 | | | Garageland Rodeo, Reminisce and Dream Posse play together at the finale of a previous year's community music festival. Photo provided | | | | | | Once a year Lafayette's Town Hall Theatre hosts a truly unique singer-songwriter music experience. It takes the best part of a year to bring it all together, run as a fundraiser for the theater and organized by Lafayette residents Tom and Kiki Stack. All the musicians are local and all perform for free.
This year's eighth annual Lafayette Community Music Festival is scheduled for Saturday, April 28.
Stack says this community is fast becoming a destination now for music, with people attending this festival from as far away as Hercules.
As a real estate agent Tom Stack understands the community. He says families who are moving into the downtown area value being able to walk to restaurants and entertainment. "Town Hall Theatre is at the heart of the community," he says, going on to point out that people can walk from the restaurants to the show. Once at THT, music lovers can relax with drinks in the plush seats of the theater. This year the bar will feature a host of discounted craft beers.
After seven years of running the show, Stack says they continue to tweak things and make it better each year. And Stack knows a thing or two about production, having spent 20 years working with the Grateful Dead in licensing and merchandising. He says he studied Bill Graham's big productions. "I watched how he thought outside the realm of normalcy," he says explaining that the experience should always be more than the audience expects.
Stack says he loves to connect people to the music. At this event particularly he says it is about a connection between the musician and listener.
"Kiki's idea was that once a year we feature local singers and songwriters who otherwise would not get to play in such an intimate room with such an attentive audience," says Stack. "This is a departure from the tribute band model that has become so popular here and in the area. We hope to honor them and allow these musicians, some who make their living performing, to showcase their talents to a new crowd, and ideally grow their fan base."
There will be a wide variety of music - something for everyone. Stack explains the audience will discover new music as well as some old favorites.
"There is amazing talent right here in Contra Costa County," says Stack.
With bands such as the Orinda/Lafayette-based Alley Kats, whose members have fronted or played with several big bands including Boston, Night Ranger and Tower of Power, to the Moraga-born Elmwoods, led by brothers Glenn and Alan Macomber, and Frankie G, there is a lot of talent this year too.
Stack recalls that Glenn Macomber was in a band that opened for the Grateful Dead when they played at Campolindo High School May 16, 1969.
Stack is excited to introduce The Muted Jewel Tones, too - three singers he describes as having angelic voices. He says Sin Silver, a young Irish keyboard player is captivating with her Irish brogue.
"It's such an eclectic variety of music," says Kiki Stack, whose own band Dream Posse has played in previous years. "Something for everybody. I'm so excited to produce this show because every year is different. This is our very own music community, and that's important. It also brings together the veterans and the youth," she says.
"There's a common thread of love for great heartland, blues, and folk music," adds Kiki Stack. "Every year people say, 'How did I not know about this?' We're trying to make sure people do."
The show takes place on Saturday, April 28. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30 p.m. All attendees will receive a free poster. Tickets are $30 on the night of the performance or can be purchased in advance online for $25 at https://www.townhalltheatre.com/music-comedy/.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA