Musicians, fans brace for some Pier pressure
By Daily Press staff
SANTA MONICA PIER — While the calendar officially marked the beginning of summer last week, for many Santa Monicans summer begins when the free music starts up each Thursday night.
And it starts today with a reg-gae rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The 21st Twilight Dance Series kicks off with the Easy Star All-Stars presenting “Dub Side of the Moon,” with Detour Posse as the opening band.
Longtime friends Michael Goldwasser and Victor Axelrod, from the core of the Easy Star All- Stars, grew up in New York surrounded by some of reggae’s finest players. The idea for “Dub Side of the Moon” was hatched by Easy Star Records’ president, Lem Oppenheimer. He imagined a reworking of Pink Floyd’s seminal album that would echo Dark Side’s cover artwork, refracting Pink Floyd’s musical vision through a prism of reggae’s rich rhythmic and instrumental possibilities.
Detour Posse, an LA-based reggae band, will open the show with their blend of roots, dance hall, funk and rhythm and blues. They have toured the globe, playing with international superstars like Barrington Levy, Sean Paul and Kymani Marley.
The free outdoor concerts will run from June 30 through Sept. 1. This summer, expect to hear an eclectic musical mix, including reggae, folk, blues, Tex-Mex, jazz, pop, alternative and rock music from a host of bands.
Tinariwen, an international band from the southern Sahara, performs their melodies on July 14. One week later, a collaboration of Chicago blues legends who defined the sound of their generation — the Chicago Blues Reunion — will take to the stage.
The Neil Diamond tribute band, Super Diamond, spreads the good word on both Aug. 4 and Aug. 11. Prepare for a fusion of Northern Mexican styles and percussive techno with the Latin Alternative Conference. Also performing this summer will be The Knack, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Suzanne Vega, Shonen Knife, Buckwheat Zydeco and Marc Cohn.
The Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corp., which manages the pier, has invited 10 charities to recruit volunteers and offer information about their respective causes at the venue. Donations will be accepted and split between the charities.
Concerts start at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday on the Santa Monica Pier’s west parking deck. For more information, visit www.twlightdance.org, or www.santa-monicapier.org. You also can call the pier information line at (310) 458-8900. For bus information, visit bigbluebus.com or call (310) 451-5444, or visit www.mta.net.
Pier officials strongly recommend walking, biking and using mass transit to get to the concerts, as parking is limited. Parking is available in beach parking lots located at 2330 Barnard Way, located south of the pier, and 1550 PCH, just north of the pier.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 30, 2005. Read the original PDF.