As music from the waterfront echoes off the buildings in midtown Hoboken every Thursday night at 7 p.m., more and more residents have been checking out the concerts offered by the city in Sinatra Park.
“Concerts in the Park” have been held at the park, on Sinatra Drive between Fourth and Fifth streets, since 1998.
“They built Sinatra Park and it had an amphitheater so it was kind of a no-brainer,” said Geri Fallo, director of cultural affairs.
‘They built Sinatra Park and it had an amphitheater so it was kind of a no-brainer.’ – Geri Fallo
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Not just Sinatra
As part of the “Concerts in the Park” series, the city recently held its annual Sinatra Idol contest. Sinatra impersonators from across the continent took to the stage to see if they really do sound like Hoboken’s most famous son.
But if we can be frank for a moment, the contest wasn’t the last time Sinatra’s songs will echo through midtown.
On July 14, Ernie Contri will sing “The Sounds of Sinatra,” sponsored by Muller Insurance. The concerts are sponsored in part by individual companies who request singers and shows.
“As part of the application, we ask the sponsors ‘Do you have anyone in mind that you want to support?’ ” Fallo said. “We have some shows that have been popular over the years, so a particular business may say that’s someone they like or they want to support.”
Funding is available for the series through a block grant from the State/County Partnership Program for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, and additional funding comes from the County Executive and the Hudson County Board of Freeholders.
The Applied Companies and Frank Raia are also two of the major sponsors. Raia throws an annual “Big Summer Bash” free of charge for the public every year along the waterfront. This year’s Big Summer Bash was on July 7.
Plumbers and guitars
On July 21, Gene D. Plumber, described as a “Tex-Mex-A-Billy” singer (and also a plumber in the city), will perform.
On July 28, rock and roll classics will be performed by the Guitar Bar All-Stars. The concert is sponsored by the Guitar Bar and Guitar Bar Jr., two guitar stores in Hoboken that also offer lessons. For the July 28 concert, the store’s top guitarists come out to perform.
On Aug. 4, the Puerto Rican Cultural Committee will sponsor “an evening of Latin, salsa, and more” when Son Nueve performs.
Then, on Aug. 11, concert series favorite “The Gordys” will perform.
“A band like The Gordys, they bring in a huge crowd,” Fallo said. “They have a lot of fans.”
Fallo said the city is conscious of the groups they bring in, hoping to attract family-friendly audiences.
All of the events are free and open to the public.
“Some people that come to our shows might not have the money to go to a club,” Fallo said. “So we offer outdoor entertainment, and plus, it’s nice to be by the river.”
The city also hosted a concert by students from the Hoboken school district this year.
“The school put together a nice program,” Fallo said. “Some kids were playing the violin, we had a big chorus, and that was a nice program that didn’t cost anything except for the sound crew. We have to keep the budget in mind.”
The Department of Cultural Affairs is primarily sponsor-driven, Fallo said.
The “Concerts in the Park” series ends on Aug. 25, with a “Swingadelic” performance, advertised as “an evening of swing, jazz, and jazz blues.”
Fallo said it didn’t take long for the concert series to catch on in Hoboken, and she believes it may have something to do with Sinatra Park.
“People were all of a sudden like, oh, what a beautiful location,” Fallo said. “How can it fail? It’s free outdoor music, and it’s great, especially on a beautiful summer night. Even when you think about the people that bring their kids, it’s nice to have a place to go. It’s a free concert.”
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com
**SIDEBAR**
Church Square Park Concerts too
The city’s “Concerts in the Park” isn’t the only series of free musical shows in Hoboken.
This year, the Church Square Park concerts in the park series is celebrating its 25th year.
Church Square Park is between Fourth and Fifth streets on Park Avenue.
The Church Square Park concert series, held every Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m., is also sponsored by the city of Hoboken, as well as The Hoboken Reporter, and The Office. All concerts are free and open to the public.
Here’s the remaining lineup for the 2011 Church Square Park concert series:
July 13 – The Fuzzy Lemons
July 20 – Dirty Water Dogs
July 27 – George Naha and Friends
Aug. 3 – Joe Tiano
Aug. 10 – Cat Lingo
Aug. 17 – D. Plumbers
Aug. 24 – Better Off Dead
Aug. 31 – Emily and The Turonitones