The Russ Rosen Band takes over Willoughby Community Park Amphitheatre on Thursday, July 25, at 7 p.m.
This free concert is another installment of Langley Township’s Summer Festival Series. The initiative, kick-started by arts and culture director Peter Tulumello, is a chance for locals to come out and enjoy live music.
Sharing the stage with Russ Rosen are soft-rock musicians, The Cole Patenaude Band. Rosen described his act as a mixture of original folk, rock, gospel, and blues tunes along with a few cover songs sprinkled in.
“I’ve been doing a lot of outdoor festival events. We’ve been brought in to end the Canada Day parade in Vancouver for the last few years,” Rosen explained. “We turn those parades into street parties with our own original music. I don’t know if the Langley crowd will be up for a street party or if it will be more of a grab your lawn chair type of audience, but we’ll see.”
Rosen is a local musician who grew up in Burnaby. He began his musical career in Junior High by forming the short-lived band Walrus with schoolmate and future Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox.
He recently started the Bez Arts Hub with his wife Sandy in 2017. The local venue at 20230 64 Ave has since brought in a variety of musical acts, including the ongoing SongStage series with Ivan Boudreau.
Rosen said the hub has kept him more localized, offering a new batch of performance opportunities in Langley.
“Locally, I haven’t done a lot. I’ve been around all over doing other things. But the Festival Series was a chance to do something right here in our own little town. I’ve been able to be more local thanks to Bez Arts,” Rosen said.
Along with vocals, guitar, and a harmonica, Rosen will be joined on stage by local musicians Kenton Wiens, Peter Davyduck, and Pedro Mota.
Read more: Korean Traditions with a mix of Jazz
Next week’s performance on Thursday, Aug. 1 is Sophie Armstrong, an Australian Violinist who has played all over the globe.
For more information on the Summer Festival Series and the rest of the summer’s line-up, people can visit www.tol.ca.
_________________________________
Is there more to this story?
Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
_________________________________
