This weekend in Henry County there are three outdoor family-friendly concerts you won’t want to miss! The concerts are open to all ages and guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Lilli Lewis performs live in Cambridge on Friday, June 2, 2023, Dancing Queen: A Tribure to ABBA performs live on Saturday, June 3rd in Bishop Hill and Gizzae and Natty Nation perform Live in Galva at the Levitt AMP Galva Music Festival on Sunday, June 4th.
FRIDAY: As the story goes, Lilli Lewis should never have been. Before she was born, Lewis’ mother was told her baby probably wouldn’t survive due to lung trouble, so the fact that Lewis now makes a living singing with those same lungs is a gift she never takes for granted. Lewis uses her voice to bring what she calls sacred songs into profane spaces, and though she’s abandoned trying to define her sound, she hopes her audiences leave shows knowing two things: that they are brilliant as they are, and that they have the ability to use that brilliance to make a better world. Trained as an opera singer and classical pianist, Georgia native Lewis has been a composer, producer and performer for over two decades. Lilli’s performance at last year’s Levitt AMP Galva Music Series and was highlight for many. The concert Friday will begin with a potluck dinner at 6 PM and the show will start at 7 PM. A donation of $15-25 is suggested. Children are free.
SATURDAY: For the third year in a row, Bishop Hill Heritage Association is hosting Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute, the Midwest’s top ABBA tribute band, with a repertoire of more than 30 of the Swedish group’s all-time hits, including “Waterloo,” “Mamma Mia,” “Knowing Me, Knowing You” And Voulez-Vous,” according to the association. Along with the two-hour concert, there will be a beer garden and beverage area between the village’s carpenter building and blacksmith shop. The village fire department will have a food stand set up at the baseball diamond and Bishop Hill Old Settlers’ Association will have a hot dog stand by the Colony Store. Bishop Hill Methodist Church also will have a bake sale set up by the Steeple Building Museum. The concert begins at 1 PM and is free to attend.
SUNDAY: Two legendary reggae bands will perform at this week’s Levitt AMP Galva Music Series concert. Gizzae will kick things off at 6 PM, followed by Natty Nation at 7 PM. Gizzae is truly a band of the world – With musicians hailing from the four corners of the earth, Gizzae has been playing for crowds across the country for over 35 years! Their musical experiences have collectively earned them Grammy® awards, Chicago Music Awards, and they have opened for some of the biggest names in reggae. For over twenty-five years, the Madison, Wisconsin-based group has purely and fearlessly followed its inner artistic continuum. Along the way, Natty Nation has burst through genres while retaining a distinct roots reggae core. “Our ultimate goal is to uplift as many people as possible through sound and vibration,” says Natty Nation frontman JAH Boogie. A wide range of food vendors will be on-site as well as free activities for children and caricatures by Draw Me Bill. The concert is free to attend.
Concert schedule at a glance:
Friday, June 2
Lilli Lewis
7 PM to 8:30 PM
Ca d’Zan House Concerts, Cambridge, IL
$15-25 suggested donation
Saturday, June 3
Dancing Queen: A Tribute to ABBA
1 PM to 3 PM
Village Park, Bishop Hill, IL
Free
Sunday, June 4
Gizzae
Natty Nation
6 PM to 8 PM
Wiley Park, Galva, IL
Free