Teen bands fear ban from next summer Concerts in the Park
Good Vibe’s Slater Heidrich and drummer Xander Corcoran gather signatures in support of teen bands performing at Concerts in the Park. Photo by Kat Monk (KatMonk.com)
Last July, Good Vibe performed before an estimated 15,000 friends, neighbors and music fans at Polliwog Park. They were the opening act for Queen Nation, a copy band that skyrocketed in popularity following the release last year of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a movie about rock star Freddie Mercury and the original band Queen.
“To perform before such a large crowd was a great experience, and it gave us great exposure. Everyone looked like they were having a great time,” recalled Good Vibes bassist Slater Heidrich. The band performs regularly in local clubs but had never performed before a large audience.
Heidrich, and Good Vibe guitarists Elijah Blanchard, and Austin Moseley attend Mira Costa High. Vocalist Brooke Blake attends Vistamar School and drummer Dax Corcoran attends Peninsula High.
Good Vibe was one of nine local teen bands picked to open for last summer’s Manhattan Beach Concerts in the Park, held Sunday afternoons from late June through early September.
Last year was the second summer local teen bands have opened the park concerts. The bands perform for free and are coordinated by Manhattan Beach resident Kimberly Koffler, whose son Ethan Makauskas’s band Chroma Haze opened for last summer’s final concert,
But the prospect of local teen bands opening next summer’s Polliwog Park concerts is uncertain.
Good Vibe performs to an estimated 15,000 fans during a Concert in the Park last July. Photo by Kat Monk (KatMonk.com)
“In reviewing the survey results from the Concert in the Park, there was a preference for the headline bands only. That being said, we would love to continue having teen bands at other events and programs in the City,” Manhattan Beach Parks and Rec Director Mark Leyman wrote in an email to Heidrich’s mother Kate Monk last December.
Monk had previously emailed Leyman after hearing a rumor that teen bands would not be invited to perform during the 2020 Polliwog Park concert series.
She subsequently met with Leyman in what she characterized as an unsuccessful attempt to convince him to bring back the teen bands as opening acts next summer.
Leyman said he hopes to meet with Monk again, prior to the Parks and Rec Commission meeting.
“Staff circulates a survey during the last concert each summer, and last summer the survey showed people just want to hear the headline acts, that they like to hang out prior to the headliner and didn’t want an opening act,” he said.
“But nothing has been determined,” he emphasized. “We may look at integrating teen bands into a concert or two. We’ll also look at other venues for teen bands, such as the Pumpkin Festival, block parties, and the teen center. We’re still brainstorming. We have time. We don’t schedule the concert in the park series for another 30 to 60 days.”
Monk and Koffler have gathered over 500 written and Facebook signatures in support of the teen band summer concert performances. They plan to present the signatures to the Parks and Rec Commission at the Jan. 27 meeting.
Koffler’s son Ethan is hopeful teen bands will continue to perform at the concerts.
“I got to express my love for music in front of thousands of people on two different occasions at the Polliwog Park concerts. They were some of the best moments of my life. I have connections with the other bands that have played Polliwog, and all are saddened by the news teen bands might not be invited back,” the Chrome Haze drummer said.