Summer and Music. The two go together like lemonade and ice cubes. Although live music has been a regular Summer staple on Pine Avenue for the last several years, the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) and the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA) have teamed up this year with Justin Hectus and Rand Foster to produce an ambitious and high-minded performance series.
Hectus, currently the board President of Arts Council for Long Beach, has been supporting local music for ages. He helped produce Dope America, a compilation CD that featured the City’s best musical talent and, more recently, collaborated with Foster, owner of Fingerprints Music in Belmont Shore, to raise funds for in-school music programs through a series of critically acclaimed concerts called Schooled in Song.
The series, which began earlier this month, runs through August. On Friday evenings, it’s music at the bandshell in Rainbow Harbor from 6 – 8 PM. This Friday, it’s DJ Lithuanian Prince, and local darlings Greater California laying down their “soft is the new loud” vibe. Lisa Cee, Delta Nove, and The Boogaloo Assasins will perform on subsequent Fridays.
On Saturdays, SAM is at the East Village Farmer’s Market from 10 AM – 2 PM with DJ Abel and Chris Paul Overall this weekend, and performances by Jazz Angels, DJ Sonic Dread, the Jim Bianco Trio, The Pawnshop Kings, and Molly Jenson on subsequent Saturdays.
On Sundays from 4 – 6 PM, SAM takes over the corner of Pine Avenue and Broadway with performances by The 60 Watt Kid, DJ Dennis Owens (The Good Foot), The New Fidelity, The Boogaloo Assasins, Money Mark, the Animal Liberation Orchestra, and Jazz Angels.
There’s also the SAM Soul Motion Scooter Festival on Sunday, June 28th, Battle of the Tribute Bands on July 11th, Busker Fest on August 21st & 22nd, and the not-to-be-missed Funk Festival on August 29th.
Complete details for all SAM events can be found at SummerAndMusic.com.