Have you ever been mellow?
It’s August, and the California State Fair is over. Now, the comfortable Delta breeze is picking up, signaling a graceful end to summer. How to mourn the passing of the season? Well, there's the Sunrise at Night Concert Series, happening August 10, through September 14, at the Sunrise MarketPlace Outdoor Pavilion. It's got similar road-worn-and-aging bands that the state fair did, but the vibe is a notch or two more mellow—just slow enough for a calming transition into autumn. For example, there's Boyz II Men instead of Kool & the Gang, Trace Adkins instead of LeAnn Rimes, and Sister Sledge rather than En Vogue. Here's my take on the music lineup: Basically, it's the mellowest concert series ever assembled—outside of Jack Johnson's ukulele-filled Kokua Festival, of course:
On Saturday, August 10, Dave Koz kick-starts the whole series with his Summer Horns Tour featuring Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot. Imagine a bunch of smooth, cheesy pop songs performed on saxophones and multiply it by four.
Meanwhile, for kids who were in high school during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the highlight of Sunrise at Night's music lineup is certainly Boyz II Men and Bell Biv DeVoe, who are scheduled to perform Thursday, August 15. This pair of new jack swing groups penned senior-prom classics such as “End of the Road” and “Poison,” respectively.
Soft-rock fans in their early 50s and 60s will appreciate Sail Rock night on Saturday, August 24. On this evening, a bevy of artists—including Christopher Cross, Orleans and Gary Wright—will provide a perfect soundtrack for adults wearing pastel polo shirts, sailor hats and red sweaters tied around their necks.
Country-music fans and conservative-rolling Republicans will be delighted to sing along to hits such as “Ladies Love Country Boys” and “You're Gonna Miss This” when Trace Adkins performs on Thursday, August 29. The same fans will probably also love Southern-born Christian-rock artist Amy Grant, performing along with local Christian singer-songwriter (and worship pastor at Bayside Church) Lincoln Brewster.
Bachman & Turner and Blue Öyster Cult—performing Thursday, September 7—will surely appeal to aging hippies and album-oriented rock fans. One thing's for sure: No one will need to ask for more cowbell during BOC's live rendition of “(Don't Fear) The Reaper.” (Bring your own, of course!) Then, on September 13, Friday Night Fever will bring a bit of soul and R&B to the stage with Sister Sledge, Tavares, the Trammps and Taste of Honey. And, finally, another night of country music ends the series on Saturday, September 14, with Diamond Rio and John Michael Montgomery. (Yee-haw!)
All concerts begin at 8 p.m. at the Sunrise MarketPlace Outdoor Pavilion, 5912 Sunrise Mall Road in Citrus Heights. Ticket prices vary; visit www.sunrisemarketplace.com/info/concerts for more details.