Concerts in the Park are free concerts at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Rd, Wake Forest, presented by The Town of Wake Forest, Wake Forest ARTS, PineCone, and United Arts of Raleigh & Wake County. The concerts start at 5 p.m. in the amphitheater. Food and drink will be available for purchase, or you can bring your own picnic. In case of inclement weather the concerts will be held at Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts, 405 S. Brooks St. No alcoholic beverages, smoking, or firearms.
Christiane & The Strays
Sunday, Aug. 7; 5 pm
Christiane and the Strays have a wide range of musical interests, from bluegrass to alternative rock to neo-soul, and their music reflects that broad mix of influences in original songs and an array of often surprising covers resulting in an interesting and energetic take on Americana music. Josh Kearns (mandolin) draws on mandolin influences of Sam Bush, Matt Flinner, John Reischman, and Adam Steffey overlaid on a musical backdrop of ’70s rockers like Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie; and Rachael Kearns (fiddle) blends old-time and bluegrass fiddle approaches on the five-string with fluidity while providing bell-like vocal harmonies.
Dark Water Rising
Sunday, Sept. 4; 5 pm
Dark Water Rising was described by the Indy Week’s Sylvia Pfeiffenberger as “Native Americans who piece together Southern rock full of gospel harmonies, hip-hop inflections and Motown soul with a journeyman work ethic. With bold songwriting and bewitching arrangements, DWR breaks rules effortlessly.” The band has performed up and down the East Coast and has garnered considerable radio airplay, including appearances on NPR’s The Story with Dick Gordon and The State of Things with Frank Stasio. In 2014, they were nominated for three more Native American Music Awards, including Group of the Year, and they took home the award for Best Gospel/Inspirational Recording, competing against Cree, Cherokee, Apache, and Meskwaki nominees. They’re currently hard at work on their third album.