Locarno plays on Vashon

Locarno, the Latin project of JUNO Award-winning musician, Tom Landa, will play the next free Concerts in the Park concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, in Ober Park.

Landa was born and raised in Mexico City and moved to Canada in his teens. In the mid-1990s, he formed the folk roots band, The Paperboys, and has toured worldwide with the group for over 20 years, with several stops on Vashon.

In 2006, Landa was awarded a Canada Council Grant to study traditional Mexican music in Veracruz, Mexico. Upon his return to Canada, Tom started working on what would be Locarno’s debut album.

Since then, the band has honed in on their sound and incorporated more of their influences such as music from Columbia, African Sukous, Mexican Marimba Music, Venezuelan Joropo and Brazilian Forro Music. The band features Landa on jaranas and guitars, Kalissa Landa on violin, Robin Layne on marimba, congas and timbales, Pedro Mota on guitar and vocals, Aaron McKinney on bass, Liam MacDonald on drums, congas and pandero, Jocelyn Waugh on trumpet and Nick La Riviere on trombone.

Opening the show will be Vashon local Ian Olney, also known as Sunbeam. Sunbeam is an experimental artist from Dallas, Texas, combining rhythm and blues, jazz and electronic music into sci-fi sounds to create sonic landscapes. Take a listen now at ianolney.bandcamp.com.

Seussical

Join Vashon Center for the Arts musical theater students for “Seussical,” a journey into a world of loveable characters created by Dr. Seuss. Shows take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19. Get tickets and find out more at vashoncenterforthearts.org.

Send-off concert for Zander Knodt

Come hear Vashon’s own star pianist, Zander Knodt, play in duet with his friend, jazz bassist Bruce Phares, from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Episcopal Church Of The Holy Spirit, at 15420 Vashon Hwy.

The concert will be a fundraiser for Knodt, who graduated from Vashon High School in 2022 and is now about to head back to New York City to start his second year as a student at the world-famous Manhattan School of Music.

Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army

Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army will storm the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Vashon Park District’s free Concerts in the Park Series, at Ober Park.

Playing the music of David Bowie, Marc Bolan & T-Rex, Roxy Music, The Cars, The Kinks, Talking Heads, Joy Division and more, the band features Dave Dederer (Presidents of the USA) and Tim Dijulio (Lazy Suzan) on guitars, Michael Musburger (The Posies) on drums, Billy Stover (Dusty 45’s) on keyboards and Jeremy Lightfoot (Danny Newcomb) on bass. With Feveyear as the frontman, backed by singers Rhiannon Walther & Melissa Feveyear, the ensemble is complete.

Feveyear fronted a band in the United Kingdom for almost 10 years, from the age of 15, but transitioned into the producing, writing, recording and mixing side of the industry. After moving to Seattle in the early 1990s, Martin has performed publicly a few times here and there, and thanks to the encouragement of new friends on the island, more so since moving to Vashon.

Feveyear is honored to be joined by this caliber of musicians to play their favorite songs. He still can’t believe they are all on board. “Not only are they incredible players, but also the sweetest people,” he said.

Opening for Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army will be Maire Kennan. Maire Kennan, 18, is a singer and songwriter from Vashon. She wrote her debut album, “Man In My Pocket,” at 16, which is currently out on all streaming platforms. Songs from that album were featured on KEXP Radio, and Art Zone filmed a TV profile about the making of it. This fall, she will be moving to the United Kingdom, and then to Europe, to start her adult life.

Art Heart Soul Music Microfest

A lineup of five music acts will be the centerpiece of the Art Heart Soul Music Microfest, starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Open Space for Arts & Community.

Open Space producers say attendees can expect a “very Vashon day-into-night of extraordinary music, lawn games, and the occasional roving acrobat, tumbler, or jester crossing your path.” The event will feature local food trucks, a community pub, and an all-local marketplace.

The Sam Grisham Project, headlining the festival, will be joined by David Gans, Marcus Rezak’s Shred is Dead, Rebecca Frazier Grateful Strings, and Rae Isla.

Camping on the grounds is also possible — find out more, reserve a campsite, and purchase tickets (on a sliding scale) at openspacevashon.com.