It’s a brand-new live music idea for the south side of Chilliwack that Jeff Bonner of Tractorgrease Studios has wanted to make happen for a while now.
Imagine a rocking summer concert series that lets Chilliwack music fans chill by the beautiful Vedder River listening to tunes.
“It’s turning out to be a great lineup of concerts,” says Bonner. “The best part is that it will feature lots of local talent.”
The Southside Rocks the River stage will be set up in a field near the Vedder Rotary Trail parking lot. Enter the parking lot from Vedder Road, and the concert set up will be located just to the right of it.
Anyone can stroll down the Vedder trail or walk from Garrison Crossing to get to it.
It’s going to be Thursday nights in August, for the first year of Southside Rocks, starting on Aug. 14.
“Some say nothing exciting ever happens on the south side of Chilliwack.
Well we want to show that it can rock, even more than the north side!”
What’s “really cool” is that several of the artists who were involved early with hugely popular Party in the Park phenomenon, like Lori Paul of Spiderlodge, who was “instrumental and the driving force” at the outset of Party in the Park downtown, will also be performing at this event.
So how’s the first night shaping up?
He’s got singer-songwriter Matt Lowen, along with blues artist Gerald Charlie, Dear Father, Full Tilt, Mike Alleckna, and MaggPie sharing the stage Aug. 14.
Southside Rocks the River, a free outdoor music series on the grass, just north of the Vedder Trail, on Aug. 14, Aug. 21, and Aug. 28.
Start time 6 p.m. and the music will run until 9:30 p.m.
Here are the bands slated to play:
Aug. 14
• Gerald Charlie
• Dear Father
• Mike Alleckna
• MaggPie
• Full Tilt
• Matt Lowen
Aug. 21
• The Lounge Hounds
• Spiderlodge
• Otto Bjornson
• Colebrook Shepherds
• Carrielynn Victor
Aug. 28
• The Chillbillies
• Relic’s Jetboat
• The Mud Sharks 3
• Hot Rod Gurl
• Jason Guill
