Jeff Spevak
Staff music critic Rochester Democrat & Chronicle

Multi-stringed wizard Dennis Monroe will be celebrated at the Black Dog Music Fest, a six-hour show on July 27 featuring 22 acts from the local folk, alt-country, rock and poetry scenes, including the Dady Brothers, Hunu?, Watkins & the Rapiers, Connie Deming, the White Hots, Kinloch Nelson, Jeff Riales and Jed Curran.
The event, a benefit for Music Through the Ages Fund, runs from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Harley School, 1981 Clover St., Brighton. Music Through the Ages operates in the spirit of Monroe's dream of a local fund supporting the creation, performance and teaching of music.
Monroe, well-known in the music community as a musician and teacher, died of a massive heart attack two years ago.
Also participating are the Aceto Brothers, Deb Fox, Dave Donnelly, Ken Hardley, Allen Hopkins, the Flipsiders, Dave Rave, the Golden Link Folksinging Society, JAVA, Bob White, Jim Clare, Bonnie Abrams, Erie Canal Sal, Jay Setzer and Annette Ramos.
Three stages, including a children's stage, will be home to jam sessions, open microphones, instrument-making workshops by Bernie Lehmann and Dwain Wilder, a display of rare stringed instruments and instrument workshops presented by Steve Greene, Nelson and Hopkins.
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door; seniors $11 in advance and $15 at the door; and students $5 in advance, $8 at the door. Children younger than 12 will be admitted free.
Tickets are available at Bernunzio's Uptown Music, Stutzman's Guitar Center, House of Guitars, Wegmans, Parkleigh, Urban Essentialz and the Bop Shop.
For more, call (585) 244-3274 or go to www.blackdogfest .com.