Free outdoor concert in River Raisin Park this Saturday

Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar

If you’ve been missing outdoor concerts this summer, you’re in luck! Manchester Underground Music and Art is holding a free concert in the River Raisin Park (located at 116 Ann Arbor St., Manchester) on Saturday, June 27, from 7pm to 9pm. The concert will feature live music by Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar whose style is rock and roll with a honky tonk soul. Manchester's very own, Juston Brady, will be kicking off the show. Bring your camping chairs, blankets, and coolers. Parking is available across the street at Chi-Bro Park (which is also the back-up location in case of rain). Please respect Michigan's social distancing guidelines.

From Manchester Underground Music and Art:

Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar, share an affection for gospel, Texas blues, Stax, and Muscle Shoals era artists. Fully embracing the character and spirit of Detroit, they consider it an honor to represent a talent filled city of rugged determination, faith and hard working people.

Jennifer cut her teeth on gospel in Detroit before hitting the gritty local bars that set her career in motion; along the way performing back up for acts including Motown’s Carl Carlton, adding several Detroit Music Awards to her credit, including one for work with Sponge (Sony) frontman Vin Dombroski on a traditional country recording (Lalar V).

Dylan Dunbar spent his teen years refining his chops in local blues joints, moving on to perform with W.C. Handy award winners such as Chef Chris and Johnny "Yard Dog" Jones, as well as country artist Whitey Morgan. His dynamic playing style is a compliment to Jennifer's broad vocal range and unique sound that invokes influences ranging from Linda Ronstadt to Big Mama Thorton.

The last couple years have seen them performing across the country rather than at home in the rustbelt, growing a family of fans from New York to Texas. They’ve been on bills with acts such as Hayes Carll, Paul Thorn, Dale Watson, Delbert McClinton, and have performed alongside Patti Smith (with her bandmates backing Smith as well); grateful for every opportunity the road has afforded them.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.