
Jus-Tus is a familiar presence at the Rathskeller, where the duo has become particularly well suited to Sunday afternoons Down Back. Rather than the high-volume tribute bands and rock shows that fill many Friday and Saturday nights, Jus-Tus leans into bluesy vocals, guitar, and songs that have been around long enough for much of the crowd to know them by heart.
Admission is free. Guests can RSVP in advance through Eventbrite or simply show up, with the Rathskeller suggesting an early arrival for lunch or drinks before the music begins.
Motown, Soul and R&B With a Classic-Rock Side
The Rathskeller has described Jus-Tus as a local duo with decades of musical chemistry, and its appearances there reveal a broader repertoire than the usual shorthand of “classic vibes.”
At its 2025 season-closing concert, the venue described Jus-Tus as performing Motown, soul and R&B hits that cross generations. For its 2026 appearances, the Rathskeller has highlighted the duo’s bluesy vocals and smooth guitar, while its June Art Festival performance was promoted around a mix of classic rock and blues.
Put those descriptions together and the picture becomes clearer.
This isn’t a narrowly defined blues act or a band devoted to one era. Jus-Tus works from the American songbook that grew out of soul, Motown, rhythm and blues, blues and classic rock, with arrangements scaled to the intimacy of a duo.
That makes the group a different proposition from many of the acts appearing on the Rathskeller’s late-summer calendar. The weekend begins September 11 with eight-piece funk, soul and rock band Take It To The Bridge. Saturday turns considerably heavier with Alice in Chains tribute Nutshell and System of a Down tribute Free Thinkers Are Dangerous.
Then Sunday afternoon belongs to Jus-Tus.
A Duo the Rathskeller Keeps Bringing Back
The September 13 performance isn’t a one-off booking.
Jus-Tus has become one of the recurring acts in the Rathskeller’s outdoor music series, with multiple appearances during the 2026 season.
The duo played a free Sunday show on May 10, returned June 28 as the musical act for the Rathskeller’s annual Art Festival and came back again August 2. September 13 marks another Sunday afternoon appearance as the outdoor season moves toward fall.
That recurring relationship says something useful about what to expect.
Jus-Tus isn’t being booked to turn Down Back into a massive concert. Its role is closer to providing the soundtrack for the entire property: music substantial enough to sit and watch, but relaxed enough that people can eat, have a drink, talk with friends and spend an afternoon outside without every other part of the experience competing with the stage.
The Rathskeller describes the duo’s shows as laid-back but fully engaging.
For a Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m., that’s probably the point.
Down Back in the Woods
The setting helps.
The Charlestown Rathskeller sits at 489A Old Coach Road, tucked into a wooded property away from the busier commercial strips of South County.
Behind the restaurant is Down Back, the Rathskeller’s seasonal outdoor entertainment area. The grounds include a stage, outdoor seating, lawn games and a large central fire pit, creating something closer to a backyard music venue than a conventional restaurant patio.
During the warmer months, the Rathskeller builds much of its entertainment schedule around the space, with live music generally running from spring into fall.
The programming can change considerably from one night to the next. Tribute bands, rock groups, country acts, funk and soul bands and smaller acoustic performers all appear on the calendar.
September is particularly busy. Following Jus-Tus, the schedule continues with Aquanett on September 18, Blizzard of Ozz on September 19, the Take It To The Bridge Trio on September 20, Nick Casey on September 25, Steve Smith & The Nakeds on September 26 and Roc-Kin’-On on September 27.
It’s essentially a final full month of outdoor music before cooler weather begins taking over South County.
Make Lunch or Dinner Part of It
Because Jus-Tus doesn’t begin until 4 p.m., the show falls directly between lunch and dinner.
The Rathskeller opens at noon on Sundays, and the kitchen remains open until 10 p.m., so there’s no need to choose between eating and catching the band.
The menu mixes pub food with New England staples and more substantial entrées. Burgers, wings and the Rathskeller’s signature fries share the menu with clam chowder, stuffies, calamari, fish and chips, linguine and clams, steak frites and jägerschnitzel.
There’s a full bar as well, with beer, wine and cocktails.
For the best choice of outdoor seating, arriving before the 4 p.m. start makes sense. Down Back operates more like festival-style outdoor seating than a traditional theater, and a free show doesn’t come with an assigned table or chair.
Come early, order something, find a comfortable spot and settle in.
One of the Easier Sunday Plans of September
There are events that require planning: timed admission, advance tickets, parking strategies and schedules that need to be studied before leaving home.
This isn’t one of them.
Jus-Tus starts at 4. Admission costs nothing. The restaurant is already open. Food and drinks are available on the property. The band plays for three hours, and the Rathskeller remains open after the final song.
Even the music fits the lack of complication.
Motown and soul. R&B and blues. Classic rock. Guitar and vocals. Familiar songs played by a local duo that has spent enough time on the Rathskeller stage to know the room — or, in this case, the backyard.
Sometimes Sunday afternoon doesn’t need a more elaborate plan than that.
Details
Event: Jus-Tus at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
Time: 4–7 p.m.
Performer: Jus-Tus
Music: Motown, soul, R&B, classic rock and blues
Admission: Free
RSVP: Free advance RSVP available through Eventbrite; walk-ins are also welcome
Venue: The Charlestown Rathskeller
Address: 489A Old Coach Road, Charlestown, RI 02813
Setting: Seasonal outdoor live music at the Rathskeller’s Down Back entertainment area
Food: Full restaurant menu available
Sunday Hours: Noon–10 p.m.
Kitchen Hours: Noon–10 p.m.
Phone: 401-792-1000
More information is available at the Event Website link below.
For free advance registration, click the Event Ticketing link below.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.