Gilroy
– It’s time to get rockin’ and a-rollin’ as the Gilroy tradition
of free outdoor music each summer continues. The Summer Concerts in
the Park series starts Sunday, with Ritmo, a Santana tribute
band.
Gilroy – It’s time to get rockin’ and a-rollin’ as the Gilroy tradition of free outdoor music each summer continues. The Summer Concerts in the Park series starts Sunday, with Ritmo, a Santana tribute band.
The city is proud to offer six concerts featuring local musical talent from June to August, according to Gilroy Cultural Arts and Museum supervisor Cathy Mirelez.
“It’s the first time we’ve been able to offer this many concerts,” Mirelez said.
The concerts offer fun for the whole family in the outdoor amphitheater at Christmas Hill Park, with plenty of seating and a concrete dance floor for those who feel the need to move to the music.
“The premise is to showcase local talent and offer musical entertainment,” Mirelez said.
The Santana tribute band includes nine members who live in cities from Salinas to San Jose and they are looking forward to joining their fans in Gilroy once more.
Andy Sierra, the band leader, plays a Latin percussion drum called the timbales and he said the band can’t wait to get on stage.
“It’s awesome because it is the closest thing for us to the Shoreline Amphitheater,” he said of playing at Christmas Hill Park.
“It’s great when we pack all the benches and everyone is energetic and dancing up there on the concrete pathways. We hope this year the crowd will be even bigger.”
The six bands that will be playing this summer cover a range of musical tastes from blues to country to rockabilly.
“We have tried to choose bands that have different musical avenues,” Mirelez said.
The concerts are free and are sponsored this year by the Gilroy Foundation, Goldsmiths Seeds, Inc., the Gilroy Rotary Club and South Valley Disposal and Recycling, Inc. Additional funds came from proceeds of local theater productions such as “Forever Broadway” performed in January.
Proceeds from concession sales at the concerts will go to youth programs in Gilroy, including the Youth Center and the playground program.
Summer Concerts In The Park
At the Christmas Hill Park Amphitheater from 5 to 7pm.
June 12 Ritmo – The Ultimate Tribute to Santana
June 26 J.J. Hawg – Blues
July 10 Silver Creek – Country
July 24 Sidesaddle – Bluegrass
Aug. 14 Los High Tops – Rockabilly
Aug. 28 The Corvairs – ’50s and ’60s Rock/Oldies
