Who needs to Rush to the City? Town unveils generation-spanning Concerts in the Park Summer Series

If you weren't able to snag a ticket to Rush's sold-out Toronto concert dates this summer, Aurora is offering the next best thing as part of its Concerts in the Park summer series.

Epic Rush – the Canadian Tribute will take over the Aurora Town Park Band Shell on Wednesday, August 12, the same evening the original iconic band is playing to a packed house in Toronto.

It might not be the real thing, but Epic Rush is billed as “a high-energy tribute concert honouring the iconic sound of Rush, featuring classic hits, exceptional musicianship, and an electrifying live performance celebrating one of Canada's most influential rock bands.”

This year's TD Concerts in the Park lineup was unveiled by Mayor Tom Mrakas at Town Park, accompanied by TD representatives, on Wednesday morning.

It's a series that offers something for everyone – from tributes to Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, to the tried and tested Abbamania and Sheer Heart Attack, culminating in a showcase of grooves and tunes from the 70s to the 2000s with The 99s, the sister group to the popular Dwayne Gretzky.

“Obviously as a Rush fan, Epic Rush is something that I'm looking forward to,” said Mayor Mrakas. “They're playing in Toronto, it's sold out, so if you can't get your tickets there to see them, come up to Aurora. I think we'll see a little bit of a bigger crowd because of the people that want to come and see that Rush music.

“I think every single concert is exciting, I think they're going to be jam-packed, and I think staff are doing a tremendous job in creating a lineup that suits the needs of everyone's musical expectations. For me personally, I'm a little bit biased because I always like an Aurora-based group, so The Beresfords are something that I will always look forward to and seeing them come here and playing their hometown – they do a phenomenal job every year.”

Indeed, the local sister-brother band The Beresfords opens the Concerts in the Park season on Wednesday, July 8, with Girls Gone Pop, a tribute to such artists as Carpenter and Roan, but also Taylor Swift and more.

“The show celebrates female artistry with a dynamic, feel-good set that turns every anthem into a movement,” say organizers.

Additional shows include:

July 15 – Sheer Heart Attack: Tribute to Queen

July 22 – History:  Tribute to Michael Jackson

July 29 – Abbamania: Tribute to Abba

August 6 – The Beatle Band

August 12 – Epic Rush

August 19 – Outlaw State of Mind and Beautifully Crazy – Tributes to Chris Stapleton & Luke Combs

August 29 – Project Phoenix: A Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, and more.

September 2 – The 99s

Each concert takes place on Wednesday evenings at Town Park from 7 – 9 p.m.

Admission is free, but donations to the Aurora Food Pantry are encouraged.

Concerts in the Park is a summer staple, with hundreds regularly filling the park each Wednesday to hear live music, meet their neighbours, and enjoy food available to purchase from local vendors.

“We always like to stretch across a wide variety of sounds and artists,” says Shelley Ware, Special Events Supervisor for the Town of Aurora. “We've reached across the pond with our tribute to Queen, but we've also looked at our Canadian roots. With Rush performing in Toronto, we're proud to have Epic Rush here on the same night. As we carry down through the series, we're thrilled to have The 99s back. That is a band everyone can resonate with because they're spanning a vast variety of music and it's just banger after banger.”

Also worth celebrating is showcasing local artists like the Beresfords and making important music anniversaries, like the 40^th anniversary of Michael Jackson's History tour.

“We're proud to have this kind of talent,” Ware continues. “Throughout the year, and it's not an exaggeration, at least seven to 10 bands are contacting our office every day. There is so much talent in this area, and so many fans and individual vocalists coming to Aurora because not only is the band shell gorgeous, but our audiences – our bands tell us they're out all over the Province travelling and they always tell us Aurora has the best audiences hands-down. The appreciation of the artists is such a treat for them and it also shows how special our community is.”

In addition to the music and on-site vendors, some returning attractions on select dates this year will be a Battle of the Artists, sponsored by Royal Rose Gallery, line-dancing to coincide with the Chris Stapleton evening, intermission shows featuring performances from local dance companies, and more.

For more information, visit aurora.ca/summerconcerts.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter