Roger Salloom and his band will be making their 33rd annual FREE appearance at Look Park at the Garden House in Northampton, Mass on Thursday, August 18th at 7:00 PM. With Roger this year will be usual stellar bandmates.
Special Guests this year include:
- Seth Glier (Grammy Winner)
- Evelyn Harris (Grammy Nominee)
- Johnny Joelson
- MC this year will be WXOJ DJ Rick Haggerty
“This concert has always been about being free to the people,” said Salloom. “That was the whole deal in the beginning. Sure, we were playing music, but it was supposed to make people feel happy and good in a simple, free way. Emphasis is on free.”
This year’s concert will include Salloom’s former band-mate Seth Glier (Grammy Winner) who will open on keyboards. It will also include Grammy nominee, and former member of Sweet Honey In the Rock, Evelyn Harris. She will perform Edith Piaf’s Vie En Rose during the event.
Master of Ceremonies will be Rick Haggerty from WXOJ. The concert is free but those arriving by vehicle will have to pay a small fee to enter Look Park.
The Look Park Concert was an emulation of the concerts that he and his “whacked- out, idealistic hippie band” used to see in the late 60’s at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Roger learned a lot from not having any money, and his band never had money. He learned to give to his community. The Look Park concert has become that, an annual gift to the community and a tribute to Roger Salloom and other participating musicians.
Roger has lived in Northampton since 1980 and has always been a big supporter of the local community!
“When we started in1983 Northampton was a much different town,” said Salloom. “The Ir
on Horse was a new narrow 90-seat venue for original music and that was about it. The Calvin and Pearl Street did not host music, and WRSI was just becoming a vibrant music station. We invited poets to read our convocations including Pulitzer Prize winner James Tate. Doug Anderson, who was voted Best Poet in Massachusetts, was also on board. Not long after our first concert, promoters starting bringing in big names such as Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles. Thirty-three years later, it still makes sense and we thank local businesses for supporting our efforts.”
This FREE concert is made possible by these sponsors:
PeoplesBank • Fitzwilly’s • Eastside Grill • Florence Bank • Daily Hampshire Gazette Todd Barron-Applied Mortgage • Mulino’s Restaurant • Denny Nolan Real Estate Law Office of Steven Samolewicz • Loomis Communities • UPS Store of Northampton Lia Toyota of Northampton • Wright Builders • Robert’s Roofing • WRSIWhalen Insurance • Paradise City Arts Festival • Construct Associates • Ape Ltd.State St. Fruit Store / Cooper’s Corner • Walter E. Bak Financial AdvisorUnion Station Restaurant • rentnoho.com • Lia Honda of Northampton