arts & entertainment
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Toppermost, a popular Michigan-based Beatles tribute band, will appear in outdoor concerts in Birmingham, Clarkston, Milford, Novi, Waterford and West Bloomfield.
A full season of
free, city-sponsored
summer evening
concerts.
Suzanne Chessler
Contributing Writer
R
ick Lepsetz tunes into bargains,
especially in summer.
For the past 20 years, he and
his wife, Ronda, have been frequenting
free outdoor concerts offered in many
Oakland County cities.
The two check the schedules, decide
which events to attend, pack up lawn
chairs and snacks and take in the fresh air
as they listen to a variety of sounds.
Rock 'n roll brings favorite fun, and
they scout the venues featuring Steve King
and the Dittlies, a group they've particu-
larly liked over past summers.
"These concerts are usually smaller than
the ones performed for a price says Lepsetz,
63, semi-retired and a member of Temple
Israel. "I've found them very enjoyable.
"We go all over — from Southfield,
where we live, to Birmingham. Sometimes,
the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will do
free concerts, and those are great.
"Our daughter, Julie, used to play the
flute with the Birmingham Concert Band,
and it was wonderful to see her perform in
the outdoor settings."
Alfred Frank, a retired dentist living
in Beverly Hills, used to play percus-
sion instruments with the Farmington
Community Band. At 86, he has stopped
performing but remains on the board and
still goes to rehearsals.
"My father was a violinist:' says Frank,
who tried violin and French horn before
settling on the drums. "I have been very
impressed with the standards used in
choosing the musicians who play with the
Farmington band.
"The outdoor concerts are lighter pro-
grams, and they give people a great oppor-
tunity to hear music for free says Frank,
who played in marching and concert
bands as a college student.
Howard Goldman of Farmington Hills,
who played clarinet with the Farmington
Community Band, moved on to admin-
istrative responsibilities and helps with
setup tasks.
"It's great that the Farmington
Community Band lets people with musi-
cal talent keep up playing as a hobby
while offering large groups of people the
experience of hearing all kinds of music:'
Goldman, 45, says.
A director of payroll who has been band
treasurer, Goldman reminds audiences
that the band accepts donations to keep
up with concert commitments.
"I think there's some great music to
be heard at these free concerts:' he says.
"Because they're less formal, they can be
more relaxing."
Lots of choices await 2011 concertgoers
happy to forgo ticket prices as sponsorship
is taken on by cities, businesses and orga-
nizations. Interested music enthusiasts can
call or check the websites to find direc-
tions, availability of food, alternate venues
if the weather becomes inclement, more
information about type of music featured
and any scheduling changes.
Series programs are listed below by cit-
ies in alphabetical order:
Birmingham: In the Park Summer
Concerts
mi.us
Scotia Park, Scotia at Lincoln
Johnnies
(248) 347-0400; www.cityofnovi.org
June 10: The Paisley Fogg
July 15: Toppermost
June 17: Annabelle Road
(248) 541-4300; www.ci.huntington-
woods.mi.us.
June 23: Toppermost
7 p.m. Wednesdays
June 30: Motor City Brass
July 29: Jill Jack
June 21: Big Will & The 360 Degrees
July 7: Kimmie Horne
Aug. 12: The Candy Band
June 28: Real Deal
July 14: Steve King
Aug. 26: The Groove Council
July 4: Sun Messengers
July 21: Master of Big Band
July 22: The Backbeats Beatles
Tribute Band
July 12: The Hogans
July 19: Red Sea Pedestrians
July 28: Alan Turner and the Steel
Horse Band
7 p.m. Fridays
July 29: Swing City Big Band
July 26: Annabelle Road
Aug. 4: Rain makeup date
Kellogg Park, Main Street and
Penniman
Shain Park, Bates and Merrill, down-
town Birmingham
(248) 530-1650; www.ci.birmingham.
mi.us
June 17: Battle of the Bands
June 22: Birmingham Concert Band
June 29: Jazz Ambassadors
July 6: Acoustic Brothers From
Different Mothers
July 13: Sun Messengers
July 20: AnTekes
July 27: Clear Avenue
June 24: The Luddites
July 1: Paul Dozier Quartet
July 8: The Gang
Aug. 5: The Northern Skies
Aug. 12: Bones Maki & The Treble-
Aires
Livonia: Music From the Heart
Northville: Friday Night Summer
Concert Series
June 17: Shawn Riley Band
Aug. 26: The Kreellers
Civic Center Park, Five Mile at
Farmington
7 p.m. Fridays
July 1: Zap Toro
Town Square, Main Street, east of
Center
July 15: Steve King and the Dittlies
(248) 349-0203;
www.northvilleparksandrec.org .
July 29: The Bluescasters
Aug. 19: Carolyn Striho
Aug. 3: Toppermost Beatles Tribute
Band
Farmington Hills: Stars in the Park
7 p.m. Thursdays
July 7: Billy Brandt & Sarana VerLin
Aug. 10: Michael King
Heritage Park's grassy amphitheater
July 14: Sheila Landis
Clarkston: Concerts in the Park
(248) 473-1856; www.ci.farmington-
hills.mi.us
July 23: Garage Bands
July 21: Livonia Civic Chorus
June 24: George Bedard and the
Kingpins
July 15: Shawn Riley Band
Sept. 2: Lady Sunshine and the X
Band
July 7: Rock and Soul
June 17: Blackthorn
Aug. 6: Garage Bands
June 24: Toppermost
July 21: Farmington Community Band
Big Band
Aug. 11: Steve King and the Dittlies
July 1: Cats and the Fiddler
July 28: Metro Jazz Voices
July 8: Stardusters Band
Aug. 4: Five Guys Named Moe
July 15: Funkee Station
Aug. 11: Stewart Francke
July 22: The Rick Leider Band
Aug. 18: Arizona Son With Devin
Scillian
7 p.m. Thursdays
Farmington: Rhythmz in Riley Park
Aug. 28: Farmington Community
Chorus
Central Park, on the banks of the
Huron River
Huntington Woods: P & R Summer
Concert Series
www.villageofmilford.org
7:15 p.m. Tuesdays, except for
Independence Day (Monday, July 4)
June 9: Serious Jack
8 p.m. Fridays, alternating with film
weeks. A separate series of free
entertainment for children begins at
10:30 a.m. Thursdays
June 16: Billy Mack & the Juke Joint
10 Mile and Taft roads
Sundquist Pavilion in Riley Park,
Grand River Avenue in downtown
Farmington
(248) 474-5500; www.ci .farmington.
Milford: Summer Concert Series
June 2: Plymouth Community Band
Aug. 12: Michael King & Friends
Aug. 26: Randy Brock Group
(248) 625-1559; www.clarkston.org
Aug. 25: Livonia Symphony
Orchestra
Aug. 5: Those Delta Rhythm Kings
Aug. 19: Mass Transit Band
Depot Park in downtown Clarkston
Aug. 18: Swing City Big Band
July 22: Gia Warner Band
July 1: First Presbyterian Church
July 28: Redhill
Aug. 4: Jill Jack
June 24: The Crutches
July 8: Randy Brock Group
June 23: Farmington Community
Band Concert Band
7 p.m. Fridays
www.downtownplymouth.org .
7 p.m. Thursdays, with Garage Bands
on Saturdays
www.ci.livonia.mi.us
6:30 p.m. Fridays
Aug. 25: Gemini Children's Concert
Plymouth: Music in the Air
July 22: Steve King and the Dittlies
July 29: Zap Toro
Southfield: Gazebo Concert Series
Aug. 5: Buy MI Now Festival
7 p.m. Tuesdays
Aug. 12: The Crutches
Burgh Historical Park, Civic Center
Drive at Berg Road
Aug. 19: Gia Warner
Aug. 26: Justine Blazer
(248) 796-4620; www.cityofsouth-
field.com
Novi: Sizzling Summer
at Fuerst Park
July 5: Motor City Street Band
July 12: Straight Ahead Trio
July 19: Horizon String Quartet
July 26: Alvin Waddles' Fats Waller
Revue
Concert listings on page 43
June 16 • 2011
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