by Amrita Kumar

LOWELL- The Lowell Summer Music Series is entering its 34th year with artists ranging from indie pop to tribute bands set to hit the stage, a stark change from the history of the festival. 

The series started in 1990 as a nod to the various cultures represented in Lowell, “to tell the story of the immigrants who came to work in the mills,” said Peter Aucella, the series’ General Manager.

Over time, they began moving away from ethnic music and started focusing on eclectic styles that showcase many parts of the community. 

Series GM Peter Aucella (Photo courtesy Tim Carter Photography)

“The activities should be events that draw larger use from the communities as a whole,” Aucella said. 

The park in which the concert takes place is an oasis, surrounded by the city  of Lowell itself. Many have been coming for as long as the series has been well and alive, just to experience the environment. 

“The park is really beautiful,” Series Director John MacDonald said. “It just has always struck me as one of the most unique places in Massachusetts to see a concert.”

While the end result is rewarding, organizing the festival involves a significant amount of work due to the logistics that need to be handled.

“It is months of work, literally months of work for every show,” MacDonald said. “And all of that work is hard. It takes a lot of planning and everything needs to fall into place”

In the past, the series has hosted some notable names in the industry. One that sticks out to Aucella the most is hosting Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead in 2007. Weir’s appearance held a unique highlight: an on-stage interview featuring the series director and Weir’s publicist, Dennis McNally.

“The Grateful Dead fans who showed up for that show, the place was packed,” Aucella said. “As they stood in front of the stage and watched Bob Weir and Dennis McNally sitting in chairs talking before they did a two and half hour concert, it was a pretty unusual sight to see.” 

Another year, the series hosted the famous Weird Al Yankovic and Aucella recalls a moment in which Al was in the nearby boarding house interacting with fans. 

“They turned this whole interior space into this circus/museum,” Aucella said. “It was the most amazing thing to see.” 

While outdoor concerts can sometimes suffer from poor sound quality, the staff involved in the Lowell Summer Music series take pride in the exceptional sound quality they deliver.

“It’s like listening to the best CD you’ve ever heard,” Aucella said. 

The series typically hosts around 13 or 14 evening concerts. For this upcoming summer, they’ve already revealed a significant portion of their lineup.

“I’m thrilled we’re going to be launching our summer season on June 21st with Ben Folds,” MacDonald said. “He is a legendary artist and amazing songwriter and I just really look forward to that concert kicking off our season in the park.” 

Throughout the series, tribute concerts are a common highlight that attendees love. This summer is no exception, as they have one scheduled as well.

“On Saturday June 22nd, we have announced Face to Face,” Aucella said. “It’s an Elton John and Billy Joel tribute. There will be two grand pianos on the stage facing each other with two different performers and the voices are spot on for Elton John and Billy Joel.” 

Both Aucella and MacDonald say they’re ready for another memorable season and cannot wait to be back in the park with great music.

Tickets for the series are now on sale at https://lowellsummermusic.org/, 

Amrita Kumar is a Journalism Major at Endicott College.