Live music in Portland, ME

On the Ocean 2026 is a multi-day festival taking place at Thompson's Point in Portland, Maine. It runs from Friday through Sunday, August 7 to August 9, 2026.

Creative Portland presents a monthly First Friday Art Walk at the gallery, offering opportunities to meet the artists, with refreshments and live music. The Maine Art Collective gallery is open every day.

Settle in with good food and drinks while a laid-back mix of Americana, country, and classic cover tunes sets the tone. The performance offers a welcoming, crowd-pleasing vibe that pairs nicely with an evening out.

Now in its third year, this series of shows has sold out ahead of time the past two summers. It welcomes both first-time attendees and those who have come before. Tickets are available.

Casco Bay Lines teams up with Bissell Brothers and Portland Media Group to bring back the Cruising Casco Bay Concert Series for 2026 after every show sold out in 2025. This cruise features Toby McAllister, with the season’s lineup also including Hello Newman, Gina and the Red Eye Flight Crew, and the new addition Country Girl Summer. Tickets are $30 and the six-show run is expected to sell out quickly. A cash-only bar will be available on board. All guests must be 21 or older with a valid ID to board. The vessel is enclosed so the music continues rain or shine, although schedules and performers may change and cruises can be cancelled for other reasons. Tickets are nonrefundable. Parking information is available on the organizer’s website, and questions can be directed to info@cascobaylines.com.

Catch Leaf along with Red Tail Hawk for a night of psychedelic funk rock and soulful rock. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with music starting at 8:00 PM. This event is for ages 21 and up.

The eighth edition of On the Ocean brings a full weekend in Portland, Maine filled with live music, activities, and a few surprises. The lineup features Iron & Wine, Watchhouse, The Barr Brothers, Neal Francis, Eggy, Dave Butler & Friends, Bebe Stockwell, Khatumu, and Portland’s own Cilla Bonnie. A special symphony set with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at Merrill Auditorium adds a unique twist to the celebration. Beyond the stages, the schedule includes an easy 5k, two harbor cruises, kayaking trips, bike tours, documentary screenings, and more, with additional activities to be announced. VIP tickets and tickets for the symphonic night sold out during the early bird presale, while single day general admission for Saturday and Sunday and discounted two day general admission for Saturday and Sunday are available.

Donavon Frankenreiter performs at Aura with support from Iris And The Shade. The indie folk rock duo came together in Dana Point after years of unknowingly crossing paths, a chance late night meeting at a bar and a literal trip setting their creative partnership in motion. They will share songs from their new album ~Cosmic Rollercoaster~, produced by Matt Costa. Attendees must be 18 or older and present a valid ID.

Jamaican dancehall and reggae icon King Yellowman returns to Bayside Bowl with special guest Tuff Like Iron. Co-presented by Mainely Reggae and Zero Gravity, this all-ages show celebrates a remarkable career that began with a Kingston talent contest and grew to global recognition. Yellowman first thrilled dancehall audiences with quick-witted lyrics and crowd-stirring delivery, worked with numerous producers, and even signed with CBS Records. After undergoing surgery for jaw cancer in 1986 and taking time away, he relaunched his career with Blueberry Hill, then continued his momentum with the album Yellow Like Cheese produced by Phillip Fatis Burrell for RAS, maintaining a reputation for energetic live performances. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door, and a limited-time promo code ZEROG offers 10 percent off advance tickets.

Guster is bringing their indie rock and pop rock sound to Merrill Auditorium for an evening show. The concert is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM.

Two-time GRAMMY winner Terrance Simien leads the Zydeco Experience in a celebration of Creole culture, weaving zydeco, soul, reggae, and New Orleans jazz into an energetic sound.

At Thompson’s Point, this event welcomes families by offering free entry for children three and younger. Public ticket sales are announced.

More shows will be announced soon. Check back for updates as details are released.

Legendary New Hampshire rock band Say Zuzu returns to Portland for an all-ages show at Bayside Bowl with special guest Whitney Walker. Say Zuzu emerged in the early 90s alt-country movement that also produced acts like the Old 97s and Wilco, toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe, and later reunited with label head George Fontaine to sign with Strolling Bones Records, resulting in the retrospective Here Again and No Time to Lose, the band’s first new album in nearly twenty years. Whitney Walker, a critically acclaimed alt-psych-freak-folk songwriter on RascalZ RecordZ, has been touring behind a debut album and a recent EP, with a third studio release titled Blood Harmony forthcoming and ongoing collaborations that include baritone saxophonist Dana Colley and producer Dan Capaldi. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Experience a weekly rooftop celebration of reggae, dancehall, and sound system culture on the Bayside Bowl rooftop. It begins with a Caribbean cookout, flows into a sound system warm up, then builds into a high energy party as selectors keep the music moving. Expect flavorful food, cold drinks, and a welcoming community vibe. Admission is free early, with a $10 cover later in the evening.

This three day pass for Guster On The Ocean grants access to three performances, beginning at State Theatre and continuing with two shows at Thompson's Point. One purchase covers entry to all three dates.

See Vanna live at Aura in Portland. The show is scheduled for the evening, so come ready for a great night of music.

Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra performs at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre in Arundel, Maine. This event features the ensemble in a live concert at the venue.

This family musical brings Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo to the stage in a streamlined 60-minute format filled with music, color, and larger-than-life undersea characters. After young Nemo is taken far from home, his father Marlin sets out across the ocean, meeting sharks, laid-back sea turtles, and the unforgettable Regal Blue Tang, Dory. The story emphasizes bravery, resilience, and believing in yourself through upbeat songs and vivid staging. Tickets are $22 per person. Members receive $5 off per ticket for any show in Maddy’s Theatre. The performance runs 60 minutes with no intermission. Stage credits include book, music, and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, a book adaptation by Lindsay Anderson, and music and orchestrations adapted and arranged by Myna Conn. It is based on the 2003 Disney/Pixar film written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Person, and David Reynolds, and directed by Andrew Stanton. Presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

The Lincoln Park Summer Concert Series returns with an outdoor evening of live music at historic Lincoln Park in Portland, Maine. This installment features Memphis Lightning, an international act with an energetic blend of roots, blues, and rock and roll. Pack a blanket and enjoy the music with friends, family, or your pup in a welcoming community setting. Concerts are weather dependent. Admission is free and open to everyone.

Free community concerts fill the season as the Sounds of Summer Concert Series brings live music to the park. This performance features Jeezum Crow, part of a lineup that also includes Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection, the Tom DiMenna Duo, and Primo Cubano. Settle in on the grass with a blanket and a picnic to enjoy a warm evening with neighbors and friends. Weather updates and any postponement announcements are shared on Facebook and Instagram, with rain dates planned for the following Tuesday. Support from Kennebec Savings Bank helps make these live shows possible and keeps programming in Payson Park free.

Dead Wednesdays with A Band Beyond Description is a 21+ live music night at Portland House of Music. Doors open at 7:00 PM, and the music starts at 8:00 PM.

Enjoy live music from Ben Kilcollins.

Louisiana fiddler Mitch Reed teams up with bluegrass veteran Carter Logan for a free live performance at OTTO. The music travels through Creole, Appalachian, bluegrass, folk, and Irish traditions, weaving roots sounds into a lively, memorable set. This is part of a monthly series.

Brandi Carlile brings her Human Tour to Cross Insurance Arena. Purchases are limited to eight tickets per order. Several ways to buy are available, including a public onsale, a range of presales such as Bramily, Brandi Carlile, Spotify, Support, Local, and Amex, and VIP package options. Two dollars from every ticket benefits the Looking Out Foundation, established in 2008 by multi-Grammy winner Brandi Carlile. The foundation harnesses the power of music to uplift people who are often unheard, directing resources to social justice and humanitarian work across the United States and around the world. It collaborates with fans, nonprofits, and female LGBTQ+ owned businesses to turn songs into meaningful action, responds to evolving needs, and serves a broad spectrum of communities. Its campaigns are powered by dedicated donors and fans.

Brandi Carlile appears alongside Jensen McRae at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. This event brings both artists together on the same stage in an arena setting.

At Stevens Square Community Center, this opening-night concert surveys three centuries of chamber music. It begins with J. S. Bach's Chaconne from the Partita for Violin No. 2, a single movement that holds a vast emotional arc. Charles Loeffler's Deux Rhapsodies follows in a version featuring soprano saxophone instead of oboe, lending a velvety, impressionistic hue. The evening concludes with Johannes Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, music that moves from turbulence to tenderness toward a stirring finish. Program and artists are subject to change.

Everybody Knows: A Tribute to Neil Young is a live tribute show celebrating the music of Neil Young, performing at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre.