What do Tone Loc, Hoobastank and Blind Melon have in common? Not much of anything, except they are all scheduled to put on free concerts this summer in downtown Rochester.
Those three hitmakers from different genres and bygone eras were among the headliners announced over the weekend for the charmingly eclectic 2025 Riverside Music Series, now in its 33rd year. Organized by Rochester Public Music (a city department), the outdoor program will take place once again on Sunday nights down by the Zumbro River in Mayo Park behind the Mayo Civic Center.
A band that was all over MTV 32 years ago with its dancing-bee video for “No Rain,” Blind Melon will kick off the series on July 13. The good-vibed Californian alt-rock band has been touring since 2006 with replacement singer Travis Warren, following the 1995 overdose death of original frontman Shannon Hoon.
The series then continues over the next five weeks, starting with Nashville country singer Caylee Hammack on July 20 and then cult-loved folk trio the Wailin’ Jennys on July 27. Regular guests on “A Prairie Home Companion” in the show’s heyday, the Jennys are also booked to play the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis the night before their concert in Rochester.
“Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina” rap star Tone Loc, who’s become a regular thing on the I Love the ’90s Tours in recent years, will make his Rochester appearance Aug. 3 with Minneapolis hip-hop pioneer Desdamona. And then California metal vets Hoobastank, best known from the 2004 rock-radio hit “The Reason,” wind down the series on Aug. 27.
All shows in the series start at 7 p.m. and are open to everyone. Food and drink vendors are brought in each week. Here’s the full schedule for 2025:
July 13: Blind Melon with Amateur
July 20: Caylee Hammack with Genevieve Heyward
