Surf’s up and summer’s coming
2023 Amphitheater Season pays tribute to rock, soul, folk
The 2023 Amphitheater music festival will start Thursday, June 29, with a 12-show lineup, promising an eclectic mix of country, rock, pop, soul and blues tribute performers at the 2,500-seat Amphitheater.
Residents are invited to celebrate summer under the stars at the free weekly concerts. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que will kick off the season with barbecue and southern and Cajun style meals for al fresco dining before the show. Koffel’s Food Truck will be available at every show.
Non-resident guests must be accompanied by a resident. No parking is allowed in front of the Amphitheater on St. Andrews Drive along the southbound lanes. This is a tow-away zone on Thursdays during Amphitheater season.
Minibus transportation will be available before and after shows.
The schedule is as follows:
June 29: Surf’s Up Beach Boys Tribute
Surf’s Up is one of the first true Beach Boys tribute bands in the country and have been recreating the Beach Boys sound for almost 40 years.
July 6: Independence Day Celebration: The Springsteen Experience—a Tribute To Bruce Springsteen The Springsteen Experience, led by Josh Schreiber and the cast and crew, will perform a high-octane, chronological journey recreating the most memorable moments and stage interactions throughout the E Street band’s concert history.
July 13: Shades of Billy— Billy Joel Tribute Shades of Billy is comprised of lead singer Steve Feller, who looks and sounds like Billy Joel, backed by a band of veteran players bring the sounds of excellent horns, vocals, pianos, guitars and bass to accompany their lead vocalist at the grand piano.
July 20: Stone Soul
This eight-piece, horn-blowing, foot-stomping classic soul and Motown band has built a reputation as one of the hardestworking, most entertaining tributes around. The band plays hits from Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Otis Redding, James Brown and more.
July 27: Venturesmania
Venturesmania is a tribute to the Ventures, a 1960s rock band that built its reputation on surf guitar. The band adapted music from other sources or performed guitar-based covers of current hits. This will be a night of instrumental guitar rock and roll in the best surf tradition.
Aug. 3: Tribute to Elton John starring Kenny Metcalf Kenny Metcalf as Elton John has mastered the wildly popular music, costumes and antics of the great British pianist, singer and composer who has sold 300 million records worldwide.
Aug. 10: Bee Gees Gold— The Tribute Bee Gees Gold: The Tribute, is debuting for the first time in Leisure World and is the ultimate salute.
Bee Gees Gold recreates the look and sound of the Bee Gees from the 60’s to the late 70’s, with their unique falsettos that made them legends.
Aug. 17: Matt Lewis as Elvis
Matt Lewis began his entertainment career as an Elvis tribute artist at the age of 12. While there are lots of Elvis entertainers in the business, only one has been named “The Best Elvis in Vegas” by USA Today.
Aug. 24: Always Tina— Tribute to Tina Turner Shar Wils as “Tina” has performed her celebrated singing and dancing shows all over the world, including Great Britain, China, Germany, Bangkok, Bahrain and Japan. She’s even given a royal command performance to the King of Norway.
Aug. 31: Hip To Be Square— Tribute to Huey Lewis and the News “The Heart of Rock & Roll” is still beating with the nation’s premier Huey Lewis and the News tribute band. Originally formed in 2013, this tight, fun band has played to thousands of cheering and dancing fans all over the U.S.
Sept. 7: Michael Buble Tribute with Anthony Bernasconi Anthony Bernasconi will take the stage performing as a soulful Michael Bublé crooning classic swing and jazz standards and giving them a modern day feel. Bernasconi has mastered Bublé’s buttery vocals and couples that with a mesmerizing stage presence.
Sept. 14: Mark Wood and the Parrot Heads—Tribute to Jimmy Buffet Mark Wood began listening to and playing Jimmy Buffett tunes in the early 1970s. The stories that Jimmy told in his songs, along with the great melodies, were always intriguing to Mark. Songs like “Margaritaville,” “A Pirate Looks at 40,” “Pencil Thin Mustache” and “Tampico Trauma” became staples in his solo career.
The Amphitheater season will close Sept. 14 with a tribute to Jimmy Buffet by Mark Woods and the Parrot Head Band. Admission is free to all shows. People are welcome to bring their own beverages and snacks, and there will be a food truck for al fresco dining.
