Mother's Day in Todos Santos Plaza

CONCORD, CA (April  25th, 2024) - The second Singer Songwriter Sunday showcase of 2024 is just a few weeks away, and it's on Mother's Day!

Performers include some folks from our first virtual episodes of Concord Couch Concerts, including violin extraordinaire Greg Fogg and "Ukulele" Bob Loomis!  Joining the fun this year is the young Pleasant Hill pianist known as "bell", the Americana performer Kate Burkart, and the soulful jazz singer Faith Luster.  K-Tan and The Humblecats will close down the afternoon with some original reggae- inspired jams!  BOH BOH REEEESPECT!!

The free live music event is curated and managed by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team, in partnership with the local nonprofit This Active Art, and Up the Creek Records of Walnut Creek.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.   

Line-up Change for April's Singer Songwriter Sunday

CONCORD, CA (March 28th, 2024) - The first Singer Songwriter Sunday showcase of 2024 is less than two weeks away!

Unfortunately, McClain Sullivan will not be available due to a personal matter.  We're pleased to announce that taking her place is  the one and only Jubal Jake!

The free live music event is curated and managed by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team, in partnership with the local nonprofit This Active Art, and Up the Creek Records of Walnut Creek.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.   

Line-up for April's Singer Songwriter Sunday Announced!

CONCORD, CA (Feb 26th, 2024) - On last night's episode of The Beat of Diablo on 90.5 KVHS, the line-up for the first Singer Songwriter Sunday showcase of 2024 was announced.

Vallejo artist Soul Glitch will close the afternoon down, after 20 minute sets from Pleasant Hill's Ira Mato, Orinda's Daniel Ray Hilsinger, Margaret Jones, Aaron Burnham, and McClain Sullivan, all from Oakland.

The free live music event is curated and managed by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team, in partnership with the local nonprofit This Active Art, and Up the Creek Records of Walnut Creek.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.   

Singer Songwriter Sundays Returns in 2024!

CONCORD, CA (Feb 24th, 2024) - The original music showcase Singer Songwriter Sunday returns to downtown Concord for a 2024 season.

Thanks to a sponsorship from Up the Creek Records, The Concord Couch Concerts team is able to  once again rent the Todos Santos Plaza stage from The City of Concord to showcase local original music!

Tune into 90.5 FM or KVHS.com at 7:32 PM to hear the full line-up announcement for the first 2024 Singer Songwriter Sunday!

Additional information to follow in the March 1st press release.

Line-up for June's Singer Songwriter Sunday Announced!

CONCORD, CA (May 15th, 2023) -As announced on 90.5 FM last night during The Beat of Diablo, the original music showcase Singer Songwriter Sunday returns to Todos Santos Plaza for the final show of the 2023 season.

The showcase is the first time we have artists returning to the SSS stage, as we welcome back Derek Bodkin of the Hovering Breadcat Folk Ensemble, and modern fingerstyle guitarist katgrüvs from Antioch.  The June show will also feature our first ever hip hop artist, as Skinny Hendrixx takes the stage!  Rounding out the eclectic afternoon of original music are local singer songwriters Justin Vanegas from Oakland, and August Less Stevens from Hercules.

The free live music event is funded, curated, managed, and hosted by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team, in partnership with the local nonprofit This Active Art.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.  

Line-up for May's Singer Songwriter Sunday Announced!

CONCORD, CA (Apr. 10th, 2023) - The original music showcase "Singer Songwriter Sunday" returns to Todos Santos Plaza onf or the second show of the year on April 2nd at 2PM!

The May showcase features Fast & Vengefully, Oceanography, Briget Boyle, Jubal Jake, and Jim Phelps.

The free live music event is funded, curated, managed, and hosted by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team, in partnership with the local nonprofit This Active Art.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.  

Line-up for April's Singer Songwriter Sunday Announced!

CONCORD, CA (Mar. 5th, 2023) - The original music showcase "Singer Songwriter Sunday" returns to Todos Santos Plaza on April 2nd at 2PM!

This year's first showcase features string trio J.B. Barton & Co, Kate & Kristen on harp and cello (of Rose Haze and Dreamscape, respectively), an original bluesy folk set from Jon Lawton on banjo and guitar, the inimitable songwriter Joshua James Jackson, and Kendra Meneghetti of Martinez indie rock band Box of Matches.

The free live music event is funded, curated, managed, and hosted by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team.  As in previous years, the showcase is hosted by Vince Lay of Sabertooth Unicorn.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets, and shade (pop-ups are okay!)

Local visual artists will have booths set-up throughout the afternoon.

This is an all-ages event, open to the general public.

All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.  

"Singer Songwriter Sundays" Return in April

CONCORD, CA (Feb. 3, 2023) - The original music showcase "Singer-Songwriter Sunday" returns to Todos Santos Plaza this Spring!  The free events takes place from 2PM to 5PM on the first Sundays of April, May, and June.  Line-up to be announced on the air March 5th on 90.5 KVHS at 7:35 PM.

The live music event is funded, curated, managed, and hosted by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team.  All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.  

Hella Happy Holidays Returns this Boxing Day!

CONCORD, CA (December 18th, 2022) - The Concord Couch Concerts team has come out of hiatus to bring you their third annual Hella Happy Holidays fundraiser benefitting Monument Crisis Center.  Unlike previous Couch team productions, this year's fundraiser will be a true livestream event, with options to attend live at Vinnie's Bar & Grill in downtown Concord, or watch live on Facebook or YouTube.

The holiday special will start at 8PM on December 26th (Boxing Day) and feature performances by Brooks Lundy, KAT (KAT van Morgan), Little Buffalo, The Drip, Midcourse Correction, Fast & Vengefully, Heart Bone, Margaret & Justin (M Jones & the Melee), Sabertoth Unicorn, and more...

Folks hoping to attend the event in person will not be subject to a cover charge, but donations to Monument Crisis Center are strongly encouraged.

Livestream links:
YouTube.com/c/ConcordCouchConcerts
Facebook.com/ConcordCouchConcerts

Concord Couch Concerts is Officially on Hiatus

CONCORD, CA (July 03, 2022) - After an epic finale to the Singer Songwriter Series yesterday, the Concord Couch Concerts production team is officially on an open-ended hiatus.  There are no singer-songwriter events on the books; no virtual events being planned; and no fundraisers in the works.

While the collective itself is taking a much-needed break, some of the individuals that make up the team continue to bolster the local music scene in different ways that you can take advantage of.

Vince Lay and Joey Nuñez run the Open Mic night at Vinnie's Bar & Grill every Monday at 9PM.  In some ways, the amazing community here is what gave way to the Concord Couch Concerts being a thing.

Dave Hughes hosts a local music radio show called the Beat of Diablo every Sunday at 7PM.  He also manages ConcordRockCity.com, where you can discover new releases from local artists. 

CCC members will also be seizing this opportunity to focus on their bands, including Sabertooth Unicorn, Radiokeys, RiGht Proper, The Concordians, O-no, and countless other collaborative  projects.

We are eternally grateful for the community's embrace of our efforts, and look forward to continuing to advance local, original music however we are able to.

Final Singer Songwriter Sunday  on July 3rd.

CONCORD, CA (June 27, 2022) - Last summer, after sun-setting our virtual concert series, the Concord Couch Concerts team decided to continue to introduce original local music to the public by way of a live in-person production.  The result was our Singer Songwriter Series.

It started on Saturdays in the summer of 2021 and continued on Sundays in the spring of 2022.  In that time, the team has showcased over two dozen different local acts, who churned out a combined 10+ hours of original music on a stage that's normally dominated by cover bands and tribute acts.

Seeing as the stage/park rental costs more than the free event generates, we understood the series was not sustainable when we started it.  With resources now depleted, the CCC team has decided to conclude this successful series and focus on other efforts related to local music advocacy.  Concord Couch Concerts will continue in some form.

Please join us for our final Singer-Songwriter Sunday on July 3rd at Todos Santo Plaza, from 2 PM until 5 PM.  As always, bring your own sun protection, chairs, blankets, coolers, etc...  Local artists and crafters will also be on site with their work on display and available for purchase. 

June's Singer-Songwriter Sunday (6/5) Cancelled!

CONCORD, CA (June 4, 2022) -  Due to most of the scheduled acts either having COVID or being exposed to COVID, June's Singer-Songwriter Sunday has been cancelled. 

Most scheduled artists are expected to perform on July 3rd, at an extended Singer-Songwriter Sunday that will go from 2 to 5 PM.

The Couch team apologizes for any inconvenience and looks forward to seeing you all in July, for the final Concord Couch Concerts production for the foreseeable future.

Third Singer-Songwriter Sunday (6/5) Line-up Announced!

CONCORD, CA (May 11, 2022) -  Before the Music & Market series turns the stage over to cover bands and tribute acts this summer, we can enjoy one more afternoon of original music in Todos Santos Plaza on the June 5th Singer-Songwriter Sunday.

Joining the stage in June is Concord Couch Concerts' own Dave Hughes, The 151's Matt Xavier, a debut performance by RiGht Proper, local climate-awareness song-writer Jim Ocean, and Nancy Lake joined by her band Nancy Lake and the Ripple Effect.

The event will share space with local visual artists who will have their work on display and available for purchase along the Grant Street side of the park.

Show starts at 2PM and goes until 4PM.  Bring your own chair, blanket, cooler, shade, etc...

See you there!

Second Singer-Songwriter Sunday Line-up Announced!
 

CONCORD, CA (Apr 8, 2022) -  After a successful start of the 2022 Singer-Songwriter Sunday season at the start of the week, we go into the weekend looking forward to next month's.

Joining the stage in May is Concord Couch Concerts' own Fred Hersom, Native American Outlaw Songwriter John Paul Hodge, Art/Soul Storyteller Fo Fera, the man behind the Joedai Warriors Mr. Joe Peters, and finally Concord's favorite family rock band Radiokeys.

As was the case in April, the event will share space with local visual artists who will have their work on display and available for purchase along the Grant Street side of the park.

Show starts at 2PM and goes until 4PM.  Bring your own chair, blanket, cooler, shade, etc...

See you there!

Couch Team Partners with Local Artists

CONCORD, CA (Mar 4, 2022) -  Music won't be the only original art showcased at this year's "Singer-Songwriter Sunday."  Starting in April, the monthly music event will feature visual arts and handmade goods from local artists and crafters!

"A lot of musicians are visual artists too," says CCC's Dave Hughes.  "In sharing space with visual arts, we hope to coalesce and grow both art networks in our region, while showcasing more beautiful creations from the creative minds of our community."

Interested artists can apply for a spot by filling out this form created by Lisa Fulmer (artist, writer, Concord Arts Association, LocalArtistsRock.com).

The first Singer Songwriter Sunday is April 3rd, at 2PM in Todos Santos Plaza.  (press release below)

PRESS RELEASE

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

SINGER-SONGWRITER SHOWCASE RETURNS TO TODOS SANTOS PLAZA

CONCORD, CA 03/04/2022 - Last year’s singer-songwriter showcase hosted by the Concord Couch Concerts (CCC) team is returning this Spring, albeit on Sundays from 2PM to 4PM.

The revamped “Singer-Songwriter Sunday” series will see several local artists, each performing roughly 20 minutes of entirely original music.  To further embrace originality, this year’s series will also welcome local (visual) artists to showcase their work along the Grant Street side of the park.

The first of these mostly acoustic concerts will take place on April 3rd at 2PM in Todos Santos Plaza and include performances by some CCC favorites such as Brooks Lundy (STUNG; House of Floyd; the Inflatables) and IRREVRIA, as well as Concord’s country/folk/blues quartet The UnConcord.  From Oakland, the Couch team will be introducing us to the Nashville-native Ash Powell,  and the eclectic sound of the quarantine-formed group Quarbae.

So why the move to Sundays?

“Sundays are traditionally a ‘day of rest’ from daily burdens,” says CCC’s Fred Hersom, “and music is a perfect way to sooth us all from ‘the grind.’”

“Sunday afternoons are the perfect time to enjoy live music — it’s relaxed, family-friendly, and gets even better as the weather turns nicer,” shares CCC’s editor Simone Chavoor.

“I’d like to see first Sundays - if not all Sundays - become a local music awareness day of sorts here in Concord,” says Dave Hughes, who hosts the Sunday night local music radio show The Beat of Diablo on Concord’s KVHS 90.5 FM.  “I’m working with others on some ideas to help manifest this concept.”

The event is made possible by a partnership with Todos Santos Business Association Arts Foundation.  All featured artists are performing on a volunteer basis for the sheer love of celebrating local original music.  While tips are of course welcome, there is no cost of admittance to this community event.

"Singer-Songwriter Sundays" Begin in April

CONCORD, CA (Feb. 14, 2022) - The original music showcase "Singer-Songwriter Sunday" will occur on the first Sunday of each month at Todos Santos Plaza from 2PM to 4PM.  The first of the 2021 season will be on April 3rd.   The confirmed line-up includes Quarbae, The UnCocnord, Ash Powell, IRREVRIA, & Brooks Lundy.

The live music event is curated, managed, and hosted by the volunteers of the Concord Couch Concerts team.  All artists performing are doing so for the love of the local music community.  The event is made possible by CCC's partnership with TSBA Arts Foundation.  Any funds raised at these events will be donated to the nonprofit so that CCC can continue to put on community concerts.

"Hella Happy Holiday Special 2.0"  Streams  Across 4 Nights!

CONCORD, CA (Dec. 12, 2021) - The Concord Couch Concerts team is once again returning to the virtual world of concerts in order to fundraise for the Monument Crisis Center.

Like last year's Hella Happy Holiday Special, this year's will include an array of local acts performing nontraditional - and often original - holiday themed music.

Each installment will run 20 to 30 minutes and start at 8PM, beginning on Sunday, December 19th, and run through Wednesday, December 23rd.  CCC Founders Dave Hughes, Joey Nuñez, Vince Lay, and Tom Davis will host each mini-special.

You won't want to miss these fun holiday specials, as they are very likely to be the last virtual production from the CCC team.

Matinee Fundraiser for Concord Couch Concerts

MARTINEZ, CA (Nov.  11, 2021) - The Concord Couch Concerts  will be hosting a fundraiser event at The Campbell Theatre in  downtown Martinez.

The event will live performances by Triple Threat Trio, Accidents at Sundown, and the 151.  Additionally, items will be raffled off throughout the day. 

The event is all ages.  Proof of vaccination is required!

Introducing "Singer-Songwriter Saturdays!"

CONCORD, CA (Jul. 1, 2021) - The Concord Couch Concerts team is stepping out of the virtual world and onto the big stage in downtown Concord's Todos Santos Plaza to produce a showcase of local singer-writers.

These showcases will occur on first Saturday of each month, from August through October, from noon until 2PM.  Each month will see 5-6 different local artists playing 100% original music.

The event is made possible by the Todos Santos Business Arts Foundation.

The public is encouraged to bring their own chairs, coolers, and shade.

Virtual Fundraiser for the the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County on June 18th

CONCORD, CA (Jun 1, 2021) - The Concord Couch Concerts team is not quite done with virtual productions yet!   On the heels of the finale of their second season, Concord Couch Concerts is once again coalescing the local music community to create a virtual concert in support of the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County.

The concert - called "Rockin' Rainbow Special - will include a number of acts who've previously appeared on Concord Couch Concerts Episodes.  Confirmed acts include RiGht Proper, Sabertooth Unicorn, The Concordians, Rachael Kayte, Tay Robin, Brooks Lundy, James Reedy, M Jones & the Melee, Hear in Color, Painted Wind, KAT van Morgan, Tell Me Tell Me, the Dream Tellers, Bob Loomis, Nancy Lake & the Ripple Effect, Erik Kariff, Danny Hauger, Timmy G, Sin Silver, and Accidents at Sundown.

The event will stream on June 18th at 8PM.

Season Finale of Concord Couch Concerts

CONCORD, CA (May 15, 2021) - With the return of live music, the volunteer musicians that make up Concord Couch Concerts team have decided to move on from routinely churning out monthly episodes, thusly making the June episode the finale of the second season. 

The finale will include performances from some familiar acts like Brooks Lundy, Fred Hersom, and Starlung, but also host some newcomers to the Couch, like Sludgehammer, Dueling Guitars, Tell Me Tell Me, Joe Skandalaris, and Erik Karff.

The free virtual concert will start at 8PM sharp, and be streamed simultaneously on Faceboook and YouTube.  Hold screen at 7:50.