June 21, 2008 – Pasadena, CA -- The longest day of the year was also the perfect day to celebrate fantastic music, as last Saturday’s Make Music Pasadena event surely demonstrated. Although temperatures reached a scorching 107°F, hundreds of visitors braved the more-than-tepid temperatures to enjoy a daylong event of free music from some of the best bands in the business.

Make Music Pasadena is a Fête de la Musique event, a festival that originally started in France in 1982 as a celebration of World Music Day (June 21) as a way to both celebrate the Summer Solstice and provide free music to all citizens, in an open, public forum.

And the spirit of the archetype certainly permeated Pasadena’s event – with notable bands such as The Raveonettes, Autolux, Kinky, Nortec Collective, and Dengue Fever as just a few of the over 100 bands giving free performances Saturday across the town.

The Raveonettes performing in Old Town Pasadena

While Old Town Pasadena seemed business as usual, the city’s alleys, side streets, and parks were brimming with talent that truly represented the diversity that the city of Pasadena itself has to offer. Six different main stages featured music ranging from French bands such as Les Romantix to indie rock iconoclasts such as The Raveonettes. The main Make Music Pasadena stages were scattered throughout Pasadena, plus dozens of local bands graced the secondary stages of venues like Vroman’s Bookstore, CalTech, and more.

Street vendors, especially local stores, also made an appearance on Saturday. The highlight was a silkscreen station from the Hit + Run underground silkscreen movement that allowed visitors to choose from one of several designs to silkscreen on a t-shirt, including “Peace in Dena.”

The hit + run silkscreen station was certainly a big hit

The festival started around 11 am, with venues such as the Pasadena Armory for the Arts offering an indoor respite from the heat in an appropriately colorful, paint-splattered setting for folk musicians such as Laura Creamer and John Amos, while outdoor arenas like the Playhouse District along El Molino Avenue housed global legends such as Nortec Collective and Dengue Fever.

Laura Creamer performing at the Pasadena Armory

“I came to see the Nortec Collective and Dengue Fever, then I have to go to work,” said Betty Marin from the South Bay. “It’s a great event, especially because it’s free.”

The Nortec Collective rocks Pasadena'a Playhouse District

And the turnout for these bands proved the audience’s resolve to appreciate good music. Despite the heat, the frenetic energy of the Nortec Collective – replete with accordion player, visual effects, and trumpets – drove the crowd into a dancing, clapping frenzy while Dengue Fever, performing right afterward, kept up the energy with its signature jazzy instrumentals and captivating vocals from Cambodian lead singer Chhom Nimol. “It’s hot…so we’re going to do one more,” they exclaimed right before their encore performance  -- of course sending the audience into a euphoric, heat-induced, final jam before calling it a night (or moving on to the next band).

Chhom Nimol and David Ralicke of Dengue Fever

Perhaps the pinnacle of the evening were the performances of both The Raveonettes and Kinky at what was appropriately called the “Antics Stage” – otherwise known as Holly Street at Raymond Avenue to Pasadenans.

“I’ve seen The Raveonettes twice,” said Myle McCarty of Westchester, “and I heard that that Sharin’s sister is replacing her tonight because Sharin is pregnant.”

And she was correct; lead singer Sharin Foo was indeed replaced by her tambourine-tapping sister Lousie Foo – still pulling off an excellent performance, second only to perhaps that of Mexican rock band Kinky.

Mexican rock band Kinky drove a packed audience wild

Kinky, an electronic rock band from Monterrey, Mexico, gained popularity in Latin America in 2002 with their eponymous album, then again in the United States in 2006 with an album named Reina. Their unique mix of electronica, instrumentals, and stage personality clearly riveted Saturday’s audience and heightened the energy of even the most sun-drenched and sapped of the evening. From accordion solos and repetition of  “ Vamos queriendo mas y mas (We’re all wanting more and more)” from their hit song “Mas,” to their rendition of Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio,” they provided everything necessary to move every single concertgoer into motion.

“I would’ve joined [ Kinky’s] mosh pit, but my brother wouldn’t let me,” said Karen Ibarra, from Irvine. “The only bad thing was the heat – more people I know would’ve have come to see free bands if it weren’t so hot.”

Those who craved a cooler, calmer evening might have also caught Latin Jazz legend Bobby Rodriguez at Memorial Park on Walnut Avenue, performing to packed half-salsa-dancing, half-lounging crowd.

Bobby Rodriguez' Latin Jazz tunes were a perfect ending to a night of music

Make Music Pasadena is sponsored in part by Levitt Pavilions, Playhouse District Association, Pasadena Arts Council, the French Cultural Services in Los Angeles and FLAX.

For more information on Make Music Pasadena, visit www.makemusicpasadena.org.
For more information on Fête de la Musique, visit http://fetedelamusique.culture.fr/.

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