If I’m not mistaken, we’re into June.
I’m feeling this primal urge to get outside and dance in the sun, and listen to music, and beat on a drum, and wear hippie clothes, and howl and generally make a fool out of myself. Let’s get this party started already!
The question that seems to roll off many lips right about now is: “When does MarketFest start?” The answer is Thursday, June 25 at Library Park in downtown Redding. It’s the 14th season for MarketFest (can you believe it?).
MarketFest
(Right now I’m going to fight the urge to tell you how to plan for that Thursday. I’m NOT going to suggest that you head to MarketFest for some great tunes and a few beers and then head over to the Cascade Theatre at 8 p.m. for a concert with the Jim Dyar Band opening for Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women. The reason I’ll avoid suggesting that is because it would be self promotion.)
June 25 seems so far away, but you don’t have to wait that long for killer summer music. Mosquito Serenade kicks off next Wednesday (June 10) with a concert by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Chris Hillman and bluegrass icon Herb Pederson.
Herb Pederson and Chris Hillman
Hillman and Pederson played together in the Desert Rose Band, and both of their resumes are staggering. Hillman, of The Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, helped shape a huge genre of American music. Those bands were pioneers of folk/rock and country/rock movements. Acts all the way from the Eagles to Wilco have followed in their wake. Pederson has played with everyone: Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia, Gordon Lightfoot, Jennifer Warnes and John Prine to name a few.
The Desert Rose Band
“Chris Hillman’s been writing some great music on his own last few years, and he’s taken a lot of the Byrds, Burrito Brothers and Desert Rose Band’s songs and and re-arranged them into more of a bluegrass folk style,” said Ken Hartman, director of Mosquito Serenade.
Another reason to get down to Anderson River Park next Wednesday evening (concerts start at 7 p.m.) is $200,000 worth of renovations to the KC Grove Amphitheater. Improvements include a new stage and an improved seating area.
“There won’t be a bad seat in the park,” Hartman said.
I’ll be writing more about MarketFest and Mosquito Serenade as the summer progresses, but for now I’ll leave you with the schedules for both. For more info on MarketFest, click here. For Mosquito Serenade, click here.
Mosquito Serenade
June 10-Chris Hillman/ Herb Redersen rock-folk-bluegrass
June 17-Shasta Blues Revue blues
June 24- Jinx Jones rockabilly/blues
July 3 – Shasta District Fair-WeR! Christian rock
July 8 – Savannah Blue tribute to southern rock
July 15 – Tempest celtic
July 22 – Dave Stamey traditional California cowboy
July 29 – Straightahead Big Band 40’s & 50’s big band music
August 5 – Joni Morriss with Chad Bushnell tribute to great women of country
August 12 – Caravan Serai tribute to Santana
MarketFest
June 25 – Kid ‘n Nic
July 2 – Majical
July 9 – Sharrie Williams
July 16 – Naomi and the Courteous Rudeboys
July 23 – Bumpus
July 30 – Pine & Battery
August 6 – Joe Craven
August 13 – Bill Magee
August 20 – Freekbass
August 27 – the California Honeydrops
