The Bay Area is home to a lot of great performance venues hosting all types of artists and musical acts. One of the lesser-known of these may be the stunning Mather Redwood Grove. Nestled in the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens, this spectacular setting comes to life every Thursday evening of the summer with the Redwood Grove Summer Concert Series. This annual program, now in its third year, features a diverse lineup of live performances ranging from folk, pop and rock to blues, jazz and world music. In discussing the venue’s unique location, program director Christine Manoux explained, “The idea behind the Summer Concert Series is to offer a venue that’s family-friendly and that features an eclectic lineup.” The intriguing lineup aside, soaking up the atmosphere in the Grove’s natural amphitheatre, surrounded by majestic redwoods in the early evening light, is in itself undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind experience.
Kicking off the evening in front of an eager crowd of all ages this past Thursday was the San Francisco based folk-pop duo Ramon & Jessica. Consisting of violinist Dina Maccabee and multi-instrumentalist Jesse Olsen (who were joined by a guest performer on the accordion toward the end of the show), Ramon & Jessica set the tone for the night by opening with an enchanting song that, as Olsen put it, “invokes the spirit of the native plants of California.” The duo’s elaborate harmonies, unusual arrangements and simple but moving lyrics seemed tailor-made for the serene setting. With their focus on themes of nature, coming home and bonding with earth, the lyrics invoked a sense of connection to the environment.
Following a short intermission, the second act of the night, Gojogo, took to the stage. The dynamic quartet performed original music composed collaboratively by the four members, music that can be described as a combination of the Western sounds of classical and jazz with the rhythmic traditions of India. Instruments incorporated into the show included violin, electric guitar, bass, Indian percussion and electronics. As well as celebrating their 10th anniversary as a group, Gojogo is also currently in the process of releasing their next record, from which they gave the audience a sneak peek of a few songs during the show. This record will be the band’s first theme album, a collection of songs inspired by the natural landscape of California. In line with the natural surroundings, Gojogo’s music proved mystical and haunting — a combination that produced an enthralling effect. The lingering, drawn-out tunes emanating from the stage seemed to fill up the spaces of the woods. For their last number, the group projected an animated version of the Russian folktale “The Hedgehog in the Fog” on a screen above the stage, to which they had set a musical score. This cute yet eerie film of a wayward hedgehog lost in the fog, with its dark undertones, was made even more captivating by the music. Judging by the audience’s response, this act was gripping and amusing to both the younger and older crowd.
Running until August 29, the remainder of the calendar offers a selection of acts whose musical genres span from golden-era tango to danceable old-timey R&B. If the performance this past Thursday was anything to go by, the rest of the series will be well worth attending. As succinctly summarized by Manoux after the show, “What’s so great about the series is that musicians love performing in this special space, and the audience loves the intimacy of it.”
Contact Corinne Platten at [email protected].