Come out to Backwoods for an evening of classic rock hits and deep tracks with Nuthin’ Fancy, a three-member local group that certainly knows how to make the crowd happy. No cover charge.

Keep your eye (and ears) on Davey Allen. He has exploded onto the music scene, and not just here in the Rochester area. We expect this powerhouse singer/songwriter to become less accessible locally as he begins touring more and more, so here’s your chance to catch him on our Backwoods stage. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

We think you will quickly recognize Adrianna Noone as one of Rochester’s singer/songwriter treasures when you listen to her hit single “Honey”. (And it’s not just because we are beekeepers — the song actually has nothing to do with honey bees.) Adrianna and her band return to Backwoods for an evening of soulful and emotional melodies that will have you melting into your Adirondack chairs. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Here are two local guys who sing, play guitars, hand drums, and even some harmonica. They always seem like they are having a good time and are intent on making sure you are having a good time too. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Are you ready to groove? The John Payton Project brings its funk to the Backwoods for an evening of slamming reggae, jam, rock and blues. These guys will get you moving no doubt. It will be awesome, so be there. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

At Backwoods we love to have local up-and-coming artists performing, and Max Doud is one of Rochester’s brightest stars. The 20-year old singer/songwriter has one of the best and most sincere voices we’ve heard (of any age). Come out for some early music to get your Sunday going in the right direction. No cover charge.

Ska music originated in Jamaica in the 1950s and Some Ska Band — with its horns, offbeat rhythms, and fun lyrics — represents the genre as well as anyone in the Northeast. We’ve been fans of this Rochester band for many years. Nothing could be finer on a Sunday afternoon in the woods. No cover charge.

Our music coordinator (Trent) is originally from Oswego so naturally he attempts to tap some of the best talent in that area and convince them to come to Fairport and perform at Backwoods. John McConnell, a full-time singer/songwriter/guitarist, certainly is one of the best. His Facebook page provides the perfect description of his music: jazzy bluesy folksy funky solo indie lounge covers and originals. You will most definitely enjoy his performance. No cover charge.

A songwriter who cut his teeth in the Atlanta, Georgia music scene, Brian Revel now lives in Rochester and is working on his newest album release. He is a multi-instrumentalist and singer capturing the struggles and emotions of Americana in his ballads. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

One of the biggest surprises of our 2025 Fall season was The Movers, a four-member harmonica-driven blues/American band with one of the best lead vocalists, Sean “Earthquake” McCue, you will ever hear. Many in our crowd asked “Wow - where are these guys from?” (The answer is Newark, NY.) One highlight was watching Anson Stiles holding his electric bass in one arm and his infant son in the other while he jammed. We are delighted to have The Movers back and you will love listening to them. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

The rock version of River Lynch, along with his band The Spiritmakers, made their appearance at Backwoods earlier this season to rave reviews. The acoustic version of River Lynch arrives on this particular evening to perform an entertaining mix of originals and covers. $5 daily cover for 21+.

We have a lot of big beautiful trees — including sugar maple, hickory, black cherry, and tulip poplar — surrounding the stage and seating areas at Backwoods. When Thurlow performed at Backwoods last fall, we could swear the trees felt the energy of their music and began grooving along with everyone in the audience. We were all one big forest family. We’re happy to have this jazz-rock instrumental group back so folks can relive that experience. $5 daily cover for 21+.

Cooper Scotti is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who got his start with ROC Star Academy and now performs his mix of originals and covers to audiences all around Rochester. 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.

Mike Brown is a Grammy-nominated producer, engineer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and founder of Temperamental Recordings. Ask him how many guitars he owns (and uses) and we bet he can give you only an approximation. And in his performances of Americana music you might see him switching to his fiddle, mandolin, banjo, or keys. We are in for a treat with this Geneseo-based artist. No cover charge.

More comfortable than your favorite camp chair, Bob and Rick are a local Fairport duo that will make you smile, performing a mix of familiar covers with a few originals thrown in. They’re likely to throw in a few stories as well. It all makes for a wonderful evening of music and storytelling. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Fanatics Pub in Lima NY deserves its reputation for presenting the best in local and touring blues musicians. If you’ve listened to House of Hamill before, it was likely at Fanatics. The only thing is, House of Hamill is more of a Celtic band than blues. So it says a lot that they keep getting the invitation to play there. You are in for an awesome evening of fiddle, guitar, drums, vocals and original songs. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

You are likely to be blown away by the impeccable vocals of singer/songwriter Matty Trav. He comes all the way from Syracuse with a mix of folk and alternative originals and covers. This is the perfect way to get your Saturday evening started. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

We’ll be lighting up the woods on August 8 with Stunt Double, an amazing group of musicians playing jazz, pop, funk, and blues. This Rochester-based band has been electrifying local audiences with their energy and world-class vocals. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

John Popielarz is a local acoustic soloist playing folk and classic rock songs to get your Sunday started right. No cover charge.

We love these freakin old guys (they are really not that old!). FOG is a harmonica-fronted band that might be seen as a mix of the Eagles and Jimmy Buffett. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon at Backwoods. 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.

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.

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+.

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+.

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+.

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+.

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.

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.

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.

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+.

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. $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+.

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+.

Most of our peeps know Trent Yule as Backwoods music coordinator and sound technician. But he is also a fine singer/songwriter who appears occasionally on the Backwoods stage. Maybe someday he will have one of his songs picked up by Kacey Musgraves or some other star, but in the meantime you can enjoy his music coming at you directly from the songwriter. 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.

Blind since birth, Todd East is killing 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.

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 once called this place home. Matt Steidle and Mary Monroe are sure to tap into that energy as they perform as an acoustic duo on our hillside stage. Matt comes to us from Columbus, Ohio while Mary lives here in Rochester. Come enjoy the experience. $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+.

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+.

Any Dave Matthews fans out there? UnParallel Band covers DMB as well as anyone we’ve ever heard and does just as well with the songs of other rock legends. Musicianship is at the fore with UnParallel Band and their signature on the local Rochester and Finger Lakes music scenes is expanding fast. We had them out at Backwoods last fall and can’t wait for their return this summer. $5 daily cover charge for 21+.

Known locally as the Pat and Owen Duo, this pair of accomplished musicians bring their skills to Backwoods for two hours of acoustic rock, blues, and roots/Americana. Pat Harrington is a Grammy-nominated guitarist/vocalist while Owen Eichensehr provides rhythm, drums, and vocals alongside Pat. No cover charge.