The Friends of The Lerner has announced the return of the Lerner on the Lawn series for 2023.
The monthly free concerts will take place at the Central Green in Downtown Elkhart in partnership with ArtWalk.
ArtWalk kicks off at 5 p.m., followed by Lerner on the Lawn at 6 p.m. on the Central Green in Downtown Elkhart.
Dates and Performers of Lerner on the Lawn:
Thursday, May 25th at 6:00pm – GIZZAE
Gizzae is truly a band of the world – With musicians hailing from the four corners of the Earth, Rocket and Gizzae have been playing for crowds across the country for over 35 years! Their musical experiences have collectively earned them Grammy® awards, Chicago Music Awards and they have opened for some of the biggest names in Reggae. They have also recorded and played professionally with such acts as: Ziggy Marley, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Third World, Toots and Maytals, Burning Spear and Carly Simon.
Thursday, June 29th at 6:00pm – THE MENUS
On June 3rd, 1983, in a small basement in a small house on the west side of Cincinnati, Ohio, The Menus were born! There have been many changes over the years including song selection, wardrobe changes, skateboarding, props, trapeze swinging and of course balloon kicking. Name a song, costume or stunt and lead singer, Tim Goldrainer, has most likely done it. 2023 marks 40 years of high-energy performances and balloon-kicking fun with no end in sight. As long as people continue to show up at the shows, Tim will continue to keep the energy level high and make sure the people are happy and well entertained.
Thursday, July 27th at 6:00pm – DAVE BENNETT
Dave Bennett doesn’t fit the mold. For starters, you don’t find many jazz clarinet players who name Alice Cooper, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Chris Isaak among their influences. You won’t find many musicians who are equally conversant with the music of Benny Goodman (the “King of Swing”) and Roy Orbison (“The Soul of Rock and Roll”). In fact, you may not find even one other clarinet virtuoso who breaks from his Swing Era repertoire to sing rockabilly hits while accompanying himself at the piano or electric guitar.
Dave began his national touring career at the age of 14. He has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops (2013) and has been featured with 35 other US and Canadian orchestras including Nashville, Houston, Detroit, Rochester, Omaha, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Orlando, San Antonio, Jacksonville, Portland, OR and Portland, ME. Some of his annual appearances include The Elkhart Jazz Festival, The Suncoast Classic Jazz Festival, The Arizona Classic Jazz Festival, The Sacramento Hot Jazz Jubilee, The Clambake Music Festival, and The Redwood Coast Music Festival.
Thursday, August 31st at 6:00pm – MI GENTE LIVE
Mi Gente Live is a young, energetic Latin pop show that brings the party to life! Produced with authentic Latin performers, this show offers iconic hits of Selena, Ricky Martin, J-Lo, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Maluma, Pitbull, Gloria Estefan, Romeo Santos, Carlos Vives, Prince Royce, and so much more! This is the best of old school vs new school, and one of the best Latin shows around!
Thursday, September 28th at 6:00pm – HOOKED LIKE HELEN
In a house in the woods about 40 miles west of Cleveland, Hooked Like Helen began as the musical brainstorms of husband-and-wife, Jon and Nikki Stipp. Experimental home recordings quickly developed into an alt-pop vision; within a year of the project’s inception, Nikki and Jon had shaped a new sound that reflected their truth and their influences in a seamless blend of organic and electronic production.
Thursday, October 26th at 6:00pm – 90’S FOOL HOUSE
Fool House is THE ULTIMATE 90’s DANCE PARTY! A LIVE musical event paying homage to the golden era of boy bands, pop stars, hip hop, and pop punk. With a larger-than-life production, this show recreates the sights, sounds, and energy of the biggest stars of the 90’s. Nonstop sing along, party throwbacks and choreographed dance moves is what this show is all about! Come prepared to sing your heart out and dance all night long!
