What will be rocking the Waterfront this summer?

BANGOR The sun is finally shining, the ice is gone from the Penobscot, and as the water flows freely, so do the rocking tunes from the Darlings Waterfront Pavilion. All summer long, there will be tours from all over the world making a stop in Bangor. And the folks at Waterfront Concerts keep Maine rocking by scheduling shows at the Darlings Waterfront Pavilion, the Cross Insurance Center, The Collins Center for the Arts in Orono and the Maine State Pier and Merrill Auditorium in Portland.

BANGOR Iconic rock band Mtley Cre announced recently the details of their final addition of North American dates. The select new shows will take place in October and December as part of the band's two year Final Tour cycle. One of the stops on this tour will be in Bangor, ME at the Cross Insurance Center on Sunday, Oct. 18 as part of the Machias Savings Bank Concert Series with very special guest Alice Cooper. Mtley Cre's touring career will conclude on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31 at Staples Center in their hometown of Los Angeles where the band's career began 34 years ago.

Says bassist Nikki Sixx, 'The demand to add more shows in North America has been overwhelming. The fans have spoken so we've been trying to find time for more dates in addition to the international dates on the schedule this year. We want to say goodbye to as many fans as possible so we added these shows around the holidays. No better way to spend them than with the people who have supported us over all these years.'

BANGOR For the past five years, KahBang has been bringing more and more culture to the area. First came music, then art, then film and beer - and each year is bigger and better.

Headlining the Festival this year is rock band Dr. Dog and Odd Future group member, hip-hop artist Earl Sweatshirt. New additions include St. Lucia, Gentleman Hall, Vacationer, X Ambassadors, Caro Khan, My Pet Dragon, Spencer Albee and North of Nashville. KahBang is also showcasing emerging musicians from all over North America, playing genres that include indie, electronic, rock, hip-hop, country-rock, electro-pop, rap and indie- folk.

"Not since our founding year in 2009 have I been more excited for our event. We took an approach this year that focused on building a festival and not just a concert, and I'm overwhelmed by the result. We have more to offer to the public than any year before, and most of it is free,' said Tim Lo, executive director of KahBang. 'For our returning fans this is the richest experience they'll ever have. Get ready for one amazing KAHBANG weekend. We're excited to host New England and visitors from afar.'

Eli Young Band is unquestionably one of the most popular country bands on the planet today. The group's impressive track record includes eight hit singles to date (including two #1 hits), the most played song on country radio in 2011 ('Crazy Girl' also the 2012 ACM song of the year) and a new single currently racing up the charts ('Drunk Last Night') from their upcoming fifth studio album. They could easily be headlining their own tour at this moment but when Kenny Chesney calls and invites you to go out on the road for the summer, you don't say no.  

Eli Young Band, all Texas boys, will be special guests during Chesney's concert at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion on Wednesday, Aug. 7. Part of Chesney's 'No Shoes Nation' tour, this show features an additional opening Texas export, Kacey Musgraves ('Merry Go Round' and 'Blowin' Smoke'). At the time of writing, the website for Waterfront Concerts had a 'sell out warning' banner for this show. In other words, get your tickets now before it's too late. 

BANGOR - Zumba instructor Emilie Bronson is used to working a crowd, but the Bangor resident got the chance of a lifetime last week when she was asked by Zumba's special projects coordinator to perform as a back-up dancer for Victoria Justice at the waterfront concerts. The 19-year-old singer is the star of her own TV series on Nickelodeon called 'Victorious' and is currently on tour with Big Time Rush.

"I had those tiny butterflies in my stomach [backstage] because I knew there were a lot of people out there and a lot of people that I know with kids [at the show]," Bronson said. "It's like your first Zumba class. You're a little nervous until you get out there and get into it." 

It's difficult to imagine a concert packed with more fun than this year's 'Last Summer on Earth' show, Sunday night at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion.  

Barenaked Ladies returned to Bangor for the second summer in a row and brought with them Ben Folds Five and Guster, two other bands who came of age in the 1990s.  

The concert opened with an unannounced set by British singer-songwriter comedian, Boothby Graffo, a longtime collaborator of Barenaked Ladies.

Daughtry, 3 Doors Down blend styles to rock Bangor

BANGOR Co-headliners 3 Doors Down and Daughtry rolled into Bangor July 10 for a summer evening at Darling's Waterfront Pavilion. Earlier this summer Maine Music News interviewed 3DD's guitarist Chris Henderson. We asked him about being on tour and sharing billing with another band. He said simply that 3DD fans are Daughtry fans, a match made in heaven. And by all indications, Bangor fans were feeling the divine connection for this show.

Halestorm , which last appeared in Bangor during the 2011 Avalanche Tour, opened the show. Wide Open. Bangor was one of the last dates with Halestorm on the bill, and the band is impressive let's face it, this is interesting music.

Rucker and company bring complete package to Waterfront

BANGOR - Darling's Waterfront Pavilion officially welcomed Summer to Bangor on June 21 with Darius Rucker's 'True Believers Tour.' It was a full-moon night of country music and Southern sentiment that featured Rodney Atkins and Jana Kramer along with Rucker.  

Opening the show with 'Sass and Class,' Kramer is rocking country with a straight-up message for men: smarten up. Stopping short of the typical trailer trash antics of many female country performers, Kramer's brass tacks are solid, entertaining, and smartly executed. Included in the set list were hit singles 'Whiskey' and 'I Hope it Rains.'

Bangor's Waterfront Concert Series begins its fourth season

BANGOR It's a gray Thursday night as people fill into the new home of Bangor's Waterfront Concert Series. Nestled into a tighter spot aside the hill along Main Street a mere hundred yards from its former spot where it stood for three years, the new Darling's Waterfront Pavilion looms large over rows of well-organized chairs that are more reminiscent of the interior of the Collins Center for the Arts than an outdoor amphitheater. Soon, rock bands Hinder and Motely Crue will be treating fans to their first sounds of heavy guitar and teeth-chattering bass in a venue that took both collaboration and patience to achieve, and for many will be home to many more concerts in the years to come.

Waterfront Concerts and Machias Savings Bank announce exclusive pre-sale opportunities for bank customers

BREWER Waterfront Concerts recently announced an exclusive arrangement with Machias Savings Bank in which the bank's customers will have access to tickets prior to their availability to the general public. The arrangement was announced during a press conference at the Machias Savings Bank branch on Wilson Street in Brewer.

"We have already announced some big shows this year, but there is more to come," said Alex Gray, president of Waterfront Concerts. "And because of sponsors like Machias Savings Bank coming on board and realizing the appeal of the Waterfront Concert Series at the Darling's Pavilion, we are able to bring bigger shows to the Bangor Waterfront ... like the top-tier shows that have already been announced - Toby Keith, Sting, Phish and Kenny Chesney."