Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie, performed a free concert on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday evening.
Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie, performed a free concert on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday evening.
Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie, performed a free concert on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday evening.
Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie, performed a free concert on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday evening.
A crowd gathered on Public Square on Saturday evening for a free concert from Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie.
A crowd gathered on Public Square on Saturday evening for a free concert from Adam Weiner, the frontman of Philadelphia-based rock band Low Cut Connie.
WILKES-BARRE — In July, Low Cut Connie frontman Adam Weiner caused a stir when he accused Luzerne County of silencing his voice when his band’s appearance at Rockin’ the River was cancelled.
On Saturday evening, Weiner’s voice was loud and clear, as he performed a free, solo, and piano-based concert on Public Square. The concert was organized by In This Together NEPA.
Michelle Rothenbecker, chief of staff at In This Together NEPA, explained the process of bringing the music of Low Cut Connie to Wilkes-Barre after all.
“It was just very clear, after Low Cut Connie was cancelled from Rockin’ the River, that the community was really disappointed by that,” Rothenbecker said. “There were a lot of people who were looking forward to it, and we were very lucky to be in a position where we could help plan an event that would be able to happen.”
Rothenbecker said that In This Together reached out to Low Cut Connie’s management team to get the arrangements started, and the City of Wilkes-Barre was more than cooperative in helping bring the show to life.
“Art is inherently political, but, outside of that, I don’t think there is anything political about this,” Rothenbecker said of Low Cut Connie being booked after the Rockin’ the River cancellation.
When Weiner released a video on Facebook about his band being taken off the Rockin’ the River bill in July, County Manager released the following statement:
“Our goal is to have a place where we can enjoy music, food, promote our community, have fun, be safe and free of politics and propaganda.”
Low Cut Connie was paid at the time, despite not performing at Rockin’ the River, a free summer concert series. The band Halfway to Hell: A Tribute to AC/DC was chosen to replace Low Cut Connie at the show, but they were also taken off the bill. Ultimately, Back In Black: A Tribute to AC/DC were chosen as the third and final Rockin’ the River headliners of 2025.
“Tonight’s concert is about community,” Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, the executive director of In This Together NEPA, said. “It’s about creating space where everyone is welcome — everyone — and where we can share an unbelievable night of music together.”
Hoffman-Mirilovich invoked the controversy in the context of current events and Weiner’s perceived outspokenness on political issues.
“We’re also here to celebrate freedom of expression. In times where our freedoms are being threatened everyday, art and music are more important than ever,” Hoffman-Mirilovich. “It’s art and it’s music that keep us together. It is artists and musicians who are known to call out injustice in our society.”
Weiner, for his part, thanked In This Together NEPA “for turning a bad situation into a beautiful one,” before launching into a setlist of originals and varied covers.
“This is my first time playing in Wilkes-Barre. Be gentle with me,” Weiner said playfully to the gathered crowd, before adding a sneaky qualifier: “Or don’t.”
