Riverside Music Series

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RPM-Riverside Logo-Dark YellowEst. 1992 

30+ years running! Featuring must-see national acts and standout local opening artists, these free, un-ticketed outdoor music events are held on five consecutive Sunday evenings in downtown Rochester, Minnesota along the Zumbro River.

Stellar music, gorgeous green space, plus local food vendors and giveaways. These shows are for everyone, and we hope to see you in the park!

Save the dates - we'll see you next year! 2025 dates:

  • July 13, 2025
  • July 20, 2025
  • July 27, 2025
  • August 3, 2025
  • August 10, 2025

 

Jake Shimabukuro

  • Intro Text Jake Shimabukuro has redefined the musical possibilities of the ukulele, drawing comparisons to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and Miles Davis in his innovative approach to the instrument. He effortlessly mixes jazz, rock, classical, traditional Hawaiian music, and folk, creating a sound that’s technically masterful, emotionally powerful, and utterly unique in the music world. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. His career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style. He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.
  • Ticket Url ?navid=1557
  • Artist Website URL http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/home/

Standard Tickets - $32
Riverside Concerts Member Tickets (10% discount) - $29

ON SALE DATES:
Monday, August 8 (Members Only - available only through Riverside Concerts in City Hall)
Monday, August 15 (General Public)

Riverside Concerts presents JAKE SHIMABUKURO on Saturday, November 5 at 7:30 PM in the Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall.

Jake began his music career in the mid-90’s, performing at local coffee shops as a sideman with his first band, Pure Heart. But Jake’s solo career began in 2002 when he signed with Epic Records, becoming the first ukulele player to sign with Sony Music. While his well-received solo releases positioned Jake as an established musician in Hawaii and Japan, his career skyrocketed when a cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral on YouTube with more than 13 million views, opening the rest of the world’s eyes to Jake and his unique playing style.

In the years since the YouTube clip aired, Jake has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lyle Lovett – as well as orchestras around the world. He’s sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.

He has topped Billboard’s World Music Chart numerous times, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine, which also stated: “one of the hottest axemen of the past few years doesn’t actually play guitar.” He has also won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder who states: “Jake is taking the instrument to a place that I can’t see anybody else catching up with;” been talked about by Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on national TV with appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Good Morning America,” and “The Today Show,” and along the way has earned comparisons to musical innovators such as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Jake has been the subject of an award winning documentary “Jake Shimabukuro: Life On Four Strings,” currently on Netflix.

Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, Jake’s performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jake’s life has always centered on the ukulele. He started playing at the age of four, urged by his mother who also played.

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Down by the Riverside has been sponsored by Think Bank since 2008.

 

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This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.