New music festival brings tribute bands to Salem for weekend of throwback hits

Salem is turning back the clock with a new, three-day music festival in Riverfront Park featuring tribute bands playing the biggest hits from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

Capital City Retro Fest will host nine tribute bands, performing songs from Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Nirvana, ABBA, Led Zeppelin and more at the Gerry Frank Amphitheater starting Friday, Aug. 22, through Sunday.  

Friday will be a ‘90s throwback, Saturday celebrates the ‘70s and Sunday combines the best of ‘70s and ‘80s. 

The event was introduced by the team behind Harefest, an annual tribute band music festival in Canby. They chose to bring a new festival to Salem because of its amphitheater, proximity to nearby cities and its strong base of music fans.

Jason Fellman, an organizer of the event, expects up to 1,500 attendees per day, including visitors from outside of Salem. 

The festival is all ages, allowing young fans to enjoy the hits they hear on their parent’s radio or at sports games. 

“The bands that are performing play timeless music. I mean, you can’t go to a sporting event and not hear the bells of ‘Hells Bells’ by AC/DC,” said Maury Brown, the guitar player for “Shoot to Thrill,” an AC/DC tribute band based in Portland. 

Brown said the band will play audience favorites like ”Thunderstruck,” “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Back in Black.” 

Many band members are planning to bring their children to watch them perform – something they haven’t been able to do at 21+ shows. 

Brown is bringing his 20-year-old son, while one of his bandmates is bringing his 6-year-old daughter. 

“We love playing all ages,” said Brown. “The kids have this infectious energy, they just love to get up there and dance. There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing the youthful exuberance of really young kids who will dance to most anything.”

Fellman’s band, “Stone in Love,” a Journey tribute act, will be playing one of its last shows in Salem before they retire later this year. Fellman said the performance is “fitting” for Salem, where the band has fond memories playing at the Elsinore and other Riverfront Park events.

Fellman hopes that Retro Fest will become a yearly tradition in Salem, bringing together thousands of people for a weekend of nostalgic music. Reservations for the 2026 and 2027 festivals are tentatively in place, Fellman said. 

Aloha Grill and Four Corners Grilled Sandwiches food trucks will offer Hawaiian, Japanese and American dishes to festival goers. Organizers are working with two other local vendors who may serve donuts and desert options. 

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be offered by Oregon Beverage Services.

Have a news tip? Contact reporter Hailey Cook: [email protected] or (208) 515-4097.

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Hailey Cook is an intern at the Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. She works as a photojournalist and reporter, with a focus on public health and policy, among other topics.