The 2019 Summer Concerts in the Park series, presented by the Vashon Park District, set the bar high last week with a crowd packed in at Ober Park for a performance by islander and singer-songwriter Ian Moore, above.

Moore began the show on a soft note with “Jolene,” playing a solo on stage with an acoustic guitar. One by one the members of the band joined a set that included the bluesy “SimpleGirl” from his 2007 album “To Be Loved” as well as other staples of Moore’s discography, each showcasing different musical styles and sounds as unique as his career.

Moore said he was grateful for the turnout. Speaking about the many years he has spent on tour, he said he had come to understand that islanders are kinder, sensitive and more intuitive by nature than most.

(Paul Rowley/Staff Photo).

“I’ve become more gentle in the time that I’ve lived here. I feel like I’m fiercer, but it’s just this different kind of energy,” he said.

Moore got his audience up and dancing with his 1995 hit track, “Muddy Jesus,” which depicts Jesus as an illegal immigrant. He said that he did not expect for the song to remain politically relevant as it is today.

Next up in the concert series is roots/reggae veteran Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band, performing tonight at 7 p.m. at Ober Park.