THE DREAMBOATS

Upcoming performances: September 20 - Fullerton

Past performances: June 19 - Downey, June 26 - Riverside, June 27 - Rancho Cucamonga, July 3 - Santa Fe Springs, July 11 - Fountain Valley, July 17 - Diamond Bar, July 24 - West Covina, July 29 - Covina, July 31 - Glendale, August 2 - Cypress, August 4 - Glendora and August 7 - Temple City

     Part modern, part retro and part revival, The Dreamboats deliver a high-energy show inspired by the music of the 1950s and 1960s. It is music that they adore, and they are bringing back the timeless sounds for a new generation to discover. The Canadian quartet has brought their show to Southern California stages this summer with a sound that is "equal parts Chuck Berry and The Wonders."

     The band has toured in Europe and performs in both Canada and the United States. Members of The Dreamboats' U.S. lineup are: Chris Hummel, lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Gianmarco Fiacconi, vocals/drums, Justin Zoltek, vocals/bass guitar, and Andy Alvarez, vocals/lead guitar.

     To learn more about The Dreamboats, view the video below or visit their website at www.thedreamboatsband.com.

LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL BAND

Upcoming performances: All done for Summer '24 - see you in 2025!

Past performances: June 25 - 28, July 2 - 5, July 9 - 12, July 16 - 19 and July 23 - 26 and July 30 - August 2

     This year the Long Beach Municpal Band, conducted by Kurt Curtis, celebrates its 115th season of concerts in a variety of Long Beach parks. The 2024 overall theme for the summer is "Music to My Ears," and the concerts for the July 4 holiday week celebrate with a "Spirit of America" theme. Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m., with instrumental performances for the first half of the show, followed by performances by guest vocalists in the second half of the program. This week's guest vocalist is Mark Kopitzke. Members of the band range from studio musicians to members of local orchestras, and several long-time members have performed with the band for decades. The conductor, Kurt Curtis, also is the conductor of the Disneyland Band and has been involved in music at the park for nearly four decades. In the video below, he speaks a bit about the band after he was named conductor in 2021.

     For this Tuesday only (July 2), the concert will take place at Whaley Park North, 5620 Atherton. Remaining Tuesday concerts will take place in Bixby Annex Park, 130 Cherry Avenue. Other concert locations are: Wednesdays - Los Cerritos Park, 3750 Del Mar Avenue, Thursdays - Recreation Park (behind Blair Field), 4700 E. 7th Street, and Fridays - El Dorado Park West, Studebaker/Willow.

     To learn more about the Long Beach Muncipal Band, view the band's conductor in the video below or visit the City of Long Beach information page for the band at www.longbeach.gov/park/recreation-programs/programs-and-classes/municipal-band.

     To learn more about The Kings of 88, view the video below or visit their website at www.thekingsof88.com.

PULP VIXEN

Upcoming performances: All done for Summer '24 - see you in 2025!

Past performances: June 27 - San Bernardino, July 11 - South El Monte, July 18 - La Habra, July 26 - Santa Fe Springs, August 1 - Westminster and August 4 - La Canada Flintridge

     Pulp Vixen is an all-female show band, a high-energy dance band specializing in today's Top 40 dance music, classic dance standards, and favorites from Latin and R&B to hip hop and classic rock. They also offer DJ services, MC services and sound/lighting, with formats ranging from a four-piece band to a nine-piece band with three lead vocalists and a horn section.

     Members of Pulp Vixen include: Roseann Aldrete (Lead Guitar), Chrissy Ras (Drums/Vocals), Megan Steiner (Bass Guitar/Rhythm Guitar/Drums), Sandy Chao (Keyboards), Tatiana Tate (Trumpet), Ruri Matthews (Saxophone), Susan Joyner (Keboards/Guitar), Jen Paro (Guitar/Bass), Jasmin Guevara (Drums/Percussion), LJ Stone (Guitar) and vocalists Becky Maheata Tahauri Moon, Niki Bente and Yo Jonesy Jones. In addition to the park concerts they also perform at Pala and Morongo Casinos and at corporate and other private events.

     Pulp Vixen was named Band of the Year by Inland Empire Magazine and was voted Best Cover Band at the Temecula Valley Music Awards. To learn more about Pulp Vixen, view the video below or visit their website at www.pulpvixenband.com.

MARIACHI DIVAS DE CINDY SHEA

Upcoming performances: September 4 - La Puente and September 15 - Los Angeles (Downtown and Vicinity)

Past performances: June 13 - Puente Hills/Rowland Heights, June 27 - Fullerton, July 10 - Buena Park, July 13 - Los Angeles (Downtown and Vicinity), July 25 - Culver City, July 26 - South Gate and August 8 - La Habra

     The Mariachi Divas, an all-female mariachi ensemble, was founded in 1999 by musical director and trumpet player Cindy Shea. This year the GRAMMY Award-winning group celebrates its 25th Anniversary. In total the group has seven GRAMMY nominations, three Latin GRAMMY nominations and two GRAMMY Awards. They are one of the southland's longest-running all-female mariachi ensembles.

     Over the years, the women of the Mariachi Divas have come from backgrounds in countries from Argentina to Egypt and Mexico to Peru, as well as the United States. While their foundations are rooted in mariachi, their music also has been a way of uniting their diverse cultural backgrounds. The Mariachi Divas specialize in providing professional mariachi music for commercials, television and film recordings. They also perform daily at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Anaheim and have been the official mariachi of Disney California for nearly two decades.

     The group's discography includes fifteen professional full-length album releases through Shea Records and East Side Records. To learn more about the Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, view the video below or visit their website at www.mariachidivas.com.

SUSIE HANSEN LATIN BAND

Upcoming performances: September 27 - Los Angeles (Downtown and Vicinity)

Past performances: June 9 - Pasadena, July 6 - Los Angeles (Mid-Wilshire/Museum District), July 17 - Palos Verdes, August 1 - Azusa, August 15 - Glendale and August 27 - Pasadena. Over the summer the band also has been part of the LA Parks After Dark (PAD) concert performances in Altadena, Covina, Duarte, East Los Angeles and La Puente.

     Violinist Susie Hansen and her Latin Band have been performing together in Southern California for over three decades. The band mixes together Latin rhythms with jazz improvising, vocals in both Spanish and English, and recognizable standards. They play salsa, cumbia, charange, merengue, bachata, bolero, cha cha cha and Latin jazz.

     Susie Hansen not only plays the electric violin but also is the band's musical director, and she sings both bilingual lead and background. Her ensemble features Daniel Castillo from Venezuela on lead vocals in Spanish and percussion, Kaspar Abbo from London on lead vocals in English and electric guitar, Joe Rotondi (Keyboards), Mike Alvarez (Bass), Abelardo Bolani (Drums and Timbales), and in the bigger band configuration, Valerie Peterson (Lead Vocals), Mark Gutierrez (Piano/Guitar/Vocals), Roberto Cascante (Percussion), Danny Weinstein (Trombone) and Dean Roubicek (Sax/Flute). Other LA Latin jazz and salsa musicians that have been long-time members of Susie's band include percussionists Tiki Pasillas, Jimmy Branly and Joe DeLeon, bassists Rene Camacho and John Betzaguy and singers George Balmaseda and Eddie Ortiz.

     The Susie Hansen Latin Band has appeared at the Playboy Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, Fiesta Broadway in Los Angeles and at numerous other venues throughout California and the U.S. She has three recordings featuring salsa, Latin jazz and a variety of other dance styles. To learn more about the Susie Hansen Latin Band, view the video below or visit the band's website at www.susiehansen.com.

ARTISTS OF THE 2024 FEATURED SERIES: THE ROCK YARD AT FANTASY SPRINGS

Upcoming performances: Every Friday and Saturday night

Past performances: Every Friday and Saturday night

     Over the last decade tribute bands have become a staple on the Southern California summer concert stages. This year the Featured Artists section travels to the Inland Empire for one of the largest ongoing tribute band-themed concert series, the Rock Yard at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.

     The Rock Yard is an outdoor venue featuring two side-by-side stages in an amphitheater-style area. Evening shows run from 7 - 11 p.m. with a featured tribute band and another rock group. This weekend's tribute bands are Arena, a Duran Duran tribute, and Forever Rod, a Rod Stewart tribute. Artists who have appeared so far this summer and those who are currently scheduled for this month are included below.

     Please remember, all guests at the concerts must be 18 and older to rock. To learn more about the series or view the ongoing band line-up, go to www.fantasyspringsresort.com/rock-yard.

PACIFIC SYMPHONY

Upcoming performances: Symphony in the Cities: Finished for Summer '24! See you in 2025!
Symphony on the Go: September 14 - San Clemente and September 21 - Fullerton

Past performances: Symphony in the Cities: July 30 - Costa Mesa, August 3 - Mission Viejo, August 4 - Orange, August 17 - Lake Forest and August 18 - Irvine
Symphony on the Go: June 16 - Mission Viejo, June 28 - Aliso Viejo, July 12 - Dana Point, July 20 - Seal Beach, July 21 - La Habra, August 14 - Buena Park, August 15 - La Palma, August 24 - Costa Mesa, August 25 - Ladera Ranch, August 29 - San Clemente, August 30 and 31 - Laguna Hills and September 1 - San Juan Capistrano

     The Pacific Symphony, under the leadership of Music Director Carl St. Clair, has been the resident orchestra of Orange County's Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for over 15 years. Founded in 1978, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years. The orchestra presents over 100 concerts and events each year including a rich array of education and community engagement programs.

     The Pacific Symphony will present two types of summer performances this year. The "Symphony in the Cities" programs will take place in five cities and will include orchestra performances of a wide variety of classical favorites and other popular and patriotic music. The programs also feature pre-concert activities including the Symphony's "musical playground" and a conducting clinic led by Maestro St. Clair for children and their parents. "Symphony on the Go" concerts (bottom photo) feature small ensembles of Pacific Symphony musicians performing chamber music on a mobile stage which travels to each city.

     To learn more about the Pacific Symphony concerts view the video below or go to www.pacificsymphony.org/communityconcerts (Symphony in the Cities), or www.pacificsymphony.org/SOTG (Symphony on the Go). Program notes are available on the website for most concerts.

FLASHBACK HEART ATTACK

Upcoming performances: All done for Summer '24 - see you in 2025!

Past performances: July 4 - San Juan Capistrano, July 11 - Irvine, July 16 - Costa Mesa, August 11 - Aliso Viejo, August 21 - San Juan Capistrano and August 23 - Laguna Niguel

     Flashback Heart Attack is a new wave 80s cover band performing high-energy renditions of the hits of the decade. With their flashy outfits, occasional choreography and funny stage shtick they have been voted "Best Live Band People's Choice" by OC Weekly multiple times.

     The band has been playing together for 14 years locally, across the country and internationally. Members of Flashback Heart Attack are Chaz DeLight (Vocals/Guitar), Don Bronze (Guitar/Backing Vocals), Jerry Skiddz (Drums) and Robo (Bass/Backing Vocals). In addition to the summer performances, they have appeared at numerous corporate and charity events and have been hired to be the backing band for 80s artists including Wally Palmer (The Romantics), Tommy Tu Tone, Mike Score (Flock of Seagulls) and many others.

     To learn more about Flashback Heart Attack, you can view the video below or go to their website at www.eightiescoverband.com.

2024 SPOTLIGHT FESTIVAL: ORANGE INTERNATIONAL STREET FAIR

Upcoming performances: All done for Summer '24 - see you in 2025!

Past performances: August 30, August 31 and September 1

     The Spotlight Festival is a one-, two- or three-day summer event. This year's Spotlight Festival is the Orange International Street Fair in the city of Orange. The festival features music and food from around the world and will take place on Friday from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. in the area surrounding the Orange traffic circle at Chapman Avenue/Glassell.

     The International Street Fair features 14 country-themed areas, from Mexico Street and Germany Street to Lebanon Street and Australia Street, and an area just for children. There also are eight stages of entertainment: the Main Stage, All-American Stage, Children's Street Stage, German Street Stage, Greek Street Stage, Irish Street Stage, Mexico Street Stage and Polynesian Street Stage. Sales at all food booths are themed to the street area in which they are located, and all sales benefit local non-profit groups. Lists of food menus by streets and entertainment schedules for the stages are available on the event website.

     The video below shows a walking tour from last year's event, and you can visit the Orange International Street Fair website at www.orangestreetfair.org. This event can be very crowded, and comfortable walking shoes are advised. Alcohol sales, entertainment and the children's street area end at 9 p.m. nightly.

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