Summer Concert Series Begins At Abington Art Center

JENKINTOWN, PA —The Abington Art Center Summer Concert Series returns for five nights each Thursday this summer.

From June 27 through Aug. 1, audiences will gather on the rolling hills behind Alverthorpe Manor —the home of Abington Art Center —with blankets and lawn chairs as the landscape transforms into a family-friendly mini-festival.

After setting a new attendance record of 3,000 total guests in 2023, the Abington Art Center team promises more music than ever and new offerings to enjoy this year.

Here is what organizers have planned for this summer:

• Night one kicks off with a homegrown fusion of hip-hop, R&B, and soul from Elkins Park native NariYella.Her long-awaited debut EP, "To Be Loved," showcases her range as a vocalist and songwriter which the world witnessed only a glimpse of during her contestant run on The Voice last year. NariYella received a four-chair turn in her Blind Audition which is a remarkable and well-deserved feat.
• MAFIA (Middle Aged Funk In Abington) then takes the stage for an electrifying mix of funk, hip-hop, pop, and rock classics. They are the premier party band in Montgomery County and finalists in their own rite as part of the 102.9 WMGK House Band Competition.
• The music continues on July 11th after a break for Independence Day Weekend. Asian American songwriter and producer, Judah Kim shares his anthemic sound. Having proud immigrant parents from both North and South Korea who accomplished so much through tireless self-reliance, Kim has adopted that work ethic and pride into his craft and career. In 2020, his song "Fate" was added to the highly selective Crucial Music Publishing Catalog based in Los Angeles California.
• Next to take the stage is Greg Sover on July 18th. His fourth and latest album “His-Story” was released last year by his own independent Grounded Soul Records label. This dynamic collection shows Sover is not just a blues performer but a true purveyor of rock 'n’ roll/Americana music. Billy Cox, bassist for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsies, joins him on the record for two songs including a cover of Jimi's “Manic Depression."
• Sug Daniels brings her electric ukulele and backing band to the Summer Concert Series on July 25. She is a Philadelphia-based, singer-songwriter, storyteller, and producer who is using the tools around her to capture the emotions of an era. Daniels’ colorful, vulnerable, and charismatic work has been featured on WXPN, NPR, Good Morning America, and 6ABC. She thoughtfully combines elements of folk, rock, and soul alternatives to create personal and tender music interlaced with messages of truth and positive change.
• Grateful Dead cover band, Friends of Jerry, is joined by Jenkintown alt-country group The Miners to close out the series on Thursday, Aug. 1. Friends of Jerry draws from various influences to springboard the Grateful Dead catalog into trance-inducing improvisation and dance-friendly groove craft. The Miners open the night with pedal steel guitar-laden originals inspired by Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, Gram Parsons, and Merle Haggard.

Both headliners on June 18 and June 25 will be joined by select artists from the acclaimed Abington School District Modern Music Makers (M3) Program —Taylor Shore (7/18) and Who In The Room? (7/25).

The Abington Art Center Summer Concert Series is presented by Mayfield Gardens and Jefferson Abington Hospital.

Each night features a diverse line-up of regional sounds on stage, food trucks, vendor booths, bounce houses, and entertainment for all ages. The series will also feature a Craft Beverage Pavilion to showcase a rotation of local breweries, distilleries, and mocktail makers. This is a first for 2024.

"I am so excited about this year's lineup and programming," Series Producer Joe Montone said. "It has been an honor to share the planning process with such a great team in a beautiful space, for an awesome community."

Now in his third year with Abington Art Center, Montone and the Art Center team keep expanding upon the exciting programming they call "The Soundtrack of Togetherness."

"The model not only celebrates live music but also conjures the feeling of a warm summer night through the music," Montone said. "And there is no other backdrop better in Jenkintown for a show at sunset than the grounds of Abington Art Center."

For more information about these free public concerts, the 2024 artists line-up, or to become a sponsor, visit abingtonartcenter.org/concert-series.