Robbin Thompson to Perform July 25 for Music on Monarch Way Concert Series

National recording artist Robbin Thompson will perform at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 25, for the Music on Monarch Way concert series.

A Virginia native, Thompson was the lead singer in the Bruce Springsteen band Steelmill, won the American Song Festival twice and has recorded 12 albums over a 40-year music career. He and friend Steve Bassett authored the song "Sweet Virginia Breeze," which is considered by many to be the unofficial state song of Virginia.

Sponsored by the Old Dominion University Real Estate Foundation and the University Village, the Saturday evening concerts are held from 5-7 p.m. on the lawn behind ODU's Ted Constant Convocation Center along Monarch Way. Concert admission and parking are free.

Information about the concert series and a full list of shops and restaurants at the University Village are available at http://www.oduvillage.com or by calling 683-4504.

The remaining concert schedule is as follows:

Aug. 1: Session Rockers - Reggae Roots Music

Session Rockers was nominated for best reggae band by Virginia Reggae Awards for 2009.

Aug. 8: Corporate Woods Drive - Blues/Rock

The band "paints itself in the Stevie Ray Vaughan and Cream shade of blue," according to reporter Jeff Maisey in The Virginian-Pilot. Playing at venues such as the Norva and the Jewish Mother, the band has a growing and diverse audience that includes everyone from high schoolers to baby boomers.

Aug. 15: Luke Hartman Band - Soft Rock

This trio's music appeals to people of all ages with cover songs ranging from the '70s to today. While the acoustic guitar is the main staple of their music, the rhythm section adds a funky groove, giving the band its unique and enjoyable sound.

Aug. 22: Harwell Grice Band - Bluegrass

Delivering hard-driving bluegrass fresh from the mountains of Southwest Virginia, these talented young musicians offer a wide repertoire of traditional, cover and original music.