Lineup announced for 7 concerts of ‘Blue Thursdays’ at State Street Park
Provided photos: Tommy Z, left, and Frank Grizanti are among the featured performers at blues concerts in Medina, which will be in its third season this year.
Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group President Chris Busch
MEDINA – Blue Thursdays, the popular Medina summer music series, is returning for another run in 2024 with seven of the best blues bands in WNY. The Print Shop, in partnership with the Orleans Renaissance Group/medinaalive.com, will again produce the series.
The free summer blues concerts takes place Thursday evenings, June 20 through Aug. 8, at the State Street Park Pavilion in Medina. There will be no concert on Thursday, July 4.
The Print Shop of Medina is the sole underwriter of the event and is the driving force behind the series. They have partnered with the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc./medinaalive.com in booking top regional blues talent from the Buffalo area.
Headlining the much-anticipated opening night of the series is the Pat Harrington Trio, featuring Pat Harrington, lead guitarist with Grammy Nominated and Multi-Blues Music Award winning band Victor Wainwright & The Train. That performance is set for June 20 at 6 p.m.
The series, conceived several years ago, is the brainchild of The Print Shop and ORG.
“We decided that it was time we put our expertise and financial backing to work here in Medina to benefit the community,” said Ken Daluisio, owner/operator of The Print Shop. “Blue Thursdays brings an average of 800 people from across WNY to Medina every Thursday night, many of them new to Medina. These past two years, we’ve learned that many of those people have returned on other days to explore what Medina has to offer. The positive effects of this event on the community have been absolutely great in so many ways.”
The Print Shop is a full service, commercial printing, publishing and graphic arts operation in Medina. ORG, a local arts and culture not-for-profit, has been promoting and executing world-class music events locally since the late 1990s.
“The partnership has produced a premier music event featuring outstanding bands and professional promotion,” Daluisio said. “It’s a first-class event all the way and we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
The artists booked for the event are highly acclaimed, award-winning blues bands from the Buffalo area.
“We’ve booked top-tier spectacular talent that people may not have had a chance to see anywhere locally,” Busch said. “Many of these artists have been playing for years alongside some of the greatest names in the business. They’re hall-of-famers, nationally-renowned and award-winning musicians, songwriters and recording artists. We’re incredibly excited to bring bands of this caliber to Medina.”
The 2024 Blue Thursdays line-up includes:
- June 20: The Pat Harrington Trio, featuring Pat Harrington
- June 27: Dave Viterna Group
- July 11: Nickel City Blues Band
- July 18: Maria Aurigema
- July 25: Thurman Brothers Band
- Aug. 1: Frank Grizanti Band
- Aug. 8: Tommy Z Band
“We want to give a big shout out to Dave Viterna who at the outset of this project three years ago, opened the doors to many of these bands for us,” Busch said. “Dave was instrumental in helping us get Blue Thursdays off the ground. He’s a music legend in Medina and WNY, and the series just wouldn’t be right without DVG on stage.”
All the concerts are free and open to the public. Shows run from 6 to 8 p.m. There are no rain dates.
Concert goers will be able to enjoy a wide variety of food by Cusimano’s Pizzeria, Parker’s Pit BBQ and Greenlief’s On The Go. Refreshments will again provided by Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and 810 Meadworks, along with Blue Groove Coffee.
“For gig updates, any cancellations and venue information, people should go primarily to the ‘Blue Thursdays Medina’ Facebook page,” Busch said. “Further information and details can also be found on the web at bluethursdays.com and from weekly ads on The Orleans Hub.”
