Put on your dancin’ shoes—the summer concert season is about to kick off in Los Gatos, home to three venerable outdoor music series and one recurring block party.
Vasona Vibrations
The music starts June 1 with the opening of the 17th annual Vasona Vibrations Concert Series, which sees Santa Clara County Parks and South Bay Folks team up to host free, family-friendly concerts in support of Second Harvest Food Bank.
The free series kicks off with the Top Shelf Big Band, a community jazz band from Sunnyvale, playing swing and jazz from the big band era aimed at dancers and jazz fans alike. From there, the series will highlight acoustic genres from Americana to zydeco every Saturday through July 27.
The series closes Aug. 3 with a bonus event, the Vasona Vibrations Acoustic Open Mike, open to all acoustic musicians, singers and songwriters.
All performances run 5-7 p.m in on the lawn just down the hill from the pedestrian entrance to Vasona Lake County Park at University Avenue and Pepper Tree Lane. The Aug. 3 open mike runs 4-7 p.m. at the same location.
The Vasona Vibrations Concert series is free. Food and cash donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank will be accepted at each concert. For more information and a full concert schedule, visit http://vasonavibrations.org.
Jazz on the Plazz
Jazz on the Plazz begins its “Chet Baker Summer,” celebrating West Coast cool, June 19 with vocalist Jane Monheit. The series, hosted by Los Gatos Music and Arts, continues Wednesdays through Aug. 21, with a July 16 gala featuring Shelea, who promises “A Night of Soul from Aretha to Adele.
All free performances run 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Los Gatos Town Plaza, Main Street and Santa Cruz Avenue. The gala will be held at a private residence; tickets are $200 at http://jazzontheplazz.com, where you can also find a complete concert schedule.
Summer Block Parties
The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce is hosting a series of Summer Block Parties one Thursday a month from June through August. The first party is set for June 20 and features live music by Don Olivet at Town Plaza from 5-7 p.m., then DJ Kurteek will get things rocking on Grays Lane at 7 p.m. with Loma Brewing Company. Shops will stay open late for this family-friendly event, and wine and beer will be sold at Town Plaza and Grays Lane.
The other block parties are July 18, with live music by Rusty Rock ’N Roll, and Aug. 8, with tunes by the by Country Cougars.
Music in the Park
The Town of Los Gatos has been hosting Music in the Park, a free public summer concert series, since 1988. This year’s series opens July 7 with the Sun Kings and closes Aug. 4 with Caravanserai and special guest Tony Lindsay.
The concerts are held on Sunday afternoons, 5-7 p.m. on the Los Gatos Civic Center lawn, 110 E. Main St. For a full concert lineup and more information, visit https://www.losgatosca.gov/350/Music-in-the-Park.
