Newport Yachting Center's 2013 Sunset Music Series Begins Final Month Of Its Summer Concert Schedule of A High Note

July 24, 2013 -- The Newport Waterfront Events at the Newport Yachting Center begins the final month of its 2013 Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series summer season on a high note by featuring the Under the Sun Tour with Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray and the Gin Blossoms with Special Guest Fastball on Sunday, August 4th, George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Buddy Guy on Friday, August 9th and The Fab Four – The Ultimate Tribute on Saturday, August 17th. The gates will open at 4:30 p.m. for the Under the Sun Tour and 5:30 p.m. for the Thorogood/Guy and the Fab Four concerts.  Tickets range from $49.50 to $69.50 for the Under the Sun Tour concert, $49.50 to $79.50 for the Thorogood/Guy show and $25.50 to $45.50 for the Fab Four.  Tickets for all three concerts and the other Sunset Music Series shows can be purchased atwww.newportwaterfrontevents.com or by calling 800-745-3000. 

Collectively, the band Smash Mouth has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. Along with their number one hits – “Walkin' on the Sun” and “All Star” – they have consistently impacted radio with other recognizable hits like “Then the Morning Comes”, “Can't Get Enough Of You Baby” and a cover of The Monkees’ classic “I'm a Believer” which was prominently featured on the Shrek soundtrack and rose to #4 on the BillboardAdult Top 40.  The multi-platinum Smash Mouth is a 1960s influenced garage band with a keen pop sensibility that maintains a timeless quality.  Having long since established itself as the ultimate true-to-life California party-band the vibe surrounding Smash Mouth is indeed – at its core – about having fun.  The band’s latest album release is Magic.

After releasing its debut album, Lemonade and Brownies, to positive reviews in alternative circles in 1995, Sugar Ray enjoyed their first mainstream hit from the album Floored with the song “Fly” in 1997.  “Fly” reached #1 on Billboard magazine’s Airplay List which helped the album to go certified double platinum.  The band’s follow up album, 14:59, was even more popular, achieving triple platinum status with songs “Every Morning” and “Some Day” reaching #3 and #7 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  Sugar Ray’s most recent album is Music for Cougars.

Heralding from Tempe, Arizona, the Gin Blossoms signed a record deal with A&M and recorded their first album Up And Crumbling in 1991.  But, it was not until their breakout record,New Miserable Experience, in 1992 that their rise to fame began. New Miserable Experience kept the band on the charts for almost 3 years with singles “Hey Jealousy,” “Allison Road,” “Until I Fall Away,” “Mrs. Rita,” and “Found Out About You.”  The album took the airwaves by siege and held MTV hostage with multi crossover hits in 4 different radio formats.  It was this record that rocketed the band into the mainstream, selling over 4 million copies and making the band a 1990s radio mainstay.

In 1996, the album Congratulations I’m Sorry brought two more hits; "Follow You Down" which spent ten weeks in the Top Ten and "As Long As It Matters" which earned a Grammy nomination for “Best Performance by a Duo or Group”.  The album rocketed into Billboard magazine's Top Ten and a year of touring helped push the record past 1,500,000 in sales.  In 5 years, the band released 2 EP’s, two LP’s and over 12 singles that fueled record sales to over 7 million. In 1997, at the peak of its success, the band disbanded.   Gin Blossom’s blend of pop & rock, now known as Jangle-Pop, became a musical force that helped define the sound of 1990s radio.  In 2005 the band reformed and its latest album release is entitled No Chocolate Cake.

The Delaware-based blues rocker, George Thorogood, is best known for his hit song, “Bad to the Bone”, as well as a series of covers of blues standards such as Hank William’s “Move It On Over” and Bo Diddley’s, “Who Do You Love?”.  Thorogood and his band, The Destroyers, have released 17 studio albums since they got their start in the mid-Seventies, including five that have been certified Gold.

Thorogood first gained mainstream exposure in the early 1980s when his band was the support act for the Rolling Stones tour throughout the United States and appeared as the featured musical act on Saturday Night Live.  Soon after, Thorogood released his smash hit song, “Bad to the Bone” and an album of the same name.  The song has been used frequently in television, including Married With Children, and the movies, such asTerminator 2: Judgment Day.  Known for his relentless touring schedule, George Thorogood and the Destroyers’ latest release is2120 South Michigan Ave.

Playing on the same bill as Thorogood is 2102 Kennedy Center Honors recipient, Buddy Guy.  The pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, he first received recognition as a member of Muddy Waters’ band and as a house guitarist for Chess Records in the 1960s.  From Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” to a series of records he made with harmonica player Junior Wells, Guy was a major influence on some of the most notable musicians of his generation, including Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  His influence continues today as 14-year-old blues guitarist, Quinn Sullivan, of New Bedford will be returning after a successful set at the recent Newport Blues & BBQ Festival to play with his mentor as a special guest.

Ranked 30th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”, Guy is also known for his showmanship on stage. Other honors he has received include the National Medal of Art in 2003, six Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, 23 W.C. Handy Blues Awards and Billboardmagazine’s The Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement.  His most recent album release is Rhythm & Blues.

Described as “the best Beatles show in the world” by the Los Angeles Times, The Fab Four is the consummate Beatles tribute band due to its precise attention to detail and “record accurate” vocals.  The California-based group was formed in 1997 and began performing Beatles music throughout the southern part of the state at locations including Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Terrace.

By 2005, the popularity of The Fab Four around the world was so great that they signed a contract in Las Vegas to perform a full stage show six nights a week.  With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of all the Beatles’ hits, including “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “Yesterday”, “A Day In The Life”, “Twist And Shout”, “Here Comes The Sun” and “Hey Jude”, The Fab Four’s loving tribute also includes three costume changes representing every era of the Beatles ever-changing career.

The remaining 2013 Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series line-up is as follows:

Date: Tue., July 30; Performer: OneRepublic with Mayer Hawthorne & Serena Ryder; Ticket Prices: $39.50 & 59.50

Date: Sun., Aug. 4; Performer: Under The Sun Tour  -Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray and Gin Blossoms with Special Guest Fastball; Ticket Prices: $49.50; 59.50; 69.50

Date: Fri., Aug. 9; Performer: George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Buddy Guy; Ticket Prices: $49.50; 59.50; 79.50

Date: Sat., Aug. 17; Performer: The Fab Four - The Ultimate Tribute; Ticket Prices: $25.50; 35.50; 45.50

Date: Thur., Aug. 22; Performer: Styx; Ticket Prices: $49.50; 59.50; 69.50

Date: Wed., Aug. 28; Performer: Tony Bennett; Ticket Prices: $80.50 & 100.50

Date: Sat., Aug. 31; Performer: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo; Ticket Prices: $39.50; 49.50; 65.50

In addition, tickets are on sale for all the annual Newport Waterfront Events Music Festivals. Returning this summer are the Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival on Saturday, August 10th and the Newport Celtic Rock Festival on Saturday, August 24th.  Visit www.newportwaterfrontevents.com for the complete Music Festival line-ups and details.

The Newport Yachting Center is located on the waterfront in the heart of historic downtown Newport on America's Cup Avenue.  The venue features a covered concert tent and ample open air space with stunning views of Newport Harbor.  Guests can enjoy “The Point”, a dockside waterfront lounge and bar with good eats from Julian’s, before, during and after the shows.

All Sunset Music Series shows will feature live music on The Point Stage when gates open.  Times for opening acts and headliners vary per show, please visit www.newportwaterfrontevents.com for all the details.  For any other questions about the Nantucket Nectars Sunset Music Series, please contact Michele Maker Palmieri, General Manager at the Newport Yachting Center, 4 Commercial Wharf on America’s Cup Avenue in Newport, at (401) 846-1600, Ext. 222.  To receive future 2013 Sunset Music Series presale opportunities or exclusive packages, sign up at newportwaterfrontevents.com and become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/waterfrontevents.

The Newport Yachting Center’s 2013 line-up to-date includes the Great Chowder Cook-Off (June 1); the Sunset Music Series (starting in late May through the end of August); the Newport Summer Comedy Series produced by RocJo Productions (starting in June through the end of August); the Newport Blues & BBQ Festival (July 20); the Newport Waterfront Reggae Festival (August 10); the Newport Celtic Rock Festival (August 24), the Newport International Boat Show (September 12-15), and the International Oktoberfest (October 12-13). All the events are held at the Newport Yachting Center in the “city by the sea” where beach-going, shopping, dining and enjoying the nightlife are often a part of the pre- or post-Newport Waterfront Events activity.  Visit us at newportwaterfrontevents.com, become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/waterfrontevents and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/newportevents.