Summer music preview: Gateway Harbor Concerts announces summer lineup

By Dave Lukow

Representatives of Gateway Harbor Concerts announced the lineup for this year’s Wednesday Night Canal Concert Series at a press conference May 16 in North Tonawanda. Shows are scheduled to run from June 18 through Aug. 27. The roster of bands was detailed at North Tonawanda Gateway Harbor.

Many of the acts are tribute bands that perform the hits of industry legends. Although the concerts are free to the public, they couldn’t happen without support from sponsors. The Diamond Sponsor for 2025 is Kenmore Mercy Hospital.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership,” said Laura Wilson, executive director of Lumber City Development Corp., a Community Sponsor for the series.

“We just stay out of the way,” said Mayor Austin Tylec, who was elected to office in 2022. “It’s a wonderful time. Let’s enjoy the summer.”

The concert series was started to drive tourism along the water.

“We’re trying to make this waterway a destination,” said Tonawanda Mayor John White, a graduate of Tonawanda High School and a former student at the University at Buffalo.

He credited organizers for making the gatherings a place to be in the area.

“What you do is so important,” White said. “You stepped out of the box.”

Along with sponsorships, donations help fund the concerts.

Split into two seasons, the concert series – with each show featuring a pair of headliners – gets underway with performances by Stealin and Appetite for Voltage, a tribute to the music of Guns N’ Roses. Powerhouse and JJ Swing take the stage June 25. Scott Celani and Past Masters will play July 2. Uncovered opens July 9, while Analog Kids perform at 8 p.m. that evening.

The last night for “Act One,” July 23, will have shows by Mr. Bright Side and The Hip Experience, a group that pays tribute to the Tragically Hip. A Canadian band, the Tragically Hip had nine albums reach the top of the charts in Canada. The outfit’s lead singer, Gord Downie, passed away in 2017.

Rock Angel and Nerds Gone Wild are on the bill for the first night of “Act Two.” The following week, Aug. 6, Eaglez and Grand Illusion are slated to play. Bleeding Hearts opens Aug. 13. They’ll be followed by Gypsy Queen at 8 p.m.

After Effect starts things at 6 p.m. Aug. 20. Queen City, a tribute to the legendary English band, Queen, is also slated to perform. The Wednesday-night season closes Aug. 27 with shows by the Funkensteins and Hit N Run, members of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. Through the years, Hit N Run has opened for a number of major acts, including The Kinks, Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Rascals, Blue Oyster Cult, Asia, The Guess Who and Boston.

Each Thursday, from June 5 through Sept. 18, there will be food trucks on Canal Street in Tonawanda. The only time Thursday trucks won’t be present is July 17. On select Fridays, also on Canal Street, the “Spotlight Stage” series goes from June 13-Aug. 22. It will include “Taylor Made: A Swift Celebration” (June 13), “Wicked/Wizard of Oz Experience” (June 27), “Cabaret Night” (July 11), “WNY High Octane Dueling Pianos” (July 25), “Friends of Harmony” Aug. 8, and “Disney Night” (Aug. 22).

“Haunted Harbor” ends the overall season between 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Gateway Harbor Park and on Canal Street. The event includes trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat stations, plus the “Haunted Bridge.”

The 2025 season is dedicated to the memory of Linda Foels, a founder of Tonawanda’s Gateway Harbor. A product of Tonawanda High School, she passed away in 2024.