July 13, 2016 By Michael Florio
The fifth annual LIC Concerts will return this week for three months of free music.
This year’s series will have feature a total of 51 musicians across nine concert events with 21 sponsoring local businesses. The concerts, which will be held at Gantry Plaza State Park, are free and open to the public.
The series will kick off tomorrow at 7 p.m., with a classical music performance by The Bowers-Fader Duo. A full lineup is listed below this article.
Jason Sagebiel, founder of Sage Music who organizes the concert series, is expecting large crowds for each show. Last year each performance drew in at least 200 people, with some topping 800 viewers, Sagebiel said.
Sagebiel expects to match or exceed those numbers this summer to continue a trend of the concert series growing every year.
In its first year, Sage Music produced one concert with no sponsors and had a small crowd of roughly 80 people, Sagebiel said.
The series grew to three concerts in its second year, with a handful of sponsors and the help of a new partner, the Compact Disc Jockeys, who provide the stage and sound equipment and do a lot of the fundraising.
“We are proud to produce LIC Concerts, which celebrates our community. The majority of our performers all come from LIC and have few opportunities to share their talents within their own neighborhood,” Sagebiel said. “So it makes us happy to create a space that brings the residents, artists and musicians, and the 21 businesses who have generously supported the arts in LIC together in this unique community event.”
Concerts:
July 14, 7:00 p.m. – The Bowers-Fader Duo (Classical Music)
July 21, 7:00 p.m. – Amanda Monaco with Kiss the Leslie (Jazz)
July 28, 7:00 p.m. – Mark Wade Trio (Jazz)
August 7, 5:00 p.m. – Mary Alouette (Gypsy Jazz); Pre-War Ponies (Jazz Standards)
August 14, 5:00 p.m. – D’Haene (Rock); Shelly Bhushan (Soul inspired Rock)
August 21, 5:00 p.m. – Joe Taylor (Indie); People’s Champs (Indie)
August 28, 5:00 p.m. – Jessy Tomsko (Singer-Songwriter); Brain Cloud (Americana)
September 4, 3:00 p.m. – Kids and Family Day; Interactive Children’s Concerts, Facepainting, free music lessons and other kids activities.
September 4, 5:00 p.m. – Free yoga in the park with classical music.
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One Comment
Amanda Monaco is awesome!