How Joe Montone and Stage United Are Bringing Free Live Music to Doylestown
What if Bucks County residents didn’t have to travel to Philadelphia or New York to experience great live music?
That question is at the heart of Stage United, the nonprofit founded by Bucks County native and longtime concert producer Joe Montone.
On this episode of the Bucks Townies Podcast, Joe joins us to talk about building Stage United, the growth of live music in Bucks County and his biggest project yet: Concerts at the Commons in Doylestown.
Building a Live Music Community in Bucks County
Joe has spent more than 15 years producing concerts and creating unique live music experiences throughout the region.
Stage United takes a different approach from a traditional concert promoter. The organization works with communities, municipalities, businesses and cultural organizations to bring artists into places that already have meaning to the people who live here.
Its mission is centered around a simple idea: presenting artists that make people feel at home in spaces that define their home.
That has resulted in concerts at locations including Broad Commons Park in Doylestown, The TileWorks, ArtWRKD in Newtown and the Abington Art Center.
Concerts at the Commons Returns to Doylestown
One of Stage United's largest projects is Concerts at the Commons, produced in collaboration with Doylestown Borough.
The free outdoor concert series transforms Broad Commons Park into a community music venue with professional live performances, food trucks, beverages and activities for families.
The series returns for four Thursday nights in September 2026:
September 3
September 10
September 17
September 24
Events begin at 6:00 PM at Broad Commons Park, 10 Doyle Street in Doylestown.
Admission is free and the events are open to all ages.
What Does It Take to Put on a Free Concert?
During our conversation, Joe takes us behind the scenes of producing these events.
Free admission certainly doesn't mean free production.
There are artists, staging, professional sound and lighting, insurance, permits, marketing, staffing, equipment and countless logistical details involved before the first note is ever played.
We talk about how Stage United brings sponsors, public partners and community organizations together to make these concerts possible—and why investing in live music can have an impact far beyond the stage.
A busy concert night can also mean more people walking through downtown Doylestown, eating at local restaurants, visiting businesses and spending time together as a community.
From Distance Picnics to Stage United
Joe's approach to community-focused music became especially evident during the pandemic.
When traditional concerts disappeared and local restaurants were struggling, he created Distance Picnics, an outdoor socially distanced concert concept designed to bring music back to the community while supporting local businesses.
The project eventually evolved into Picnics on Pine and helped shape the broader philosophy that would become Stage United.
For Joe, the goal isn't simply to book bands.
It's to use music to create experiences that bring people together.
Can Bucks County Become a Live Music Destination?
That leads to one of the bigger questions we explore in this episode:
Why shouldn't Bucks County have an incredible live music scene of its own?
With its historic properties, downtown communities, parks, restaurants and arts organizations, Joe believes Bucks County has an opportunity to create concert experiences that are uniquely its own.
Stage United is attempting to build the infrastructure to make that happen.
Listen to our complete conversation with Joe Montone of Stage United on the Bucks Townies Podcast.
To learn more about Stage United, Concerts at the Commons and upcoming events, visit StageUnited.org.
Bucks Townies features conversations with the entrepreneurs, creators, business owners and personalities helping shape Bucks County.
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On this episode of the Bucks Townies Podcast, Joe joins us to talk about building Stage United, the growth of live music in Bucks County and his biggest project yet: Concerts at the Commons in Doylestown.