Crew is preparing for summer – 2021
The leaves are changing colors, the kids are back in school (albeit remotely for most) and pumpkin spice latte is a thing again.
It must be fall, the time of year when farmer’s tans fade, Crocs give way to Birks, and we trade in the swimsuits for sweatshirts.
Who could possibly be thinking about summer?
Well, for the Lowell Summer Music Series organizers who watched an entire year’s worth of planning wash away like pollen after a needed rainstorm, now’s the time to think about summer.
Next summer, to be specific. The latest show announced for next summer is Jake Shimabukuro, whose 2020 show has been rescheduled to Friday, June 25, 2021, at Boarding House Park. Tickets are $42 in advance, $55 of the day of the show and $142 for premium seating. They go on sale Friday, Oct. 2, at www.lowellsummermusic.org or by calling 800- 6577774.
Shimabukuro is the 10th show confirmed for next summer, alongside Gaelic Storm, Joss Stone, Colin Hay, Tower of Power and John Hiatt, as well as four other shows that have yet to be announced.
LSMS Programming Director Peter Aucella told me earlier this week he’s thrilled with already having 10 shows of the standard 16-show season close to confirmed nine months ahead of time.
But Aucella isn’t resting on those efforts.
“We have lots more offers pending,” he said. “We want folks to know that we are doing the work to create the 2021 series assuming that gatherings will be allowed by then. We don’t know that will be the case, but I’m sure people will want to get outside next summer if allowed to do so.”
With every outdoor music space having done nothing but mow the lawn this summer, expect a lot of competition for every available act next year.
“We can’t wait until spring to book the summer, so we are doing what we can to build a great collection of artists to appear,” Aucella said, adding that LSMS is considering a cap on ticket sales to allow more space in the venue in case ongoing health concerns have not abated We miss the music at Boarding House Park and we miss our audiences,” he said. “Hope we can resume next summer.”