JUDAH is a powerhouse blues, rock and funk band formed in Rochester in 2019. The four-member band is led by Anthony Blood on guitar and vocals, with Quintin Rich on drums, Jackson Wade on bass, and John Bushen on keyboard. They blend effortlessly to deliver compelling originals and covers. $5 daily cover for 21+.

It seems that at least once every weekend we hear John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” on the Backwoods stage. While we love this crowd-pleasing favorite, there are other covers we feel deserve equal exposure, for example John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery”. Amy Montrois is a marvelous local guitarist and singer who can deliver that song beautifully and we hope she decides to. Maybe she will cover both songs. Come to Backwoods to find out. $5 daily cover for 21+.

To say that Maddy Walsh & The Blind Spots is a highlight of the Backwoods 2026 season is a huge understatement. This high-energy group out of Ithaca has released four studio albums and shared the stage with the likes of Lake Street Dive, Fitz and the Tantrums, Donna the Buffalo, and Blues Traveler. The six-piece band offers up a style labeled “moxie-rock” characterized by powerhouse female vocals and punchy danceable indie-pop. Lead singer Maddy Walsh is an incredible talent you don’t want to miss. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Briana Horton is a Geneva, NY singer/songwriter with a passion for delivering music education to children as a member of Rochester’s Local Sound Collaborative. Her sweet and soulful voice will help you to just relax and enjoy the start of the Labor Day weekend at Backwoods. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Spring Drive is a local pop/rock cover trio with terrific song selection, impressive musicianship, and the vocal ability to deliver three-part harmonies. This will be a great way to start our fall season at Backwoods. No cover charge.

Having perfected the looping technique over his many years as a performing artist, Dave Turner the soloist becomes Dave Turner the one-man band. His catalog of covers is diverse and deep, and if there is something in particular you want to hear just let him know. Come listen to this impressive local musician. No cover charge.

Local musicians: here’s your chance to grace the stage at Backwoods and perform in front of all our visitors. Open mics are a great opportunity not only for the musician but also for listeners interested in discovering the variety of talent in our community. The open mic will be hosted by Trent Yule and you can reach out to him at tyule2@gmail.com with any questions. No cover charge.

If you missed the “afternoon” Blue Robyns at Backwoods on Sunday, August 16 you have your chance to listen to the “evening” Blue Robyns on Saturday, August 29. This marvelous local band, fronted by vocalist Robyn Lasser, puts a cool reggae beat into many of the popular songs they cover. Talk about a fun vibe - this group has it, and we’re very happy to have them back at Backwoods. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

We invite you to come along on the Soul Express with Corey Comer, a local yet well-traveled solo artist performing soul, blues, rock, jazz and funk. Corey mixes cover songs with his own healing and heart-felt originals. You will find yourself wanting to get up and dance. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Which would you rather do: travel four hours (not including airport delays) to watch Dallas Greene perform near her current home in Southern California, or catch her right here in Fairport near the home she grew up in? No matter your answer, Dallas will provide you with a wonderful evening of music. Last fall she performed solo at Backwoods, without a lot of local name recognition, and blew everyone away with her flawless vocals. This time she comes with a full band! Can’t wait for this one, it is sure to be a special evening. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

There’s a special energy at Backwoods that goes beyond the music, the food & drink, and the good friends you bring along with you. It’s an energy inherent in the tall trees, the small wildflowers, the glacier-carved terrain, and the history of the Native Americans and others who lived in this area. Matt Steidle is sure to tap into that energy as he performs as an acoustic duo (with his drummer) on our hillside stage. Matt comes to us from Columbus, Ohio. Come enjoy the experience. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Blind since birth, Todd East is crushing it in the local music scene with a piano-playing style and vocals that will remind you of, who else, but Stevie Wonder. Jazzy, powerful, swinging, and grooving, you will be rising from your chair (Adirondack or otherwise) to cheer Todd East. This is sure to be a special performance in our beautiful wooded setting. No cover charge.

Trent Yule is music coordinator and “sound guy” for Backwoods. He is also a talented singer-songwriter and will be delivering his heartfelt original songs to open the weekend here in the woods. No cover charge.

A Sunday afternoon in August will be the perfect time to go phish-ing at Backwoods. Character Zero is a phish tribute band out of Corning bringing their energy to our area for a sit-back-and-groove performance. Or stand-up-and-groove. Your choice, but be there aloha. No cover charge.

Have a relaxing Sunday morning at Backwoods with Penny Bianco, a local singer and guitar player beautifully portraying many of the classic pop, country, and folk tunes you grew up with. No cover charge. Penny is generously donating all musician tips to the Golisano Children’s Hospital Music Therapy Program as part of the Music For Mom project.

The tour buses usually run from Rochester to Buffalo (for the Bills games, of course). On this night, we expect the buses to be running the opposite way — from Buffalo to Rochester — as the many followers of Fuzzy and the Rustbelts come to see their favorite band rocking it in the Egypt woods. The Buffalo-based band offers up a delightful mix of gritty country, folk, and rock & roll. Having released two full-length albums, two EPs and a steady stream of singles, Fuzzy and the Rustbelts is making its mark on the country music scene all around the northeast. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Amaryllis is Karis Gregory and Christina Marie. If Karis looks familiar it’s because he is a member of Public Water Supply who performed at our season’s Grand Opening in grand fashion. More grandeur coming with this duo. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

When we asked a local brewery owner who we should consider bringing to Backwoods for a performance, he did not hesitate in saying “Mira Grimm.” She and her band The Reapers have exploded on the Syracuse music scene, winning a SAMMY (Syracuse music award) in 2025 for Best New Artist. They perform a wide range of blues, Americana, and finger style guitar and play with a professionalism seldom heard from artists as young as Mira. In fact, she could well be the next indie superstar filling 10,000+ seat stadiums (if she isn’t already) and you can hear her band for just a $5 cover charge at Backwoods. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Peter Ryan is gaining a reputation and following in the Rochester area as one of our premier solo country artists. Relax at your Adirondack chair or picnic table and enjoy the outlaw energy that Peter provides to his audiences. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

We keep inviting Mark Cellura back to Backwoods because he is so good at his craft: performing popular acoustic rock and modern country covers. You are sure to enjoy his music as much as we do. No cover charge.

And now for something a little different: many of your favorite pop tunes played on the steel drum. Drummer Jason Stotz has been captivating audiences for nearly 30 years, having joined the Pangaia Steel Band of Rochester at the tender age of 10. This is sure to be a very family-friendly and entertaining afternoon at the Backwoods. No cover charge.

New to the Rochester music scene, The Blue Robyns is a trio playing a blend of classic rock, reggae, jam band, and blues covers. The band is led by accomplished vocalist Robyn Fazio Lasser. No cover charge.

The Good Highs is a Rochester-based trio playing alt rock with a unique sound. The music should pair well with your pancakes and breakfast pizza from our food hut. No cover charge.

Another one of Oswego’s notable bands, the Marshall Brothers Band returns to Backwoods for an encore performance. Their genre is 70s and 80s in the Allman Brothers vein and other Americana. To get a taste of the Marshall Brothers experience, take a look at the reels they posted from last year’s Backwoods appearance on their Facebook page. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

One of Rochester’s favorite local solo musicians, Dave McGrath expertly covers artists you grew up with and really enjoy listening to. He’s been doing this for years and puts on a compelling and intimate performance. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

If you’ve ever been to Harborfest in central New York, you are probably familiar with Frostbit Blue, the legendary southern rock and blues band from Oswego that is known for lighting up the festival in front of thousands. During its nearly 40-year musical journey, the quintet has opened for the likes of Marshall Tucker, Charlie Daniels, ZZ Top, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and has been inducted into the Oswego Music Hall of Fame. Come to Backwoods for a rocking good night. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

With his fingerstyle guitar technique and soaring vocals, Rochester-based songwriter Matt Plessinger is someone special, a tremendous talent who you will probably hear a lot more about in the future. If Backwoods can serve as a bit of springboard for Matt we will be very satisfied. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Harvey’s back with us this year for another performance that is sure to be enjoyed by all. A singer/songwriter from Syracuse, Harvey writes songs from the heart and performs them with an enthusiasm that will keep you engaged. No cover charge.

It may seem we are partial to tremendous female vocalists because we book so many of them at Backwoods. Whether that is true or not, we’re happy knowing that Porcelain Train, from Buffalo NY, has one of the best you will find in western New York with lead singer Tamala Fonda. Her husband Ralph is the perfect accompanist as well. Come for an enjoyable evening. No cover charge.