Erie Downtown Partnership Brings August Concerts to Perry Square

Erie Downtown Partnership

Perry Square comes alive with free local musical acts on Thursday nights through August 31. Upcoming performances include Hellz Bellz, The Stephen Trohoske Ensemble, First to Eleven, and The Breeze Band.

CONTINUING THURSDAY, AUG. 3

The Erie Downtown Partnership is continuing its Summer Concert Series at Perry Square in August. Featuring headliners Hellz Bellz, The Stephen Trohoske Ensemble, First to Eleven, and The Breeze Band with special guests Odd Atrocity, Optimistic Apocalypse, Brooke Surgener, and LifeThruMusic, the performances span several genres and have been enjoyable for both the musicians and audiences.

"We've always done community events, and the goal of our events is to draw people downtown and make Downtown Erie a safe, fun, and welcoming place for all to enjoy," said Dave Tamulonis, events and marketing coordinator for Erie Downtown Partnership. The nonprofit started the summer concert series last year, which became "the big marquee music event of the summer" for the organization, resulting in an expanded lineup for this year.

Tamulonis, who is a musician himself, used his familiarity with the Erie music scene to reach out to local groups to book. "A lot of the groups that we've booked this year we've either booked before or were connected to other bands that we've booked before. Some of them are people who I've met personally going out to local open mics, other local concerts, or are musicians that I've collaborated with in the past. Oftentimes, people will reach out to me and message the Downtown Partnership and ask how they can perform as part of the summer concert series."

The featured bands specialize in everything from heavy metal and rock to jazz and Motown. No matter the style or instruments, they all have one connection to Erie, as every single act is locally based in the area. For the Erie Downtown Partnership, this is important to them, as the concert series highlights local talent from original bands.

"This year, we have two bands per week, and we pair an older established act with a younger act to open up. All of the younger artists are original and have performed with us in the past, but are paired with established acts," Tamulonis explained, listing Odd Atrocity, Optimistic Apocalypse, Brooke Surgener, and LifeThruMusic as the opening acts. "There's a ton of music here in Erie. There's a huge music scene; tons of local talent to pull from. It's important to me to not only showcase that talent but also give those local musicians experience performing at a high production level with professional sound, staging, and lighting."

It was extremely important to the Erie Downtown Partnership for the acts to represent the diverse community of Erie. "We go to great lengths to make sure the community that is coming down to the concerts sees themselves reflected in the programming," Tamulonis said. "Not only are we drawing a diverse audience for our performers, but also our vendors, crafters, and small businesses that are represented in our events. In our artist contracts, we have a minimum compensation clause — ensuring all artists performing at our events are compensated fairly and equally for their time, which is a big factor behind the scenes to help diverse, equitable, and inclusive programming move forward."

Tamulonis and everyone at the Erie Downtown Partnership is looking forward to the upcoming concerts. They have a message for anyone interested in coming to Perry Square to listen: "It's always going to be a great show."

Thursdays through Aug. 31// Perry Square, 601 State St. // 7 to 10 p.m. // Free // For more info: eriedowntown.com