Painting by Corey Barksdale
This year's Lowell Summer Music Series has been a real joy. We were able to catch some well known and respected bands like Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Michael Franti & Spearhead, and more recently, Derek Trucks.
We really must extend our highest kudos to John Marciano who is responsible for bringing in what seems to be a better line up every year. No small feat when one considers these musicians are well respected on the national and international circuit, and routinely do bigger venues. And the ticket prices are by far the best deal going in the local concert scene.
John does a great job putting together a very eclectic mix that provides something for almost anybody who loves live music. What might be missing in the mix, like the broad genre of heavy rock, hip-hop, and rap might be a disappointment for more than a few locals, but the downtown setting and limited seating would not be conducive to those kinds of music acts anyway.
It may simply be a coincidence, but we find it odd how few Lowellians we know actually come to the series. At one point during the intermission of one show we attended the audience was asked who was from Lowell and who was from out of town. The majority...by far...was from out of town. We hope more Lowellians will come to the series more often as the support is crucial to the series' continuation.
Los Lobos have one of the most original Latino-blues-rock sound we've ever heard, and never fail to entertain, so we hope they come back again in a couple of years. This was their second tour here we believe. We saw them for the first time in 2006. But if we were happy with the Los Lobos concert, we were blown away with the pure entertainment factor, energy, and flat out musicianship of Los Lonely Boys, who have their own brand of Latino-rock. It's got a little more Santana flavor, and a lot more volume. Michael Frant had the infectious rhythms of reggae underlying a protester's social conscience. His trade mark "Yell Fire!" continues to be a relevant commentary on government and social ills, but the dark lyrics aside, it is one of the best songs we know of that gets people out of their seats and moving. A contingent from Vermont came down to see Franti, and the clouds of smoke filtering around during his set gave the whole scene something of a Greatful Dead concert vibe.
We're probably done for the season but look forward to next year. Hope to see you there!
Blue Note
by
Kathy Mackey
