With the summer season upon us, a variety of public spaces on the North Shore are being transformed into outdoor music venues featuring free concerts, showcasing talented artists in a comfortable setting, and focused on bringing neighbours together.
Friday nights are shaping up to be the busiest thanks to the North Vancouver Recreation Culture Commission's 2015 Summer Concert Series, seeing the presentation of performances in three North Vancouver neighbourhoods, as well as live entertainment offered as part of the Shipyards Night Market, presented by North Shore Green Markets.
"From our perspective it's important to celebrate within neighbourhoods," says Amanda Dickson, community events programmer with the recreation culture commission. "We're trying to create places where neighbours can connect. A lot of times neighbours don't get to know each another because they live in apartments, or they live in places where there's not the opportunity to say hi to their neighbours or things like that so we're creating local celebrations."
Dickson is responsible for co-ordinating the commission's 2015 Summer Concert Series, comprised of the 17th annual Concerts in Edgemont Village (in the 3000 block of Highland Blvd.), the eighth annual Concerts in Lynn Valley (at Lynn Valley Village Plaza), and the 23rd annual Concerts in Deep Cove (in Panorama Park). Shows run from 7 to 9 p.m. and are weather-dependent.
"Children love these concerts, families, really anybody. They're really geared towards people who love music and who love to just be out in the community," says Dickson, a North Vancouver resident. “They’re absolutely free and they’re just a really low key opportunity to see some really great musical talent,” she adds.
Dickson and her co-workers keep their eyes peeled throughout the year, looking for talent to take the stage in the summer months and are pleased with this year’s lineup, a good mix of new artists and returning fan-favourites.
“We’ve got some great bands that people might not have seen, they’re in different locations this year, so we try to mix up the bands and make sure that they get out to the different neighbourhoods so everybody gets to experience them,” says Dickson.
Examples of this year’s lineup include ’50s rock group Gastown Riot in Lynn Valley Aug. 14. “The lead of the band is actually from Lynn Valley,” says Dickson, who is also looking forward to the return of Hot Lucy the following Friday, Aug. 21. North Shore staple, the Adam Woodall Band, which “always draws a really big crowd,” will take the same stage Aug. 28.
“We have some really great Latin music with Mazacote in Deep Cove this year (Aug. 7) along with returning favourites Mostly Marley (Aug. 21). Mostly Marley’s been a big hit in the Deep Cove area,” she says.
The full 2015 Summer Concert Series lineup includes: Edgemont Village: Souled Out, tonight; Smith & Jones, July 17; Pernell Reichert, Band July 24; and The Bobcats, July 31.
Lynn Valley: Cayla Brook, tonight; Rich Hope, July 17; Robyn & Ryleigh, July 24; Terminal Station, July 31; The Dynamics, Aug. 7; Gastown Riot, Aug. 14; Hot Lucy, Aug. 21; and Adam Woodall Band, Aug. 28.
Deep Cove: Mazacote, Aug. 7; The Day Trippers, Aug. 14; Mostly Marley, Aug. 21; and Steel Toe Boots, Aug. 28.
The Lower Lonsdale area will also be a hive of activity on Friday evenings through Sept. 25 thanks to the weekly Shipyards Night Market in Shipbuilders’ Square, from 5 to 10 p.m. The market features food trucks, artisans, bakers and farmers, as well as a beer garden. The Shipbuilders’ Stage offers weekly performances by artists from across the province.
The Shipyards will also be buzzing Saturday nights with the return of the City of North Vancouver’s Summer Sessions Summer Concert Series, in its second year and produced by Twilight Markets. Weekly concerts will be offered Saturdays through Aug. 29 from 5 to 10 p.m.
“If you’re going to do something that’s accessible to the public and it’s free, you want to make it fun and so that’s the idea behind these concerts, is to make it really just a fun event so everybody can have a good time, they can dance if they want to (or) they can just sit and chill if they want to,” says Sylvia Cromack, event marketing and production for Twilight Markets.
The North Vancouver resident recalls a fond memory from last year’s series when one evening, prior to a performance by a country band, she had arranged a Vancouver square dancing caller to bring his group to engage with those in attendance. A bride and her bridal party, in between festivities at the neighbouring Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, were drawn down to the sounds.
“They came and joined in. . . . They had so much fun, it was great,” says Cromack. “I get so much satisfaction out of seeing people have a good time. It’s fabulous to be out there and watch these people enjoying themselves,” she adds.
Similar to the North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission’s 2015 Summer Concert Series, the City of North Vancouver’s Summer Sessions is also offering performers representative of a variety of musical genres.
“I’m trying to change it up so I’ve tried to book different genres of music because not everybody likes the same thing, so I’ve got Latin, I’ve got Irish, I’ve got rhythm & blues, I’ve got soul, I’ve got country. So each week something is different,” says Cromack.
The 2015 Summer Sessions lineup includes: March Hare Band tomorrow night; Alma Chevere July 18; Chin Injeti July 25; Souled Out Aug. 1; Mostly Marley Aug. 8; Persons of Interest Aug. 15; David James and Big River Aug. 22; and The Boom Booms Aug. 29.
In addition to live performances, Summer Sessions offers food trucks, artists and artisans, and a beverage garden.
Other free outdoor concerts being offered on the North Shore this summer include those as part of the Lonsdale Quay Market Concert Series, offered Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. (and 3:30- 5:30 p.m. on holidays), as part of its
SummerFest 2015 offerings, on until Sept. 6. Acts this month include The Palomars on Sunday, Company B on July 19 and Coco Jafro on July 27. The market is also offering live entertainment on Friday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. until Sept. 4 as part of its Friday Night Life programming.
West Vancouver’s Harmony Arts Festival is running July 31 to Aug. 9, offering daily live performances at a number of waterfront venues.
Musart Cultural Society is presenting its annual Cates Park Concert Series on Saturdays, July 18-Aug. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m., at Cates Park. Each concert until Aug. 22 will feature three local bands. The final show on Aug. 29 will feature nine singer-songwriters from the Lower Mainland. The society is also presenting Deep Cove Daze Aug. 30 at Panorama Park.
For more information visit: northvanrec.com; northshoregreenmarkets.com/shipyards; cnv.org/summersessions; lonsdalequay.com; harmonyarts.ca and musart.ca.
