Concerts and Festivals
For when you just need to get out in the sun, listen to some live music or enjoy a county fair.
By Sophia Rutti
Herndon Friday Night Live!
May 1-Aug. 28 Come enjoy free Friday Night Live concerts on the Herndon Town Green. Performances include both popular local musicians and artists from up and down the East Coast. The musical performances will cover a variety of styles including classic and modern rock. / Town Green, Herndon; herndonrocks.com; free
Lubber Run Amphitheater Summer Concert Series
June 12-Sept. 19 | On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all summer long, the Lubber Run Amphitheater invites you to come and watch a variety of free performances in their annual tradition. / Lubber Run Amphitheater, Arlington; arlingtonarts.org; free
Castleton Festival
June 28-Aug. 2 | The Castleton Festival will blend performances of classical music, theater and opera from both established artists and people who are new to the profession. All placed within the idyllic hills of Rappahannock County, this festival boasts performances such as “Romeo and Juliet,” “Our Town” and a symphonic concert with maestro Fabio Luisi. / Castleton Festival Theater & Theater House, Castleton; castletonfestival.org
Summer Sounds Concerts
June 27-Sept. 5 | Get your picnics, blankets and chairs ready and come and enjoy free concerts in beautiful Old Town Manassas. Every other Saturday starting in June there will be a variety of concerts to watch. The musical performances include Russian music, traditional bluegrass, Latin fusion and more. / Harris Pavilion, Old Town Manassas; center-for-the-arts.org; free
Leesburg Sunday Concerts at the Courthouse
June 29-Aug. 3 | Every Sunday, come listen to a variety of eclectic and unique performances in Leesburg. Some of the performers include the Dixie Power Trio, Solas and Pan Masters. / Loudoun County Courthouse, Leesburg; bluemont.org
Def Leppard, Styx & Tesla
July 2 | The 1980s aren’t ready to be laid to rest just yet, so put on some leather, play some air guitar and listen to nothing but hits from Def Leppard, Styx & Tesla. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Kid Rock & Foreigner
July 8 | It doesn’t really matter whether Kid Rock is a country star or a rapper when he teams up with rock heroes Foreigner for a dynamic and unforgettable show. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Dierks Bentley
July 10 | If country music is the new black, then this concert is the little black dress. Dierks Bentley, Kip Moore, Maddie & Tae and Canaan Smith light up the stage with their cowboy boots and southern drawls. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Alexandria Live Music Week
July 10-19 | The city of Alexandria is introducing its first-ever live music week. Over a span of 10 days, there will be more than 30 venues hosting live music. The musical selection will range from jazz to bluegrass, folk rock, country and more. A few of the venues are Birchmere, Blackwall Hitch and the Old Town Farmers Market. / Venues throughout Alexandria; livemusicweek.com
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
July 12 | When you’ve been recording albums since 1976, it’s safe to say that you’re a veteran of the music world. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes have inspired decades of musicians and are continuing to perform their hits in concert. / Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria; birchmere.com
Toad the Wet Sprocket
July 14 & 15 | The ’90s are back at Birchmere. Toad the Wet Sprocket, while on tour with Smash Mouth and Tonic, will be making a solo stop in Alexandria. Toad the Wet Sprocket will be playing the tunes from their 1991 album “fear,” and they will also be serenading concertgoers with the latest tracks from “New Constellation.” / Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria; birchmere.com
Fauquier Fair
July 16-19 | The Fauquier County fair is the epitome of a country fair. There will be carnival rides and games, an “agricadabra” show and a petting zoo. There will also be a booty shake contest, a pizza eating contest and a hub cap hurl. / Fauquier County Fairgrounds, Warrenton; fauquierfair.org
Idina Menzel
July 18 | Idina Menzel is a genuine Broadway star whose voice acting in “Frozen” has catapulted her to international fame. She’ll light up concert stages for every fan who just can’t “Let it Go.” / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Nicki Minaj
July 22 | With the release of her third album, “The Pinkprint,” Nicki Minaj proved herself as a rapper/singer who won’t soon be leaving the public eye. With her wild antics, bubble gum pink hair and exciting songs, her concerts always prove to be a spectacle. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Diana Krall
July 25 | Diana Krall is a five-time Grammy winner whose sweet jazz melodies inspire everyone who hears them. She will be playing music from her new album, “Wallflower,” with the help of the Wolf Trap Orchestra. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
July 30 | Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, like their contradictory name, are known for blending together seemingly separate styles of music such as blues, soul, reggae and rock into one to create unique and eclectic music to make their live performances explosive. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Steely Dan
Aug. 5 | With four decades of music to draw from, Steely Dan promises a concert that draws from their very best music. With Elvis Costello and the Imposters as the opening act, this concert is one of veterans with lifetimes of experience and success. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
The Piano Guys
Aug. 6 | As their name suggests, The Piano Guys light up the stage with beautiful piano and cello music playing a range from classical music to pop music as well as some of their own original works. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Toby Keith & Eli Young Band
Aug. 8 | Toby Keith and Eli Young Band know how to take a concert and make it an interactive party. With countless hits, fun-loving performers and the perfect country tailgate, this concert will be all you could want from the country music experience. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
J. Cole
Aug. 9 | What happens when you put a hip-hop artist, an R&B singer and a rapper on a stage together? You get an unforgettable concert that effortlessly blends different styles of music. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Slipknot
Aug. 11 | If you’re looking for mayhem, for anarchy, for absolute musical chaos—metalheads, look no further. Slipknot’s Last Stand Tour will deliver an iconic performance with help from Lamb of God and Bullet for My Valentine. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Needtobreathe
Aug. 11 | Sometimes just one band isn’t enough. Switchfoot, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors and Colony House join Needtobreathe so you can immerse yourself in alternative rock with a few of the biggest names in the genre. Their hit songs are the type that get stuck in your head. Prepare to hum the same tune for days. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire
Aug. 14 | Funk and jazz were meant to be fused, and at this concert expect to hear them as they should be. Hit songs by Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire will exemplify the match-made-in-heaven combination of the two for an exciting night. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Little Big Town
Aug. 15 | If you’ve got a country song stuck in your head but you aren’t quite sure who sings it, then it is probably by Little Big Town. They’ve surged on the country scene in the last few years with songs like “Day Drinking” and “Sober.” / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
The Lucketts Fair
Aug. 15-16 | At this fair there will be a little bit of everything. More than 100 crafters will be on-site demonstrating their trade, and at least 15 well-known local authors will talk about their work. Antique vendors will be lining the field while you enjoy musical entertainment, demonstrations, great food, pony rides and more for the kids. / Lucketts Community Center, Leesburg; theluckettsfair.com; free
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
Aug. 19 | Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have not only written some of the most iconic songs ever released—“Grease” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”—but they have also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To miss this concert would be to miss a legend. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
The Beach Boys
Aug. 23 | If anyone could exemplify the way it feels to be enjoying a day in the sun, it would be the Beach Boys with their memorable summer soundtracks. With their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their success has been noted, but their music and concerts really speak for themselves. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Nickelback
Aug. 25 | Nickelback is a Canadian rock band that just won’t quit after nearly two decades of success. With the release of their eighth album, “No Fixed Address,” fans can expect a new and exciting concert with the same great performers they’ve come to trust. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
Santana
Aug. 25 | Ten-time Grammy-winning guitarist Carlos Santana blends Latin, rock and blues music to create his own unique sound. One of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists,” his performance of hit songs will make you feel like you’re hearing them for the first time again. / Wolf Trap: Filene Center, Vienna; wolftrap.org
Tim McGraw
Aug. 28 | If there were a king of country music, it would be Tim McGraw with his unstoppable career and on-stage charisma. Put on your cowboy boots because he is teaming up with Billy Currington and Chase Bryant for his Shotgun Rider Tour. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
5 Seconds of Summer
Sept. 6 | 5 Seconds of Summer is a young Australian boy band that has skyrocketed to the top of the charts. They promise an exciting and fresh show that will delight fans. / Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow; livenation.com
(July 2015)