Image courtesy of Matt Costa, taken by Graham Lovelis.
Beach Streets Downtown, Long Beach’s second Ciclovía set to transform Broadway into a safe haven for pedestrians, cyclists, rollerbladers, skateboarders (you name it) to do their thing without the threat of traffic, is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated events of the month.
The Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA), the Long Beach lovin’ organization spearheading the downtown area programming for the open street event, announced this week that Matt Costa will headline the Summer & Music’s (SAM) Buskerfest event at Beach Streets, thanks to Buskerfest curator and Fingerprints Music owner Rand Foster, set to take place at 4th Street and Elm Avenue from 10:00AM to 5:00PM.
“When this was coming together, I had to think of who I wanted and in all honesty, I always think of Matt every year when we do Buskerfest for SAM,” Foster said in a statement. “I hope every year, every summer that some day, we’ll have him. He’s a friend and he’s done a ton of stuff in our store but the late summer [when Buskerfest occurs] just never works out for him.”
Costa performed at SAM’s inaugural Dancin’ in the Streets event three years ago, sharing a stage with Nick Waterhouse, according to the announcement. Joining Costa at Beach Streets Downtown will be local Dustin Lovelis, Long Beach-based Queen Califia and Costa Mesa-based Ellie Mae & The Ricochets, with DJ Vinnie Toma spinning between sets.
Buskerfest is traditionally the last and coveted event of the Summer and Music Series, of which Rival Sons headlined last year. Inspired by the street musicians courageously putting themselves out in the open to for the public digest, the annual music event gives local musicians the stage to perform their rawest work. Attendees vote for their favorite bands, where the winning outfit receives a prize package designed to push their career forward.
Others who have graced the Buskerfest stage include the Cold War Kids, Delta Spirit, Everest, Beachwood Sparks, Chicano Batman, Sam Outlaw and Tijuana Panthers. For more information about Beach Streets Downtown, click here.