SP Concert Series Returns with a Jolt of Funk

Last August, at the conclusion of the final concert of the 2010 Scotch Plains Cultural Arts Concert Series, councilman Kevin Glover stepped onto the stage and made one promise to the audience: “We’ll be back.

On Thursday night, after five months of ringing doorbells, making phone calls and scheduling performers, Glover’s promise will be realized, asFunktion 11, an eleven-piece rock, pop and jazz band, will kick off the 2011 summer concert series on the Alan M. Augustine Village Green on Park Avenue at 7:30 p.m. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to the free event.

Funktion 11, which has performed at venues all around the state – including The Stone Pony – plays original music, as well as the hits of legends such as Bruce Springsteen, Chicago and Michael Jackson.

Each performance in this summer’s concert series will begin with a children’s act before the musicians take the stage. On Thursday, Eva the Diva, who sings children’s songs, will perform at 6:30 p.m.

Here is the schedule for the rest of the concert series: 

• Thursday, July 21:
  Children’s Act: Amazing Dave, 6:30 p.m.
  Main Event: Jazz Lobsters, 7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Thursday, July 28:
  Children’s Act: Peter Michaels, 6:30 p.m.
  Main Event: RB Express, 7:30 p.m. 
  
  
• Thursday, August 11:
  Children’s Act: Ben Lipman, 6:30 p.m.
  Main Event: Bored of Ed, 7:30 p.m.
  
  
• Thursday, August 18:
  Music From: Dell Angels, 6 p.m.
  Music From: Wishing Star Entertainment, 7:30 p.m.

National Night Out will take place Tuesday, Aug. 2, on the Village Green and feature “The Broadcasters” at 7 p.m.

For the second straight year, Glover, who is the Township Liaison to the Cultural Arts Committee, led the efforts to raise funds for the concert series, which was cut from Scotch Plains’ budget last year. With the help of Scotch Plains Parks and Recreation director Ray Poerio, Glover and members of the Cultural Arts Committee secured 21 sponsors for the event, three times as many as contributed last summer.

“The reception I received when funding for this [series] clearly showed that people believe in the concert series, in camaraderie and in good will,” Glover said. “We’re able to do this again because our local businesses really stepped up to the plate.”

While last year, Glover raised approximately $6,000 – no small sum – for the series, this year’s funds have topped $10,000. “Our commitment this year has been to organize an even bigger and better show, and I think we’ve done that,” he said. In addition to the reintroduction of children’s acts, the final concert of this summer’s series will feature two bands.

“We’re bringing in really top-notch, high quality groups this year,” said Vincent Losavio of John’s Meat Market on Park Avenue, which contributed to the concert series. “[Funktion 11] will be absolute dynamite, and later we’ve got one of the best doo-wop groups [RB Express] on the East Coast coming.”

Many Scotch Plains and Fanwood businesses, including Alfonso’s Pizzeria, Portusa BBQ and Flannery’s Pub will offer special deals for Thursday’s concert. In addition, the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad and several local banks plan to set-up booths at the event and distribute giveaways to concertgoers. The Scotch Plains Management Corporation will also have a hospitality tent where it will raffle off prizes and distribute free ice cream, thanks to a donation from Scoops Ice Creamery.

“The whole idea of the Special Improvement District is to increase foot traffic in our downtown area, and that’s what [the concert series] does,” said Dominick Verdic, a member of the Board of Directors of the SPMC.

Losavio added, “This brings people to the downtown area, it helps businesses, and it makes people more aware of what Scotch Plains has to offer.”

While local businesses and community members may be excited for tonight’s show, there is arguably no one more excited than Glover himself. “My gut tells me we’re going to have a great turnout,” he said. “It’s going to be a beautiful night, people will be sitting with their neighbors, and I think Funktion 11 is going to rock their world. And it’s free!”

He added, “In these times more than ever, we need to give back to the community… This is the kind of thing that we are supposed to do as elected officials.”