Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots at the Charlestown Rathskeller
Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots at the Charlestown Rathskeller on Friday, August 28, for a summer night of live music in the woods.
The North Stonington singer-songwriter and his band take the Rathskeller’s outdoor stage from 8 to 11 p.m., just one night after performing at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun.
Tickets are $15 in advance, plus fees, or $20 at the door.
A Country Singer from North Stonington
Bosse’s path into country music began close to home.
The North Stonington native started performing cover gigs in local bars around 2013 before forming The Northern Roots with drummer John Spaulding the following year. What began on small southeastern Connecticut stages gradually developed into a regional act performing at casinos, festivals, fairs, vineyards and concert series throughout New England.
Bosse describes himself as a Nashville recording artist, but his musical identity remains firmly connected to New England.
His influences reach back to Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash while incorporating newer artists such as Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers. Southern rock and bluegrass fill out a sound that’s considerably rougher around the edges than contemporary pop-country.
What Happened to Country?
If there’s one song that explains what Bosse is trying to do, its title nearly does the job by itself.
“What Happened to Country” was released in 2021 and grew into his breakout recording, eventually surpassing 2 million streams on Spotify.
The song pushes back against the increasingly polished and commercial direction of mainstream country music while looking toward the storytelling and working-class character Bosse associates with the genre’s past.
That attitude runs through much of his music.
Bosse isn’t trying to reproduce vintage country note for note. The Northern Roots can move from traditional country into southern rock and bluegrass, but those older influences remain underneath it.
The Northern Roots Bring the Muscle
The Northern Roots turn Bosse’s songwriting into a full-band experience.
Throughout the group’s history, its arrangements have incorporated instruments including fiddle, pedal steel, banjo, harmonica, mandolin and upright bass alongside guitar and drums.
That broader musical palette gives the band room to move.
A song can begin in traditional country territory before the guitars push it toward southern rock, while another can lean into the acoustic textures of bluegrass and roots music.
It’s also what separates a Nick Bosse solo appearance from a Northern Roots show. The songs remain at the center, but the full band is built for a Friday night crowd.
From the Wolf Den to the Woods
The Charlestown concert comes during a particularly good two-night run for Bosse and the band.
On Thursday, August 27, Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots perform a free concert at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun.
Twenty-four hours later, they cross the Rhode Island state line and head into the woods at the Charlestown Rathskeller.
The settings couldn’t be much more different.
The Wolf Den sits in the middle of the Casino of the Earth at one of New England’s largest entertainment resorts. The Rathskeller offers an outdoor stage behind a historic tavern surrounded by trees, with a backyard bar, food, games and a bonfire nearby.
Same band. Very different Friday night.
From a 1933 Speakeasy to a Charlestown Landmark
The Charlestown Rathskeller has its own story.
The tavern dates to 1933 and traces its beginnings to a speakeasy, giving the property nearly a century of history as a gathering place in Charlestown.
Remnants of that past remain inside, including old murals in the dining room, but the modern Rathskeller has expanded well beyond the original tavern.
Its wooded property has become a warm-weather destination for food, drinks, outdoor games and live music.
Guests coming for Friday’s concert can arrive early for dinner and drinks before heading out back for the show.
Head “Down Back”
The Rathskeller calls its outdoor entertainment area “Down Back.”
Rather than a conventional theater or nightclub, the space feels more like a sprawling backyard gathering built around live music.
There’s an outdoor stage, backyard bar and burger shack, along with a bonfire and lawn games including cornhole and bocce.
Throughout the warmer months, the Rathskeller uses Down Back for regional country, rock, tribute and party bands.
It’s difficult to imagine a much more natural setting for The Northern Roots.
A country band with southern rock and bluegrass running through its music gets a stage in the woods, a crowd with drinks in hand and three hours to stretch out.
A Growing New England Following
Bosse has steadily expanded his audience beyond southeastern Connecticut.
His performances have included headlining appearances at both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, along with shows at festivals and venues throughout the region. He has also been recognized as Male Performer of the Year by the New England Music Awards.
But the band’s local and regional shows remain a major part of its identity.
That makes the Rathskeller date less about a Connecticut musician visiting Rhode Island and more about a regional act playing in its own backyard. The state line is only a few miles away, and The Northern Roots have drawn musicians and audiences from both Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Dinner First, Boots Later
The Friday-night setup makes this an easy event to turn into an evening rather than simply a three-hour concert.
The Rathskeller encourages concertgoers to arrive early for dinner and drinks before heading Down Back for the performance.
Advance tickets cost $15 plus fees. Tickets at the door are $20, subject to availability.
The event has a no-refund policy.
Then, from 8 to 11 p.m., the focus moves to Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots.
Expect original songs, country storytelling and a sound that can wander from Waylon Jennings territory toward southern rock without losing sight of where it started.
After all, Bosse built one of his biggest songs around a question.
What happened to country?
Friday night in the Charlestown woods might offer his answer.
Event Details
Event: Nick Bosse & Northern Roots at the Charlestown Rathskeller 2026
Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
Time: 8–11 p.m.
Location: The Charlestown Rathskeller
Address: 489A Old Coach Road, Charlestown, RI 02813
Tickets: $15 online plus fees; $20 at the door
Refunds: No refunds
Performer: Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots
Music: Country, southern rock, roots and bluegrass influences
Setting: Outdoor live music at the Rathskeller’s Down Back entertainment area
Guests can arrive early for dinner and drinks at the Rathskeller before heading Down Back for the concert.
More information is available at the Event Website link below.
To purchase tickets, 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.
