Pleasanton Free Concerts in The Park

Free Concerts on Friday evening are a summer tradition in Pleasanton. They are put on by the Pleasanton Downtown association and sponsored by various Pleasanton Businesses. The concerts are held at Lions Wayside Park, at First and Neal Street.

Here’s the line-up for Summer 2011:

June 3: Magic Moments

June 10: Batch 22

June 17: HouseRockers

June 24: Ruckatan Latin Tribe

July 1: Rooster’s Teeth

July 8: Georgi & The Rough Week

July 15: The Crisis

July 22: Dave Crimmen

July 29: Groovy Judy

August 5: The Cool Tones

August 12: Blind Nurse

August 19: Burton & Company

August 26: Finding Stella

September 2: Public Eye

Another Friday, another Free Concert in the Park, put on by the Pleasanton Downtown Association. This evenings entertainment was provided by Top Secret Band. The guitar player and apparent leader of the band claimed to have played in the Pleasanton Free Concert series in seven previous years. He further claimed to have had a different line-up each time.

The band’s shining moments came when they played 70′s funk/soul/r&b/disco classics.

Ok, it’s been more “Pleasanton” than “Web design” lately, but it is summer. I am currently working on 5 projects, including the campaign Website for Joan Laursen, who is running for the Pleasanton School Board (please voter for her). She is a former PTA Council President, sharing company with the likes of Debbie Look, who was named director of legislation for the California State Parent Teachers Association and Jamie Hintzke who is currently a member of the Pleasanton School Board. I’m also redesigning the Website for The Peasant and The Pear, a wonderful restaurant in Danville  (go there tonight for an unforgettable dining experience), and creating a couple of new Websites for attorneys, one in Sacramento, and another in San Diego (hope you don’t need their services). But I do still find time to enjoy myself, and the includes the Pleasanton Free Concerts in the Park! Tonight we were entertained by Tommy and The Four Speeds.

When we arrived at around 6:3o we were surprised to hear the band already playing. It was, in fact, the longest soundcheck I have ever heard in my life.

The soundcheck finished just in time for the show to start! And our favorite spokesperson from the Pleasanton Downtown Association welcomed us and introduced the band.

Tommy and the Four Speeds are musically the best band I have yet heard at the Free Concerts. The vocal harmonies and instrumentation was definitely a cut above your typical oldies cover band.

Obviously Giants fans, which explains the guy in the funny outfit (ok, I like the A’s)

I have to admit that I was not a big Grand Funk Railroad fan back in the ’70s. I was aware of their hit cover tune “Locomotion,” and thought it was kind of strange and amusing, but my interest stopped there. As for their big hit “We’re and American Band,” I thought it was by the band, The Guess Who (they actually had the hit “American Woman”).

Now in 2010, I’m a two-time-in-a-row-Alameda-County-Fair-concert-watching Grand Funk Railroad fan. My new-found interest arises from the fact that 1) They play good, solid rock, 2) I recognize a few of the songs, 3) the tickets are included with my $10 admission to the fair and 4) They are old like me and they still look healthy and happy.

Grand Funk Railroad - Alameda County Fair 2010

TIM CASHION - Grand Funk Railroad

DON BREWER and MAX CARL - Grand Funk Railroad

BRUCE KULICK - Grand Funk Railroad

Here is the line-up for the ever-popular free concert series in Pleasanton, brought to  you by the Pleasanton Downtown Association. Visit their website for more details. The concerts all happen on Friday from 7 PM to 8:30.

June 11: GEORGI & THE ROUGH WEEK - Rockin’ Blues and R&B
June 18: The Cooltones - Big Band Jazz, Swing & Dance
June 25: The Crisis - Honky Tonk/Funk/Rock
July 2: BURTON & COMPANY – Jazzy Rhythm & Blues
July 9: ROOSTER’S TEETH - Rockin’ Blues
July 16: DAVE CRIMMEN – Rock & Roll/Country
July 23: Tommy & The 4Speeds – Oldies
July 30: THE HOUSEROCKERS – Rock & Soul/Dance
August 6: TOP SECRET – Motown/R&B
August 13: FINDING STELLA – Rock & Pop
August 20: COCKTAIL MONKEYS – Classic & Contemporary Rock/Motown/Dance
September 3: PUBLIC EYE – Rock n’ Roll hits

With the variety of music scheduled, there is sure to be something that you’ll like. Ok, unless you are a teenager – but all other age groups seem to have a great time at these events. Pick a few, or do like I do, and come to them all!