The Gothard Sisters

We have an amazing group of local artists for this years Summer Concert Series and an eclectic mix of music and talent for all to enjoy.  These musicians hail from as far away as Ellensburg and are as local as West Seattle.  All are gifted musicians who are very excited to perform in a beautiful park for an enthusiastic and neighborly crowd.  The August 11th show will take place down at Alki Beach, east of the Bath House.  All other shows will be held at Hiawatha Park.  Click here to see this years line up.

PCC Natural Markets is on board as our GOLD sponsor again!  Thanks to PCC for their continued support.  We are still in need of additional sponsors to keep the concert series free.  If you or your business is interested in sponsoring the 2011 ANA Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park, please contact Dave Weitzel at dave@weitzelconstruction.com.

We’ll post more information as we have it and will work on updating the site for the 2011 season!

West Seattle Big Band

The last in the six concert series is TONIGHT at Hiawatha  Park featuring West Seattle Big Band.  It’s been a fantastic season, the weather is predicted to be perfect this evening, what a great way to end the summer!  This is the second year that we’ve hosted this West Seattle favorite and we expect a great showing of support from the neighborhood for this beloved band.  Their premise is unique:

The bands mission is to raise funds for, and awareness of instrumental music programs in the West Seattle area public schools. The members of the band donate all their earnings to this cause…To date over a dozen schools throughout the Seattle area, have received direct donations, equipment, equipment loans, or performances in support of, or jointly with the school music programs.  In addition to school performances, the band also plays at street festivals and park concerts throughout the summer.

Thanks to all of our sponsors, PCC Natural Markets, Prudential Northwest the Johnson team among many others, for helping to make this concert and all others FREE to the community.  Pack up your picnic dinner, grab a blanket and join us for the last show of the summer!

Another exciting evening is planned at Hiawatha Park, as we welcome local singer/songwriter Camille Bloom.

Known for her incredibly dynamic voice and edgy acoustic rock, Camille has played the most premiere venues on the East and West Coasts – ranging from New York City’s Bitter End, Boston’s Club Passim, Seattle’s Triple Door, Tractor, and Crocodile, Los Angeles’ The Mint and over 150 other rooms spanning the nation.

Bottom line, Camille Bloom is a powerhouse of a performer: said to be “like Ani Difranco dipped in Maple Syrup”. (Spokane Inlander).

Click here to listen to her perform.

So pack up the picnic dinner and a blanket and head on over because you won’t be disappointed.  Thanks again to all of our sponsors who helped to bring this FREE concert series to the neighborhood.  The ‘kids pick’ PCC truck will be on hand again as will our other Gold sponsor, Prudential Northwest, the Johnson team.  See you there!

Caspar Babypants

The Board of Education

 Tonight we welcome two local kids’ favorites, Caspar Babypants and The Board of Education, along with a host of other kid centric activities to accompany the FREE music.  The Admiral Neighborhood Association is collecting diapers for West Side Baby so bring diapers or cash donations and help out a worthy and local organization.  The ANA will also offer FREE face painting and popsicles for kids while they last.  Thank goodness for all of our sponsors – like PCC Natural Markets and Prudential Northwest, the Johnson team - who are the ones that make this FREE!

The first show tonight features Caspar Babypants:

CASPAR BABYPANTS is Chris Ballew from the Presidents of the United States of America making high quality intelligent simple acoustic music for kids and thier parents to enjoy together. 

“Caspar Babypants isn’t music for just kids it’s fantasticly hooky, cool ,authentic pop. Chris Ballew is master and has proven it in two bands now.” stone gossard – pearl jam

And for the second act tonight:

The Board Of Education began as a side project of the Seattle band Central Services. Band leader Kevin Emerson, a former elementary school teacher and budding children’s author, presented a few song ideas to his Central Services bandmates, and, voila! a kids’ band was created.

So make room for the dancing up front!  And hope to see you and ALL the kids there too.

Pearl Django Quartet

Photo by Patrick Schneider

Concert number three brings internationally acclaimed jazz musicians, Pearl Django accompanied by vocalist Greta Matassa – to our little neighborhood park!  Both have strong roots here in Seattle and the Northwest.

Pearl Django was originally formed as a trio in Tacoma, Washington in 1994.  Their focus was, and is, to incorporate the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli with American swing music… An interview on NPR’s All Things Considered in 2001 brought the group to national attention. In June 2002, Pearl Django performed at the prestigious Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois sur Seine, just outside of Paris, France.

And as if that’s enough:

In 2009, Greta Matassa was voted “Northwest Vocalist of the Year” by Earshot Jazz. This marks the sixth time she has received this award in 15 years. Greta Matassa is one of the most talented singers working in jazz today.  Greta’s latest cd “I Wanna be Loved” Resonance Records remained on the national jazz charts for radio airplay for 3 months.

We’re excited to host such amazing talent!  Thanks so much to our generous sponsors for enabling this FREE concert series:  PCC, Prudential the Johnson team, West Seattle Blog, Cometa Playschool, Custom Crating, Fresh Bistro, Associated Recreation Council (ARC), Seattle Parks and Recreation, Wiseman’s Appliance and TV, Admiral Tattoo, Alki Mail and Dispatch, Atomic Boys, Barnecut’s Admiral Way Super Service, The Barnett Family, Circa, Linda’s Flowers & Gifts, Tony Meats of Rainier Investments, NK Architects, The Reese Family, and West Seattle Runner.

Thank them or show your support by dropping by their business!  See you on the lawn at 6:30 tonight!

Thanks to Wild Smiles and Alethea the Face Painter, the crowd was sprinkled with little faces decorated with spiders, orcas, butterflies and unicorns.  It’s sponsors like PCC, Prudential’s the Johnson team, Weitzel Construction among many others (please see our list of Event Sponsors) who help bring free music and face painting tonight.  I think it was a hit.

Please join us next Thursday evening at 6:30 when we welcome Pearl Django with Greta Matassa on vocals.  Isn’t this a great neighborhood?

Photo by Shannon Shackelford

Another beautiful evening is expected in West Seattle, perfect weather for the second show featuring Back Burner at Hiawatha Park.

“Back Burner is a 6-piece acoustic string band that plays a toe tappin’ mix of bluegrass, swing, jazz, country, and blues. Their music blends jazz vocals and bluegrass harmonies into what Doug Bright, editor of the Heritage Music Review, calls “A bluegrass swing fusion that works!”  The band plays original songs plus old and new standards from a variety of genres. The music appeals to all ages!”

Also present tonight to collect donations from the community is the West Seattle Food Bank.  For almost 30 years, the Food Bank has been working to end hunger in our community – providing food and other basic supplies, plus education and referral services to neighbors in need.  Bins will be on hand to collect non perishable food, and of course, cash donations are always welcomed.

As if that’s not enough to get you out and to the park, there will be FREE face painting tonight!  ANA will be there again selling our new Admiral apparel – track jackets are $50, adults t-shirts are $20 and kids are $15.  The money we raise from sales, goes right back into events like tonight!

PCC’s Kid’s Pick truck will be serving up samples again.  Prudential Northwest’s the Johnson team will be there too!  Join us for some music and fun, and rally for your community at the same time!  See you tonight.

PCC’s ‘kid’s picks’ truck was handing out tasty samples and Gini and Jayme Johnson from Prudential Northwest were on hand to show to their support.  Other sponsors present were Manuela from Cometa Playschool, Fresh Bistro, Tracy and Patrick from West Seattle Blog and of course Dave Weitzel and the rest of crew from the Admiral Neighborhood Association.  Thanks again to our sponsors for helping to create a fantastic concert series!

It was a gorgeous Seattle evening.  Blankets were spread out surrounded by picnic dinners, take out boxes and lots of friends.  There was swaying and rockin’, clapping hands, a little conversation, giggles and laughter — I think everyone had fun!  Thanks for coming and can’t wait to see you next Thursday for Back Burner – and don’t forget your donations for the West Seattle Food Bank.