Free Concerts Done Right: Richard Thompson, Raul Malo, Willie Nile & More

Richard Thompson first performed at Woodbridge Arts on July 25, 2020

Recent relaxations of COVID-era restrictions have encouraged some concert promoters and venue operators to begin booking new concerts rather than simply repeatedly postponing concerts that were supposed to happen in 2020. The real question is whether the public is willing to re-engage and attend events where several hundred people are gathered, eating and drinking without masks. One concert promoter masterfully designed a socially-distanced formula for gathering musicians safely with large numbers of music fans -- and the admission to the concerts is free! 

Last summer, even with COVID-era barriers, Woodbridge Arts presented a free outdoor concert series that included performances by Richard Thompson, Bandits on the Run, the Chapin Sisters and many others. Everything fell into place for a professional presentation -- staging, lighting, sound system, parking, concessions and more. At a time when few live music events were being staged anywhere, Woodbridge Arts safely hosted free nightly concerts for hundreds of music-starved patrons.

Bandits on the Run at Woodbridge Arts on September 2, 2020

The Chapin Sisters at Woodbridge Arts on September 2, 2020

Once again this summer, concerts will be held on the lawn of Woodbridge High School, just across the Hudson River from Staten Island. Upon arrival, guests will find free parking. Guests can bring blankets, lawn chairs, picnic baskets, and dogs on leashes to first-come first-served socially-distant squares outlined in white paint. Guests can purchase food, beer and wine at food trucks. The lawn is barrier free for wheelchair users.

No tickets. No reservations. No service fees. No hassles.

Photograph from the Woodbridge Arts website

Woodbridge Wednesdays is sponsored by Woodbridge Township and local businesses. Woodbridge Arts also will present live music on Country Sundays, Oldies Mondays, Tribute Tuesdays, and Local Band Thursdays. 

Here is the Woodbridge Wednesdays schedule for 2021. 

June 23: Richard Thompson, Zara Phillips

June 30: Tristan McIntosh, Jackson Pines

July 7: Raul Malo

July 14: Crystal Bowersox

July 21: Meta & the Cornerstones

July 28: Nella

August 4: Screaming Orphans

August 11: The Sea the Sea

August 18: Savoy Brown

August 25: Honey Island Swamp Band

September 1: Willie Nile, Emily Duff

Tribute Tuesdays
June 22: Sensational Soul Cruisers
June 29: Best of the Eagles (The Eagles tribute)
July 6: Real Diamond (Neil Diamond tribute)
July 13: Frontiers (Journey tribute)
July 20: Starman (David Bowie tribute)
July 27: Forever Ray (Ray Charles tribute)
Aug. 3: Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute)
Aug. 10: Beatlemania Again (The Beatles tribute)
Aug. 17: The Blue Meanies (The Monkees tribute))
Aug. 24: Forever Simon and Garfunkel (Simon & Garfunkel tribute)
Aug. 31: Saints in the City (Bruce Springsteen tribute)

Country Sundays
June 27: Southern Steel (southern rock tribute)
July 11: ZBTB (The Zac Brown Band tribute)
July 18: Kinderhook
July 25: The Guthrie Brothers
Aug. 1: Live at the Fillmore (The Allman Brothers Band tribute)
Aug. 8: Laurel Canyon (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tribute)
Aug. 15: Pirate Flag (Kenny Chesney tribute)
Aug. 22: Deadgrass (bluegrass Grateful Dead tribute)
Aug. 29: Panama Dead (The New Riders of the Purple Sage tribute)
Sept. 5: The Linda Ronstadt Experience (Linda Ronstadt tribute)