Sage - Press/Media

News: July 5, 2006

Sage kicks off summer concert series at Almaden's Graystone
By: Anne Gelhaus

Like its signature beach balls, the Almaden Resident Summer Concert Series bounces back to Graystone Park this week.

So, too, do several bands that have become series regulars. Sage returns for the fourth straight year to open the series July 6. Concerts are set to continue every Thursday evening through July 27, featuring the Silicon Valley House Rockers, The Hitmen and the Groove Kings.

For Sage, the Almaden concert is one of dozens of stops on the summer festival circuit. Keyboardist Frank Anzalone says the band plays five or six of these gigs each month from June to September. Despite this busy schedule, he adds, "It's never routine for us."

"We're constantly updating our set list," Anzalone says. "We lean toward R&B dance music, but we do have lots of different influences." The keyboardist says he enjoys the relaxed atmosphere of summer festivals. "For corporate events, everyone's more dressed up. At festivals, you have kids, grandparents and everyone in between."

In keeping with this all-ages spirit, the Almaden Senior Association is organizing this year's concert series.

"It's a good fit for those of us who don't have anything better to do than go to the park and listen to music," says association member Bev Temkin. "It's a really good community draw."

For children who aren't interested in listening to the music, Graystone's play area keeps them busy.

"It's easy for parents to keep an eye on them and still enjoy the music," Temkin says.

Parents also need to keep an eye out for airborne beach balls, provided courtesy of Charlie's Cheesecake Works to the first 250 children at each concert in the series.

Temkin says she's seen the beach balls disappear faster each summer as attendance at the concerts grows. This year, Almaden Country School is presenting sponsor for the fifth annual series.

Vicki Sochicki, who coordinated last year's series, says community feedback about the shows is generally positive. "People just wish there were more concerts," she adds.