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by Anisha Kumar
Every Friday through Aug. 29, Courthouse Square fills with people toting coolers, camping chairs, and blankets, eager to claim a front row seat to that week’s Music on the Square performance.
This summer’s free concert series, the latest iteration in a tradition that began in 2007, features 13 bands spanning genres from classic rock tribute to fusion jazz.
The Pulse spoke to a handful of Music on the Square performers to learn why they make the music they do, and what paths led them to Redwood City.
Groove Ride: ’70s dance music
On June 6, Music on the Square got a taste of Las Vegas from Groove Ride, an 11-piece ’70s dance music cover band with 13 years of live performance experience.
“We don’t use tracks, no pre-recorded anything. If we can’t play it, we’re not going to do it.” said Doc Robinson, one of the group’s founders.
Groove Ride’s repertoire includes hits from bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, Tower of Power, and the Commodores — music the band’s members grew up with, according to Robinson.
Three years ago, the band approached their first Music on the Square performance with some apprehension.
“Then we walked out there and we hit the first song, and the place went nuts, and it was packed,” Robinson said. “It was awesome. That’s the only word that I can use for it.”
La Gente SF: Latin music with a twist
La Gente SF infuses Latin music with the sounds of the Bay Area, blending cumbia, salsa, and reggaeton with influences from psychedelic rock and hip hop. The group took the stage for the third time at Music on the Square on June 20.
The group first started jamming in San Francisco’s Mission District, said band leader Rafael Sarria Bustamante. Bustamante was raised in San Francisco by parents who immigrated from Colombia and Nicaragua.
“Right now, there’s this huge rise in the United States of … xenophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment,” Bustamante said. “But if you’re out there expressing your art, your culture … it can be way more powerful.”
In a way, music is “a threat, it’s a show of force,” Bustamante said. “I know a lot of people are feeling despondent right now. Now more than ever, we need a platform for these kinds of messages and music.”
Foreigner Unauthorized: Foreigner tribute
Foreigner Unauthorized, a Foreigner tribute act, performed their third set at Music on the Square on June 27. For 15 years, Foreigner Unauthorized’s tribute performances have focused on studying and recreating the original band’s live performances rather than the studio versions of their songs, said band member Max De Vivo.
Classic rock band Foreigner got its name from the makeup of its band members — three Englishmen and three Americans. Foreigner Unauthorized echoes its namesake’s half-and-half makeup, with three American members and three Italian members, De Vivo noted.
De Vivo recalled numerous occasions on which audience members approached the tribute band, fully convinced that they were the original act and clutching memorabilia in the hopes of securing an autograph.
“It’s worth every effort, seeing them have a good time. We’re having a good time too,” he said.
Native Elements: Roots reggae
Chris Cortez, drummer for roots reggae band Native Elements, likes to joke that the group was formed in “the island of Daly City.” The band, a Music on the Square staple for the past several years, will perform on July 11.
The band’s core members grew up skateboarding and playing rock music together, almost like a “family,” Cortez said. After starting as “thrashers” and “anarchists,” Cortez added, the group found a different kind of rebellion in reggae music. Now, they’ve been collaborating for nearly 30 years.
“The Bay Area is this big melting pot of people,” said Cortez, who now lives in Redwood City with his family. He drew a parallel with the blend of “genres coming together under the umbrella of reggae,” including rock, metal, blues, and hip hop.
Reggae offers “a message of positivity and unity and bringing people together,” Cortez said. “All walks of life, ages, colors, creeds, all having a good time, all in one place.”
Boys of Summer: Eagles tribute
On July 18, the Boys of Summer — named for the 1984 Don Henley hit — are returning to Music on the Square for the 15th time, according to band member Chris Turbis. Two decades ago, the group decided to cover the Eagles when they realized that their lead vocalist’s voice bore a striking resemblance to Don Henley’s, Turbis said.
At Music on the Square, “the crowd is outrageous. It’s electric,” said Turbis. The second half of their set, which sees the band perform high-energy hits like “One of These Nights,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” and the eponymous “Boys of Summer,” is “pure magic,” he added.
Paying tribute to the Eagles is “complex, yet so simplistic,” said Turbis, who plays piano, guitar, and orchestration for the band. The band studies original performances by the Eagles and follows their “formula” — in Turbis’s words, “don’t play too much. Just do your part.”
The band is based out of Southern California, Turbis noted. But they find that the trek up north is well worth it.
“Getting the guys together — it’s like a traveling baseball team,” Turbis noted. “It’s our primary focus in life: Play music. Play, play, play.”
Orquesta Dharma: Latin jazz and salsa
Orquesta Dharma will bring a blend of Latin jazz and salsa music to the stage on Aug. 8. This year is their second at Music on the Square, but the group has been performing at Redwood City recreation events for years, said bandleader Jamie Dubberly.
Since 2011, the group has been performing a repertoire of salsa classics and Afro-Cuban dance grooves, as well as original material, Dubberly said. At times, Orquesta Dharma also infuses a unique “New Orleans brass band vibe” into their music, he added, recalling seeing Redwood City crowds on their feet for much of last year’s set.
“It was an awesome crowd — a lot of energy and a great response,” he said. “We’re super excited to be back.”
