The City of Watertown provided the following announcement:
The City of Watertown is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated return of its annual Summer Concert Series at Saltonstall Park (149 Main St.), kicking off on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. This beloved community event promises ten weeks of free, diverse musical performances, taking place every Wednesday throughout July and August from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, immediately following the popular Watertown Farmers Market.
This year’s lineup features an exciting array of local and nationally recognized talent, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy:
- July 2: Classic Groove – Led by Steve Tashjian, Classic Groove will kick off the series with their versatile repertoire spanning R&B, Top 40, Smooth Jazz, Latin, Country, Swing, Middle Eastern, Show Tunes, Blues, and Motown. Special guest vocalist Concetta will join them.
- July 9: Lightning Rising – A Watertown-based classic rock band, Lightning Rising will bring the best of 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s music with expert musicianship and layered harmonies. Featuring John Copeland, Peter Lester, Dawn Scaltreto, and David Scaltreto, with special guests Agasthya Shenoy and Natalie Copeland.
- July 16: Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor with THUNDERCHILD – Multi-award winning performer, composer, writer, and scholar, Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor will share music from his 7th studio album, “THUNDERCHILD.” A Mashpee Wampanoag elder and keeper of the AHANAEENUN (Sacred Clown) tradition, Mwalim brings a unique blend of jazz, world music, and soul.
- July 23: Black Sea Salsa – Making any event a celebration, this 12-member world-music group led by trumpeter and former Watertown resident, Dan Teager (Tergukasian), will bring their high-energy mix of Latin Jazz and Blues. Notably, Black Sea Salsa started Watertown’s summer concert series back in 2000!
- July 30: Marc Berger and RIDE – Hailing from NY, Marc Berger, who has opened for Bob Dylan and performed at SXSW, will share his band’s rootsy music combining blues, country, and rock n’ roll, featured on his critically acclaimed album, “RIDE.”
- August 6: Joe Pete + Six is Nine – Get ready for a roots-rockin’ jammin’ electric guitar trio with Joe Pete on guitar and vocals leading a crack rhythm section through a righteous rock ’n’ roll repertoire.
- August 13: Ike Moemeka – Watertown’s own multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger, Ike Moemeka, will blend sounds of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, funk, and soul with his group of fellow Berklee College of Music musicians.
- August 20: Sons of Levin – This band, comprised mostly of Berklee graduates, will perform their “Dad-Rock” mix of jam band and classic rock sounding original material, alongside rock/pop/funk covers.
- August 27: Shokazoba and The Puppeteers Cooperative – The series finale will be a vibrant experience with Shokazoba, an award-winning horn-driven dance party powerhouse performing original “New World Funk” designed to move, inspire, and activate. They will be joined by The Puppeteers Cooperative, bringing a collection of artist-made giant puppets for everyone to dance and parade with.
Get out your picnic blankets and lawn chairs! Performances will face the baseball diamond while Saltonstall Park construction finishes this summer. In case of inclement weather, concert cancellations will be posted on City social media.
For the full 2025 Summer Concert Series lineup and more details, please visit: https://www.watertown-ma.gov/761/Summer-Concert-Series
Calling All Musicians for 2026!
The Public Arts & Culture Committee is already looking ahead to the 2026 Summer Concert Series! Interested performers are encouraged to apply online: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGN3tBrohoOLofUqnflK2Wroi7bF68o4RQlCjwiWz_F5vD5A/viewform?usp=sf_link
Join the “WaterTunes” Project for 2026!
In conjunction with the concert series, the Public Arts & Culture Committee is launching “WaterTunes,” a community-wide project to create a Watertown playlist. Residents are invited to submit songs that hold special meaning to them – a favorite tune, a song that evokes a memory, or a piece of music with personal significance. These submissions will be collected throughout 2025 and Summer 2026 and will be featured in an online playlist for all to share. WaterTunes will culminate in a community party at the finale of the 2026 Summer Concert Series, where a selection of submitted tunes will be played.
Share your special song and be a part of WaterTunes! Submit your song here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXOCzdqQ5DWdQaTeL971gi1Mjyue1TOuY7LpVJEDbsoRRVJg/viewform?usp=header
About the City of Watertown’s Summer Concert Series:
The Summer Concert Series at Saltonstall Park is a free, annual event presented by the City of Watertown, offering diverse musical performances for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. The series aims to foster community engagement and celebrate local and regional artistic talent.
About the Public Arts & Culture Committee:
The Public Arts & Culture Committee is dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape of Watertown through the promotion and development of public art and cultural initiatives.