music 32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY august 22-28, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com The summer of 2024 has been a stellar entrant for music in Monterey County. Despite losing Rebels and Renegades from the festival lineup, there is a wealth of talent. And the West End Celebration continues to be the showcase for veteran, new and up-and-coming bands. Now over two decades old, the festival happens this weekend, Aug. 24-25, with performances on three stages. Headlining the Independent Stage are names like Coco Montoya, Al James Band and a new local collaboration, River Voices. The Independent stage boasts the largest venue out of the three and therefore is able to handle bigger crowds. But even for those who have been recording and performing for years, the experience can be humbling. “I’m always excited to play in the area of Monterey and Sand City,” says Montoya, the touring blues guitarist who has been playing in the area since the early 1970s. Montoya is also uplifted by the younger local musicians who come out to play at the Sand City festival. “It’s always inspiring. You have young musicians coming out, whether it be blues or whatever it is they’re playing. Their young talent is growing. It’s fun to see,” he points out. Much of that young talent—not just referring to biological age—will be heard on the east end of Redwood Avenue. The Hear & Now stage is the most recent to join the celebration, with a lineup of Monterey’s local up-and-comers. It features a diverse range of musical talent, nearly all local, from a jazz-guitarist-turned-singer of the Peter Barnes Martin Band to the costume-clad singer-songwriter tunes of The Fragonards. These bands have been making a name for themselves over the years and they have the following to prove it. “I feel like I owe a lot to Monterey,” says Gin Fragonard, lead singer, guitarist and keyboardist of The Fragonards. She got her start playing house shows as her eponymous solo act, before forming her four-piece band and eventually moving into playing wine tasting rooms and other smaller venues in Monterey County. The artist, who at one time years ago said she’d never play or sing in front of anyone, credits the success of her band to the support she received from those passionate about music in the county. The Fragonards are fresh off a small Pacific Northwest tour following their first EP release, SeaColored Glasses, earlier this year. “Monterey is an amazing place,” she says. “The community is so positive.” Over on the west end of Redwood Avenue, across a planned sea of local artists and crafters, will be the Redwood Stage, boasting some of the best toe-tapping local bands Monterey County has to offer. Rock energy from the likes of The Transducers, soulful reggae from Sensory Tribe, plus pub favorites like Katherine Lavin Band and the Latin Jazz Collective, will be sure to get crowds moving. Bands like this add to the confluence of artistry that a humble street fair has to offer. For a veteran artist like Montoya, there’s something special about a local festival that packs so much into a weekend. “It kinda grounds you to come to a smaller event,” he observes, extending his remarks to the broader Monterey area. “You’ve always been a great town for music.” Montoya released his latest album, Writing On The Wall, in September 2023 and plans to perform several of its tracks with his fellow bandmates. Montoya’s entourage, who also recorded on the new album, includes Rena Beavers on drums, Jeff Paris on keys and Nathan Brown on bass. “We’re ready to come out and have some fun,” says Montoya, who will be flying back from his East Coast tour to perform on Saturday. Better known names like Montoya’s lend a unique appeal to the West End Celebration. There is an element of discovery, as over a dozen local artists join a few touring musicians in the lineup, along with plenty of vendors showcasing their creations. It’s a way for the community to come together and experience the end of the summer, but also underscores the need for more venues to support local acts, long an issue in a region that inspires musical talent. This year Pacific Grove record store/stage Pop & Hiss opened its doors in April. Wave Street Studios in Monterey also began hosting more performances. Live @ Heirloom in downtown Salinas began welcoming acts late in 2023. Still, the West End Celebration is one of the better places to catch emerging local musical projects like The Tremolos and River Voices. West End acts as a catalyst by reminding everyone that the desire for the venues are there with bands ready to fill them. And even Monterey County itself is beginning to attract bigger and more professional acts, too. The brand new Worlds Away festival is slated for Oct. 12. Yet West End remains a coveted event among local musicians. As Fragonard puts it: “We finally get to play it, and Monterey [County] is so amazing to live in.” Her band plans to garb in white cloud costumes on Saturday, Aug. 24 to remind everyone of happy sunny days with their music. The West End Celebration happens 11am-5:30pm Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 24-25. Between Ortiz Avenue and Contra Costa Street to Holly Street and Redwood Avenue, Sand City. Free. westendcelebration.com. Big Bands The annual West End Celebration in Sand City returns with diverse music from both local and touring artists. By Sloan Campi “It kinda grounds you to come to a smaller event.” The Fragonards (above) are a local band prone to play in costume. Coco Montoya (below) is a touring veteran with a national following. West End Celebration is known for bringing different groups to one setting. Jem San Pedro Victoria Smith
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==