A musical interlude will again accompany Saturday shopping trips to Broadmead Village this summer.
Summer Music at Broadmead returns for another encore performance at the shopping centre on Saturday afternoons throughout the month of August.
“We have a great lineup this year of diverse band styles,” said organizer Sophie Siebert. “So much of what you hear is the same kind of indie pop and crossover. I wanted there to be distinctive differences between the groups. We’ve been trying to do that.”
The performances take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturdays in the Broadmead Village plaza, where people can enjoy a bite to eat or refreshments at the many nearby cafes.
“A big difference this year is I’m hoping to promote dancing,” said Siebert, pointing to a flat, open area next to the gazebo.
She said the area is a perfect spot for people to kick off their shoes and dance in the sun, an idea that came to her when people got up to dance during a Flamenco performance at last year’s event.
“Suddenly people were riveted on them, and I thought ‘That’s what we’re after here’.”
Summer Music kicks off Aug. 4 with Pablo Cardenas and The West Coast Afro-Cubans. Internationally renowned Cuban pianist and composer Pablo Cardenas has put together an all-star lineup of musicians from Victoria’s Latin scene. Latin jazz is mixed with other blends like jazz fusion and world music.
Aug. 11 brings the Bill Johnson Blues Band to the Broadmead stage. For 25 years, the Bill Johnson Blues Band has been entertaining audiences across Canada. Masters of the Chicago Shuffle and West Coast Swing, the Victoria-based blues band has released four CDs and was honoured with a 2012 Juno nomination.
Daniel Cook & The Radiators headline the Aug. 18 show. The Victoria group’s foot-stomping rhythms, contagious melodies and timeless stories blend together to create a mix of indie-folk, funk and country music.
The Summer Music series concludes Aug. 25 with the Armstrong Woods Band. This Victoria band plays a mixture of country pop and jazz tunes, with a focus on country-rock and rock oldies.