(Updated 9/01/26. Lineup, schedule not final until 9/10/26)
Interviews with band members to follow!
HEADLINER:
Appetite for Destruction
The largest and best Guns N’ Roses tribute band on the east coast of the United States!
Whether you were lucky enough to see G N’ R in their heyday supporting their debut album, in all of their grandiose indulgence on the Use Your Illusion tour, or in a performance by the 2000’s era lineup (billed by some as “Hired Guns N’ Rose”) in support of Chinese Democracy, all fans of Guns N’ Roses are welcome to celebrate the music that revitalized mainstream rock.
Appetite for Destruction, the ultimate Guns N’ Roses experience, have been performing the music of Guns N’ Roses for almost twenty years, selling out venues throughout the Northeast. They have performed with special guest and current G N’ R keyboardist Dizzy Reed, shared two bills with ex-G N’ R guitarist Gilby Clarke, and headlined at BB King’s in Times Square for five consecutive years.
Appetite delivers the definitive Guns N’ Roses show, performing all the hit singles, rock radio staples, and G N’ R fan favorites with acute attention to detail, serving as both outstanding lookalikes and soundalikes for the legendary band. Their catalog of Guns N’ Roses songs is unsurpassed, as is their two-plus-decade-long career of bringing G N’ R to the masses.
You may not get to see the entire classic Guns N’ Roses lineup live, but you can surely get your Guns and satisfy your appetite for all things G N’ R with Appetite for Destruction.
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JP con Queso
Southern Rock, amazing solo guitar licks. When you see JP do his solos, you’ll know.
Southern soul, and that unmistakable dirt-road-at-sunset vibe J.P. and his band bring to every performance.
As the frontman of Blue Sky and later 8th Grade Science, John Pierre Conques has spent over 15 years electrifying crowds with high-energy takes on classics from Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and more.
Now he’s bringing that same passion, grit, and Southern fire to Rockland Music Fest XII, with his band JP con Queso!
Michael Hilliard and the Working Class
Original music, speaks to the vibe of the Hudson Valley, New York. A regular performer in NYC!
In the late summer of 2016, Michael Hilliard was about to go under the knife and have major surgery, he was faced with being off his feet for at least three months. He was fresh off a breakup which left him down and out and not looking forward to what would lie ahead. Living on his own in Jersey City on the second floor didn’t leave him many options on where to recover and recuperate as to stay there would be next to impossible for him. There was only one place to turn. The house he grew up in that gave him much inspiration as a child with all its sounds and scenery. Staying with his loving parents Hilliard contemplated how he’d fill his time while being out of his normal routine of work and stepping out on weekends. Dealing with a broken heart, he decided to pick up his father’s old acoustic guitar that he learned to play on as a youngster. After years of music dormancy, he found new inspiration and songs started flowing out of him. Some months later and back to work and life as he knew it, he started recording the songs he had written. From there he posted an ad looking for musicians.
Fast forward to 2018. He auditioned Robert Payes (bass guitar) through an ad. and Louis Iacobelli (drums) through an open mic. Things clicked among the three and the band was now in place. From there they rehearsed the songs, started playing open mic’s around Jersey City and booked their first few gigs before Covid-19 shut everything down. Months went by, missing the progress that the band was making, Michael had an idea as the pandemic restrictions started to loosen up. He recalled a chance meeting outside a local pub in JC before the band was formed. (Enter producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) equipped with recordings saved on his phone, Michael stuck his phone in John’s ear. John liked the tune but also gave some criticism. After some laughs, they exchanged social media info and went their separate ways.) So Michael shot John message and once in contact, liquidated a sizable savings account a booked time with Agnello in the fall of 2020.
By that time the original drummer had moved on but bassist Payes was ready to record. Michael then reached out to his friend Frank Ocasio (Frank Ocasio Brother Band) who was playing with a dynamic drummer who he really enjoyed to watch during Frank’s live shows. Frank told Michael to give him a call. After doing so, Peter Dentico agreed to help out on the session. Pro bono! A life long goal was taking shape. Come April of 2021 Michael Hilliard and The Working Class released their debut EP Nothing Changes.
The Working Class are fueling Michael’s rootsy progressive style. With new music in the works. Continuing to play live the NYC metro area, The Working Class are sure to be busy in the studio and pleasing crowds in the months and years to come.
Website | Social | Apple Music
Lilian Brown and Groove Cat
What would Rockland Music Fest be without a little groove and funk? These cats answered the call this year. Fronted by Liliane Brown, the vocals are amazing, and then when she hands it off to the rest of the cats to do their thing, they take you into another dimension.
The Groove Cats answered the call for our continual need for a little funk in everything we do. Because if not…what the heck is the point, anyway? We’ll be dancing it up to Liliane Brown and the Groove Cats, and we hope you will be too – at Rockland Music Fest XII!
Regular Riot
A new cover band that has a solid lineup, and a mix of 90’s, 00’s, and ’10s rock tunes you know and love. Featuring heavy hitting drummer Gary Levine – this band can rock you hard…and then bring it down into some melodic tunes.
George Romano and Friends
Has a bunch of great music on Spotify and social. George is a regular performer at Kobe Sushi in New City, NY. He also has an amazing band, with harmonizing vocals and conga to add some additional flavor to the songs.
George Romano and friends is your perfect answer of what to do on a Saturday afternoon. Join us for an awesome performance.
