Published: August 27, 2008 12:06 am      

River Days begin Thursday in Portsmouth

Portsmouth — The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Buckinghams, Flynnville Train and the Classic Rock All Stars will provide the music for Portsmouth’s River Days, scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.

Events begin at 5 p.m. with an opening ceremony and the presentations of pageant contestants, followed by performances by contestants from Portsmouth Idol, international award-winning Americana artist Steve Free and the Poverty String Band. The main musical act of the evening will be the Buckinghams.

A successful recording group from the 1960s, the Buckinghams are known for such hits as “Kind of a Drag,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.”

Performing Friday will be Jenny Lavendar, Larry Pancake and Flynnville Train.

Recording under Toby Keith’s Show Dog record label, Flynnville Train is know for its high-powered shows and hit songs including “Last Good Train” and “Truck Stop in the Sky.”

Concerts on Saturday include the Two Dons, Lone Raven and the Fabulous Thunderbirds, which for 30 years has continued a successful recording career with more than 20 albums. The group’s hits include “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up.”

“We started as a straight blues band,” original member Kim Wilson said. “We now incorporate a mixture of a lot of different styles. We’re an American music band and we’re higher energy than ever before.”

On Sunday, the final day of music, there will be performances by Backtrack, Doc Rock and the Remedys and the Classic Rock All Stars, a group that includes former members of Rare Earth, Sugarloaf, Iron Butterfly and Cannibal and the Headhunters. Fireworks will be presented at 10 p.m. Sunday.

The day will also include activities for the youngsters from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in York Place.

Ongoing through the day will be games, crafts and inflatables as well as a visit from Ronald McDonald, quidditch races, sack races and limbo.

For more information, call (740) 352-0047 or visit riverdays.org.

LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.