'Not one weak link.' Here's the lineup at this year's Blues on the Bridge in Binghamton

Neal Simon, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin
·3 min read

Ten hours of rock, blues and jazz performed by some of the area's finest artists in one of the City of Binghamton's most iconic settings.

And it's free.

Blues on the Bridge, sponsored by the City of Binghamton, returns for the 21st year on Saturday, Sept. 16, in downtown Binghamton.

The festival runs from noon until 10 p.m. and features a dozen acts, including acclaimed guitarist/vocalist Randy McStine, a Broome County native, and heavy metal rockers The Rods.

Centered around the South Washington Street Bridge with a west-facing stage near Robert Aitken's 1924 statue, "The Skirmisher," the event's setting is one organizers say Blues on the Bridge fans have come to embrace.

“It makes a great natural amphitheater, and the star of the show is actually the location," said Donny Wilkins, a long-time organizer of the event with Tom Martinos. “Everybody knows what it is and where to go."

Wilkins said there is ample room for parking and the site is accessible from nearby routes.

Guitar virtuoso Randy McStine will perform on Sept. 16 at the Blues on the Bridge music festival in downtown Binghamton.
Guitar virtuoso Randy McStine will perform on Sept. 16 at the Blues on the Bridge music festival in downtown Binghamton.

Blues on the Bridge blossoms into major Binghamton music festival

Blues on the Bridge started as an idea to bring together up and coming local bands, giving them a larger stage and a bigger audience than they have at bar gigs. Since then, it has blossomed into a full-fledged festival with thousands of attendees and dozens of vendors.

Wilkins and Martinos say the change to a Saturday – which started in 2022 – encourages music lovers and families to attend without worrying about work or school obligations the next day.

Between 2,500 and 5,000 people are expected to attend and the regional flavor of the festival has remained, with all the artists for 2023 hailing from the Southern Tier and Central New York.

The Rods, a Cortland-based classic heavy metal band that rocked its way through the 1980s with a powerful, raw energy that led them on tours with some of rock’s greatest metal bands will perform Saturday at Blues on the Bridge in Binghamton
The Rods, a Cortland-based classic heavy metal band that rocked its way through the 1980s with a powerful, raw energy that led them on tours with some of rock’s greatest metal bands will perform Saturday at Blues on the Bridge in Binghamton

The Rods, Randy McStine headline show without 'one weak link'

Organizers are buoyant about this year's lineup.

“We have something for everybody and there is not one weak link in the show," Wilkins said.

Here is the Blues on the Bridge schedule (subject to change):

  • Noon The Eric Ross Blues Band

  • 12:45 p.m. Home Brew

  • 1:30 p.m. StratCat Willie and The Strays

  • 2:20 p.m. Revenants with special guest Josh Ribakove

  • 3 p.m. Erin and the Backwoods Blues Project

  • 3:40 p.m. The Silvertones

  • 4:20 p.m. Caviar and Grits

  • 5 p.m. Rooster and The Roadhouse Horns

  • 6 p.m. Frostbit Blue

  • 7 p.m. Junkyard Heights

  • 8 p.m. Randy McStine, Tom Wescott and Jeff Howard

  • 9 p.m. The Rods

The Rods are a Cortland-based heavy metal act that rocked their way through the 1980s on tours with Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead and Metallica. The band includes guitarist and vocalist David "Rock" Feinstein, bass player and vocalist Freddy Villano and drummer/singer Carl Canedy.

"David Feinstein ignited the music scene here, back in the 1970s. There are thousands of people who play music now, because of those guys," Wilkins said.

McStine’s work crosses several musical genres, including rock, progressive, blues, singer-songwriter, folk and pop. His initial work under the name Lo-Fi Resistance led to collaborations with members of King Crimson, Joe Satriani and recently, Porcupine Tree.

"Randy is as big as you can get right now," Wilkins said. "He just finished a world tour with Porcupine Tree. He has played in front of hundreds of thousands of people and he comes home to the Binghamton area and he loves it here. He’s a good man and a (brilliant) guitar player.“

What else to know if you're attending Blues on the Bridge

Organizers expect more than 50 food tents and other vendors to be on hand. There also will be a fenced-off beer area.

Coolers are not allowed at the festival and open container prohibitions, as well as all state and local smoking restrictions, will be enforced. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

The rain date for Blues on the Bridge is Saturday, Sept. 23. Depending on the forecast, organizers will make the call on Friday, Sept. 15.

Follow Neal Simon on Twitter @HornellTribNeal. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Blues on the Bridge 2023: Who's playing at Binghamton festival