Like the flame of a roaring campfire, Peekskill’s music scene is extremely strong and geared up for a Summer of hot music. From a new outdoor music scene at Station Square on Railroad Avenue, to the Division Street Summer Series on Restaurant Row, to the Esther Place Music Series, and everything in between, the Peekskill Herald has you covered. 

Rock the Block Party at Station Square

After cheering on the runners at the Run PB Color Run and touring day one of the Peekskill Art scene during the 25th Annual Open Studios on June 1st, check out the Rock the Block Party at Station Square on Railroad Avenue, Peekskill’s newest outdoor music scene. On Saturday June 1, starting at 6pm Vinyl Siding takes the outdoor stage at the Taco Dive Bar. Then, around 8:30 pm, Peekskill’s very own Indie rock band, Phineas and the Lonely Leaves will be playing at The Central’s outdoor stage. “This is just the first of many block-wide events we are going to do at Station Square to activate our Riverfront. We had a great loss with the closure of Peekskill Brewery and didn’t want to lose energy at the Riverfront,” said John Sharp, Peekskill restaurateur and owner of The Central. 

The moniker “Station Square” is a nickname that forms a coherent clearly defined identity for the Peekskill Waterfront Business District.  Station Square includes all the businesses along the waterfront district including Homestyle Desserts, Dylans, Taormina’s, Froze, Taco Dive Bar, Better Burger, Peekskill Station Deli, and The Central. As Sharp said, “hopefully there are more to come. It is the reason we opened Froze and hosted the Yay Markets. We want to foster a vibrant Riverfront, a place where people step off the train and are excited to see and feel the energy of Peekskill.” With an energized Waterfront District and vibrant Station Square, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about Peekskill and the rest of the city. A revitalized energetic Station Square in conjunction with the Peekskill Art Walk from the train station to the Lincoln Depot and then up Central Avenue will be the link that sets visitors on a walking path to the downtown, a link that has been an idea and in the works for decades. 

Sharp said, “we have big plans for Station Square from more festivals to getting the Go Peekskill Shuttle going again to shuttle people back and forth to the downtown and the Rock the Block Party is just one of many to come.”

The Esther Street Music Series 

“Live on Esther Street” and the “Esther Street Jazz” series makes its triumphant outdoor music return at Esther Place for the fourth year. These two music series bring outdoor music to the heart of downtown and make a former cut through street turned parklet into a lively open public space filled with the sounds of music and community rather than car engines and squeaking tires. 

“Live on Esther St” is produced by the BeanRunner Cafe and held each Friday evening from June through mid-September. This series includes Salsa nights, Reggae nights, R&B and Rock/Americana. 

The “Esther Street Jazz” is a series that is held every Saturday from June through mid-September produced by world renowned master blues and jazz artist and saxophonist Ray Blue and his 501c3 non-profit organization Cross Cultural Connections, in coordination with the BeanRunner Cafe. Cross Cultural Connections mission is to keep jazz alive by promoting jazz culture, education and performances in schools, colleges and communities around the world. 

“Esther St Jazz has brought some of the world’s best jazz musicians to Peekskill, from Houston Person and Tadataka Uno to Winard Harper and Premik Russell Tubbs, to name a few. While the BeanRunner Cafe does this year round, Esther St Jazz allows us to bring this unique genre of music to a wider audience.“ said Ted Bitter, co-owner of the BeanRunner Cafe. 

This Saturday, June 1 from 6 to 8pm, the Eric Person Quartet will be the first jazz musicians to take the stage on Esther Street. Join renowned saxophonist Eric Person whose signature sound on alto, soprano, tenor, saxophone and flute has been featured on over fifty CDs. John Chacona of Signal to Noise writes “he cultivates a sheer beauty of sound that’s often breathtaking.” Join the Eric Person Quartet, the BeanRunner Cafe, friends, family, neighbors, and visitors on Esther Street after taking in all the tremendous art at the 25th annual Open Studios. 

Reservations for “Live on Esther St” and “Esther Street Jazz” can be made by calling the BeanRunner Cafe at 914-737-1701. A suggested donation of $20 per person goes directly to the musicians. In case of rain, the shows will be held inside the BeanRunner Cafe.

To find out about all upcoming artists, musicians and shows, check out the BeanRunner Cafe website and follow them on Facebook. 

Division Street Music Series

After the weekly weekend washouts of last year, the Division Street Music Series is reinvigorated this year bringing high quality outdoor music to Peekskill’s famous Restaurant Row turning a well trafficked street during the daytime into a no cars allowed pedestrian friendly, music and table service public plaza during the evening. This is no easy feat, but the organizers of the Division Street Music Series do it every single Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 7pm to 10pm, and on Sunday from 5pm to 8pm.

Located on North Division Street, locally known as Restaurant Row, the City closes down a full city block from Park and Central Avenue to Main Street and allows over 7 restaurants to bring table service outside allowing outdoor dining and live music. The chance to enjoy the freedom from being surrounded by walls, accessibility to great fresh food, and live music brings people from all over the tri-state area to downtown Peekksill. Not only does this allow for people to enjoy the music series, but it brings foot traffic into the downtown allowing for more people to walk around, window shop and wander into all of the small businesses Peekskill has, ultimately, leading to more sales, the growth of small businesses and a healthy economic downtown.   

The 4-nights a week series has a plethora of bands and solo artists playing a variety that will suit almost any taste and style. The organizers state, “our goal is to unite the community through the music that celebrates Peekskill’s diverse residents. We are collaborating with local artists to showcase their talents and share original music on N. Division Street.”  They continue stating, “In the coming months, visitors can look forward to a wide array of concerts featuring genres such as Latin, jazz, swing, classic rock, indie, and exceptional cover bands. Performances will take place every ” To paraphrase the singer Jim James, we believe that live music is something that the Internet can never kill. It attracts outside visitors to enjoy the many stores and restaurants that Peekskill has to offer. Most importantly, it brings people together, further strengthening our community. 

Follow and add the Division Street Music Series on Facebook and Instagram to see the most up to date information about bands and artists playing every week.

This Friday, May 31 from 7pm – 10pm, Son Summer Show will be playing Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, and all other genres that pave a pathway to the Caribbean and beyond.

On Saturday, June 1 from 7pm – 10pm, Bob Meyer Trio will hit the stage after the 25th anniversary Open Studios event. Bob Meyer, from Cortlandt Manor was born in 1945 in the New York metro area. Raised in a musical family, Meyer has been listening to jazz his whole life beginning around 5 years old in 1950. The rest is history. Since then, he has enchanted audiences worldwide with his performances, including a notable appearance on renowned saxophonist Joe Lovano’s Blue Note release. Saturday, Bob will be accompanied by Neil Alexander (keyboard) and Bryan Copeland (bass).

On Sunday, June 2 from 7pm – 10pm Greg Westhoff & the Westchester Swing Band will without a doubt get visitors up off their feet and dancing. Greg Westhoff and the Westchester Swing Band epitomize the spirit of the Swing era and beyond, captivating audiences with classics by legendary artists like Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and many others.  

All of the Music Festivals have worked closely with the City of Peekskill staff, Mayor and Council to get these amazing music series off the ground. All of them have paid for and received the proper permits for outdoor dining, music and tables.

Other Peekskill Music venues worth noting

There are plenty of other places in Peekskill to find indoor and outdoor music throughout the year. 

With fantastic food, beer, and a huge stage, Gleason’s always has amazing bands and performances on the stage. This Saturday, June 1 from 9 to 11pm,  Animal Afterlife will be playing a Gemini Birthday Show bringing a timeless explosion of funky pop classics and originals. With the sounds of Prince, George Michael, Stevie Wonder, Sharon Jones, Isleys, Earth Wind & Fire and more, the band will make you sing out loud and dance.

On the Southside of Peekskill, visitors can always find great food, drinks and a huge outdoor dining patio at River Outpost Brewing Company in the Factoria at Charles Point. This Saturday, June 1 beginning at 8:00pm the Lil’ Larry Jr. Band, is going to be rocking the place all night with your favorite soul, R&B, rock and reggae hits. On Sunday, June 2nd starting at 3pm Chris Raabe will be playing hit music for all to enjoy. In addition to the River Outpost Brewing Company hosting musicians every weekend, they also host 3 major music festivals throughout the year: the Pop-Off Music Festival which just occurred on May 26, River Rock Fest which will be held on July 20th, and NashSkill to be held on September 14th. 

Other places to check out for live music downtown are Slainte Peekskill and Rubens Mexican Cafe on Division Street, and Birdsall House which has an outdoor beer garden on Main Street.  Kyles Pub and Peekskill Public Bar & Grill, both on Washington Street, have stunning backyard patios with outdoor dining. Both places often have live bands that play there as well. This article would not be complete, if we did not mention the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater. There is so much to be said about the 1200+ seat Paramount Theater, but keeping it short, the Paramount is not only immaculate, but it brings year-round live music, plays, and productions to the City of Peekskill and the surrounding communities. There is never a regret when getting tickets to a show at the Paramount. Let not leave out the City of Peekskill Parks & Recreation Riverfront Series. The Riverfront concerts begin starting in July with children’s specials on Monday’s, concert series on Wednesday’s, and family movie nights on Friday’s all for free all at the Riverfront Green Park.

Visit the Peekskill Herald Events Calendar Features and the Peekskill Herald Event Calendar to see more local events.

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