Chester Bay and Umbrella Bed: Live at Thursdays on first & 3rd!

Go Rochester Direct Peace Plaza Stage:
Fair Trade Band: 4:30pm-5:30pm
Umbrella Bed: 6:30pm-8:30pm

Coca-Cola 1st Ave Stage:
After School Special: 4pm-5:30pm
Chester Bay: 6:30pm-8:30pm

Chester Bay: Chester Bay has been devouring the Minnesota Music Scene like a raging torrent, leaving nothing but a trail of satisfied concert-goers in their wake. They’ve been described by the Minnesota Star Tribune as “sheer musical ability” and by the Rochester Post Bulletin as “unique” and “eclectic”. Thanks in large part to their “ska-tinged sound” (Twin Cities Music Blog), Chester Bay has recently won a National Competition sponsored by Rhapsody Music and Land Shark Lager. Fresh off their win, the band released their debut full-length album: “Get Free” through ReapAndSow Entertainment. In a full page editorial, Rolling Stone Magazine called their first release a “bluesy blend of hook-laden tunes”, which also describes their signature sound. Chester Bay is no stranger to the stage, sporting a tour history of more than 400 shows in the last three years. Since their inception in 2005, Chester Bay has made appearances at some of the country’s biggest music festivals including Wisconsin’s Summer Fest and Minnesota’s Basilica Block Party. They’ve headlined several shows and supported major acts including: The Avett Brothers, Eric Church, Los Lobos and The Bodeans. A quintet of skilled musicians; the band is well-versed in genres including: funk, rock, blues, metal, and jazz. These influences shine through the energetic live show that the band has become known for. With plans to tour heavily in 2011 in support of their debut album, Chester Bay is on pace to hit every state in the Northern US, spreading their passion and music across the country. http://www.chesterbayrock.com

Umbrella Bed: Picking up on a 2-Tone ska sound might have seemed like a strange choice in the summer of 1995 when Umbrella Bed first assembled itself into existence. After all, the 2-Tone ska sound was a very short-lived period 15-years earlier and, without a doubt, in '95 the newly reborn ska genre “third wave” was creating a much harder edged ska sound. Third-wave ska was very much guided by the rise of the alternative music scene and infused ska with a more punk/grunge bent. It moved the “ska sound” pretty far away from 2-Tone’s inherent pop roots. And explore Umbrella Bed has. Five full length releases, hundreds of wildly energetic shows and two European tours later, doing anything but build on 2-Tone’s legacy would have been a tragic loss. By taking the alternative minded but accessible framework the 2-Tone sound offered and infusing it with its’ own diverse sensibilities and influences, “UB” discovered a unique blend which resonates as “something different” in the alternative music realm and also something with mass appeal. Starting in 1995 UB experienced a very quick ascent and a large local following was built in it's home base of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The area’s top music rag, The City Pages, voted UB one of the “Best New Bands” of 1997, a nod to its' reputation of astoundingly energetic manic live shows and quality musicianship. http://www.umbrellabed.com/