The Fifth Annual First & Main Summer Concert Series kicked off June 5 with U2 tribute band “Under a Blood Red Sky.” The free concerts are held Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. through Aug. 7 at the park in front of the Cinemark Theater in the First & Main Town Center.The New Falcon Herald is the print media sponsor of the event. The presenting sponsor is Penrose-St.Francis Health Services. Other media sponsors are 92.9 Peak FM, 98.9 Magic FM, The New Cat Country 95.1, 740 KVOR and Classic Rock 98.1 KKFM. Villa Sport, iT’Z Family Food and Fun, Nor’wood Development Corp. and the Pikes Peak Blues Community are business sponsors. Advertising agency Vladimir Jones established the lineup for the series, and the Pikes Peak Blues Community organized the entertainment.The concerts feature live music from local artists.The concert line-up:June 12 – “Orquesta Sabroso:” “Forget about the challenges of the week and the downers of the day,” said leader Dennis Bueno. Sabroso is quintessential salsa and mixes with other genres, including Latin, jazz, pop, and blues. Sabroso is all about the percussion section. Bueno plays timbales (metal drums), the conga (tall Cuban drum) and the bongos (smaller pair of Cuban drums) and a drum set. Horns and strings make up the rest of the band. Dancing shoes might be appropriate for this evening.June 19 – “Latigo,” formerly called “Rockin Horse:” featuring Chris Thomas and Wayne RobbinsJune 26 – “Otis Bump and the Riptides:” high energy jazzJuly 3 – “John Wise and His Tribe:” early jazz, blues, zydeco and reggaeJuly 10 – “The Parable Sons:” This group of younger singer/songwriters has won the Colorado Springs Battle of the Bands. In existence since 2007, Chris Shults sings and plays guitar, Greg Johnson sings and plays bass guitar and Travis Page is on drums.July 17 – “George Whitesell & His All Stars” featuring Jill Watkins: swing, blues and R & B from the 40s, 50s and 60sJuly 24 – no concertJuly 31 – “The Wendy Woo Band:” Wendy’s band is described on her “my space” page as “fun and funky.” This group has several CDs. “Luxury” was their last, released in 2007.Aug. 7 – “The Jake Loggins Band: Two guitarists and a drummer provide bluesy rock.First & Main Town Center is on Powers Boulevard. For more information, visit www.firstandmaintowncenter.com.
