Arts & Entertainment

Rock Greats Commemorate Woodstock in Cranston on Thursday

Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Pat Travers, Canned Heat, Ten Years After — all will be in Cranston on the 44th anniversary of Woodstock.

Considered a defining moment that changed the history of Rock and Roll, nearly three dozen acts performed at the famed Woodstock Festival to more than 400,000 people between August 15 and 18, 1969. Forty-four years later, on the exact day Woodstock began, local music lovers can relive this pivotal show when three of the original performers take the stage at the historic Park Theatre in Cranston.

On Thursday, August 15, the Park Theatre will host “A guitar guru gala of gargantuan proportions” when the 2nd annual “Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest” comes to Rhode Island. This incredible musical celebration will include performances from Ten Years After, Edgar Winter Band, Canned Heat, Rick Derringer, and Pat Travers. Limited tickets remain available.

Canned Heat, new to this year’s festival, and one of the most popular acts of the hippie era, played an extensive set at Woodstock during the concert’s second day. Their mega-hit, “Going up the Country” became a rock anthem for an entire generation and was later adopted as the unofficial theme song for the film Woodstock. With a unique blend of modern electric blues, rock and boogie, Canned Heat specializes in updating obscure blues recordings. The group also performed at the Woodstock reunion in 1979.

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On the third day of Woodstock in 1969, Ten Years After took the stage, ending their set with the now legendary encore, “I’m Going Home.” An English blues-rock band, Ten Years After grew to become one of the biggest names in music and one of the most explosive quartets on the world stage. Continuing to recreate the music and energy they’re known for, Ten Years After is sure to excite the Park this August.

Since joining his brother Johnny Winter on Woodstock’s iconic stage during the festival’s final day, Edgar Winter rose to fame with such monster hits as “Free Ride” and the chart-topping, “Frankenstein.” For the “Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest,” the multi-instrumentalist (keyboards/saxophone/percussion) will bring the Edgar Winter Band to Rhode Island.

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Next on the bill is rock guitarist Rick Derringer, who's enjoyed an illustrious career as both a solo artist and critical band member. Air guitarists will surely be out in force when Rick breaks into his well-known rock anthem, "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." The song, released in 1973, continues to be a staple on rock radio and was featured in several movies including The Spirit of '76, Rush, What a Girl Wants, and the cult classic, Dazed and Confused.

Rounding out the lineup of the “Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest” is Canadian singer and guitarist Pat Travers. Joining the tour for the first time, Travers first picked up the guitar before his teens after attending a performance of the great Jimi Hendrix. As the lead of the Travers Band, Pat enjoyed his most commercially successful period with a pair of Top-30 releases, “Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)” and “Snortin’ Whiskey.”The “Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest” begins at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 15. Limited tickets remain, and are priced at $55 and $65 each. Tickets are available by calling the Park Theatre’s Box Office at (401) 467-7275 or online at www.ParkTheatreRI.com.

The Park Theatre is located at 848 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI 02910. Free parking is available for all shows.


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