Insider staff
There’s something about listening to a band play outside that just screams summer. Throw in some hot dogs, pizza, ice cream and blankets spread out across the lawn and you’ve got everything you need for a perfect summer evening.
That’s exactly the scene that played out on Prince Street last week as Live Music on the Lawn made its triumphant return.
Put on by the Concord Public Library – whose lawn in the side yard serves as the seating area – Live Music on the Lawn is exactly what it sounds like.
If you tried to catch it last year, there’s a good chance you never even got to sit on the lawn – three out of four performances last year had to be moved inside due to rain. Last Wednesday was looking pretty dire for most of the day, but by the 6 p.m. start time it was perfect weather.
People Skills was the band du jour, and they had the right feel for this kind of event.
Many of the songs had a distinct ’90s pop/rock feel to them, and every track was upbeat and full of energy. It was all original work apart from a cover of “Tears of a Clown,” which was definitely a crowd-pleaser. Every song they played was a good fit for the atmosphere.
It would have been interesting, to say the least, if the band decided to do a bunch of emotional, heavy tear-jerkers. Thankfully, that’s not what happened on this beautiful June evening.
The whole feel was reminiscent of actual lawn seating at a big concert (only without a plethora of adult beverages being spilled all around you). People had blankets, chairs, picnic baskets – the whole nine yards. Little kids and adults alike were moving and grooving to the tunes, and the smell of hot pizza from Constantly Pizza and hot dogs from Poison Pete’s wafted through the air.
Singer/guitarist Chelsea Paolini took several opportunities during the show to thank the crowd as well as the library and its staff, and she expressed excitement to be part of the first lawn show of the summer.
If you weren’t able to catch this past show, don’t worry, there are two more chances to take in some Live Music on the Lawn.
On July 20 you can catch Laid to Dust, an Americana kind of band that does bluegrass, folk and good ol’ rock and roll. Then, on Aug. 17, check out Fiesty Pants, perhaps the most fiesty duo around.
Shows start at 6 and are totally free. Call the library at 225-8670.
