The Bands of Summer Continue

Coco Brown & The Invitation kick off the concert season

By Laura Eisener

Coco Brown & The Invitation attracted a good crowd to the first free concert of the summer season at the Saugus Iron Works on July 9. Despite a rain shower early in the day, by concert time the weather was pleasant, with a refreshing breeze from 6 to 8 p.m. If you missed the concert, you can catch it on our local cable channel or on YouTube, thanks to Saugus Cable TV.

This marks the fourth consecutive summer that the Saugus Public Library and the National Park Service are collaborating on a local outdoor event that seems to get more popular every year. The concert series celebrates local musical talents in Essex County and creates opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with the park during evening hours. Shows begin at 6 p.m. each Wednesday evening in July and August. People can bring blankets and chairs, snacks, etc. The events take place on the stage behind the museum building, and spectators can settle down on the upper lawn. It is suitable for all ages. Restrooms are available until nearly 8 p.m. when the concerts conclude.

If weather looks bad for any particular Wednesday, concert goers are urged to check the library website (www.sauguspubliclibrary.org) for an update for cancellations on that day.

The Memorylaners, a longtime local favorite that plays a variety of music from the 50s, 60s and 70s, was scheduled to perform this week (Wednesday, July 16). Here is the rest of the schedule for the summer:

• July 23: Squeezebox Stompers (Cajun, Zydeco, Blues & Folk).
• July 30: Atwater~Donnelly (Traditional American & Celtic Folk Music, Percussive Dance).
• August 6: Ditto (Acoustic Music, 60s & 70s).
• August 13: John Jerome (Rock, Pop, Country, Hip-Hop).
• August 20: Jon Waterman (a journey through the roots of American popular music).
• August 27: Jump Street (Classic Rock, Motown, Jazz and Funk).