SUMMERFEST Comes to South Pasadena

Brad Colerick talks to us about the inaugural Summerfest music festival

PHOTO: SouthPasadenan.com | Brad Colerick pictured in his South Pasadena studio

School may be back in session but the summer ain’t over yet and this Saturday, August 26, will see the first ever SUMMERFEST music festival in South Pasadena at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course. There will be eleven acts playing on two stages from 5pm-10pm; an indoor venue at The Blue Guitar and the outdoor Fretted Frog Stage. There will also be food, drinks, craft beers, a cigar lounge, miniature golf, workshops in harmony singing, Appalachian flatfoot dancing and a big old song circle/acoustic jam to end the night under the stars! Your instruments welcome! And yes, kids are more than welcome with special kid pricing.

It all started about six months ago when folks at the golf course started talking to Colerick about organizing a music festival for the end of summer. Some South Pas favorites will be gracing the stages like Dave Plenn and The Mission Street All-Stars, Little Silver Hearts, Grondle, Mitch Grainger, Johanna Chase, Rebecca Stout, Colerick’s own band as well as other great Southern California artists like Kal David and Lauri Bono among others.

Colerick is a South Pasadenan singer, songwriter and touring artist who comes to us from Nebraska who, for many years, made his living writing jingles for commercials. He’s been living in South Pas since 2001 and recently moved his studio here in the city, where many local musicians can be found laying tracks or just stopping by for impromptu “happy hours” at the end of the day on Fridays. The ever popular Wine & Song Wednesdays started out several years ago with a singer/songwriter group that grew into a Wednesday night tradition; starting out in backyards and various venues throughout town and ultimately landing at Griffins Pub, when it was a wine bar, and then Firefly restaurant. Says Colerick, “I’d sit around listening to these great performers and think ‘the public really needs to hear this and I knew people would enjoy it.” After Firefly closed, they were once again “homeless” until the space at the golf course became available and a concert space was born.

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It began 8 years ago and has become a favorite nightspot for music loving South Pasadenans. The evenings feature a lot of local musicians but also gets other fantastic musicians who are passing through. About a year ago, Brad added a jazz and blues night called The Blue Guitar, on Thursday nights which is also proving to be quite popular. There is table seating and regular seating behind the tables, wine and food are sold; additionally you can bring your own wine for minimal corkage fee. Colerick is also involved with booking our hugely popular Eclectic Music Festival which has become South Pasadena’s biggest, annual event. South Pasadenans be on the lookout for Colerick’s forthcoming album whose title track is entitled 91030. Hmmm, wonder what it’s about?

Click on the Summerfest poster for tickets and further info. See you Saturday!

SUMMERFEST LINE-UP

Blue Guitar Stage
5:00 Grondle
6:00 Little Silver Hearts
7:00 Kal David & the Real Deal ft. Miss Lauri Bono
8:45 David Plenn & the Mission Street All-Stars

Fretted Frog Stage (Patio)
5:00 Appalachian Flatfoot Dancing Workshop with Rebecca Stout
6:15 Harmony Singing Workshop with Rebecca Stout
7:30 Rebecca Stout
8:00 Brad Colerick Band
8:30 Johanna Chase
9:00 Mitch Grainger
9:30 Chauncey Bowers