All posts by leslie

Keeping Tahoe Blue with a Free Bike Valet Service

People who attend the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series are able to get free valet service, if they bike!

The League To Save Lake Tahoe operated the Live at Lakeview Bike Valet on Thursday, August 9th, 2012.

With rising gas prices top-of-mind among consumers, On Course Events offers an eco-friendly way to take advantage of the beautiful weather on your way to the free concert series with a free bike valet service every Thursday through September 6, 2012. Just steps away from all the action, the valet service provides a secure, fenced area where people can drop off their bikes in return for a claim ticket.

You can trust that your bike is safe as each week the valet is operated by your local non-profit organizations including the League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Youth & Family Services, Sugarpine Foundation, and Live Violence Free. On average, each non-profit organization has raised about $200 in donations from this service.

Service with a smile! Ted Quaday, from the League to Save Lake Tahoe takes in a local’s bike on Thursday, August 9th, 2012.

“People are loving it because the parking is limited around Lakeview Commons! Tahoe has figured it out, BIKE or HIKE!” said Rob Giustina, Owner and producer at On Course Events.  Every Thursday the bike valet has grown larger and larger, bringing in an average of 300 bikes per event.  Over 2000 bikes have already used this free valet service – helping to keep these events sustainable and most importantly, the community is helping to Keep Tahoe Blue.

Hours of Live at Lakeview Bike Valet Operation: 4:00pm-8:30pm. (All bikes must retrieved by 8:45pm.)

What Rocks More: Chill Vibe vs. Live Music??!!

Thousands of people gather at Lakeview Commons every Thursday to enjoy a free concert on the beach! I can’t help but wonder what it is that draws so many people to the commons week after week.  Are they all attending the show for the awesome bands we bring in? Or do the crowds of people just hang out simply for the chill vibe?

There’s no doubt about it, Live at Lakeview is the place to be on Thursday nights! Plus, everyone loves that it’s all about the locals; local non-profits organizations are running the bike valet and beer garden to raise hundreds in weekly donations! Dozens of local vendors have also come in to support these events – providing a large variety of unique items for guests purchase.

I can’t talk about the Live at Lakeview vibe without mentioning the Beer Garden!! That’s where I always run into all my favorite locals! With a beautiful view of the stage and reasonably priced, ice cold beers (Coors Light $4; Blue Moon $5) why wouldn’t you want to throw back a few cold ones in the garden?! Oh yea, and every beer purchased in the garden will help to pay for the awesome bands your listening to! Don’t forget to tip your bartender, because that benefits locals too! All tips in the Beer Garden are donated to the Heavenly Ski & Snowboard Foundation!

The Live at Lakeview Vibe does rock, but the bands rock the venue each week too! Get ready for upcoming headliners including Forrest Day, The Polyrhythmics, The New World Jazz Project, Tahoe Musical, and Elan!

Live at Lakeview volunteer, Kelsey Adams, recently interviewed this week’s bands to discover that for headliner, Forrest Day, the “beach setting with the lake background is definitely not the norm.” Forrest Day’s sound can best be described as “Stadium Rock” and we’re beyond stoked to welcome them here.

Before the show, we can expect to the members of Forrest Day all over Tahoe as, “most of the time we are coming off a fairly long drive, so some of us roam the town. Some of us head straight for the bar. And Jasper sits in the van, playing drum rudiments on the back of the seat for hours.”

Keep a look out for these guys and be sure to welcome them into Lake Tahoe!

In true Tahoe fashion, the Live at Lakeview crowd usually peaks around 6 or 7; however, this week you are not going to want to miss the opening band Groove Session! They will also keep the vibe rockin’ at the Live AFTER Lakeview party in Rojo’s Tavern, $5 cover and music starts around 10pm! We’re stoked to have them join us during the last leg of their 3 month cross-country Summer Tour.

Kelsey also caught up with the opening band, Groove Session, who has a rockin’ sound that is going to add to the killer Live at Lakeview vibe!  Drummer, Manny Sanchez, says the band is pumped to return to play another show in Tahoe especially, as they prepare to release two new albums next month! (Self Tiled 4th Studio album (GrooveSession) as well as our first LIVE album Recorded down in San Diego.)

If you are drawn to the Live at Lakeview concerts for the killer vibe or the awesome live music – we thank you for your support either way! In the end, I’m sure it’s a little of both, and let’s face it – they both ROCK!!

See you Thursday!

Backstage Pass: Insider Tips

Whether you’ve been to every single concert in the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series, or are planning to attend your first one, I have a few tips that will help you make the most of your evening!

Live at Lakeview Sunset – Photo Credit Larry Sabo

What to Bring:

  • Cash – Support these FREE events by spending your cash in the Beer Garden, with local vendors, and please add some cash to the Live at Lakeview Donation Box.
  • Sunscreen – It’s sunny and warm at Lakeview Commons, so lather on the SPF!
  • Camera – With this killer venue, you’re going to want to snap a few pictures! Plus, it’s not too late to take the winning shot for the Live at Lakeview Fan Photo Contest!
  • Dancing Shoes – There’s always amazing live music playing so be prepared to get up and dance with all your closest friends!

What to Leave at Home:

  • Dogs
  • Outside alcohol 
  • Trash
  • Glass
This sign is at 12 locations around the venue. 3 basic rules! Pass it on.

Insider Tips:

  • BIKE or HIKE – Parking is limited, so take advantage of the FREE Bike Valet and don’t forget to tip your Valet Attendant (Donations benefit the non-profit running the valet that week!)
  • DONATION BOX – New this week is the Live at Lakeview Donation Box! Support these FREE concerts and help to keep them coming back!
  • KEEP THE PARTY ROCKIN’ The party doesn’t stop when the sun goes down! The Live AFTER Lakeview party goes off every Thrusday at Rojo’s Tavern as the opening band keeps the party rockin’ late into the night! Cover is only $5 with $1 beers all night!

See you on Thursday!


5 Reasons to LOVE the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series

We’ve officially hit the halfway mark to the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series, and what a huge success these events have become! Thursday night music at Lakeview Commons has become the pinnacle of summer here on the South Shore, with thousands of people turning up to support their community.

Thousands came out to enjoy Keyser Soze & Good Gravy on July 12th

There’s a lot to love about the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series, but I’m only going to cover the top 5 in this edition of Backstage Pass.

1)      FREE Bike Valet RULES!

It’s of high importance that we keep the carbon footprint on these concerts as low as possible. Thankfully, it seems as though the community has agreed to do their part, as one of the biggest hits at these events has been the FREE Bike Valet service! During the first six weeks, the Bike Valet has brought in about 800 bikes and over $600 in donations.

We made the Bike Valet a lot bigger and you still packed it in with about 200 bikes!!

All donations are given to the non-profit organizations running the Valet. Each week, a different non-profit organization or charity has volunteered to run this service and keep your bikes safe! Thank you to the following non-profits for helping to make the Bike Valet a huge success:

2)      Beer Garden

Nothing goes better with FREE live music on the beach than a nice cold beer at a reasonable price. The Live at Lakeview Beer Garden offers Coors Light for $4.00 and Blue Moon for just $5.00 and it also happens to have a killer view of the stage!

Most important thing to know about our awesome Beer Garden……it is our #1 source of funding for these FREE concerts! I’m not kidding; we literally pay for our bands and crew with your beer money! If you enjoy these free events, then make sure to support them by purchasing a beer or two, or four from our Beer Garden!

Photo Credit Larry Sabo

Don’t forget to tip your bartender! All tips will be donated to the Heavenly Ski & Snowboard Foundation!

3)      FREE Live Music

Who doesn’t LOVE free live music??!! Seriously though!

Huckle on July 26 – Photo Credit Larry Sabo

It’s pretty awesome to have a FREE event for everyone in the community to enjoy! While these events are absolutely FREE to enjoy, they are not free to put on! A lot of time and money is invested in these shows each week so it’s important that you support the events as much as you can.

40 Watt Hype on July 19th – Photo Credit Dylan Warren

I already shared the inside scoop on the Beer Garden, but the other way we fund these shows is through our local sponsors and vendors! Please take notice of the local businesses that are supporting these events, thank them for their support and if you’re able to -make a purchase or two at the event!

4)      Community Atmosphere

Live at Lakeview Thursday Nights is the place to see old friends, make new ones, and dance the evening away with all of them around you!

Dancing the evening away as 40 Watt Hype rocks the Live at Lakeview stage! Photo Credit Dylan Warren

In my opinion, the best part about these events is the way they bring everyone together and truly create a community atmosphere. The last time I wandered through the Beer Garden, I ran into an old teacher, a previous employer, and three of my friends from high school! Beyond the surprise reunions that are bound to happen, these concerts create family fun for all ages!

5)      Sunset Backdrop

The cherry on top of these super fun Summer Concerts has to be the breath-taking sunsets we experience every Thursday. The band gets the crowd up on their feet dancing the evening away, and the sun goes down to create a spectacular backdrop. This amazing venue has produced some of the most beautiful photos and I encourage all of you to keep these gorgeous images coming!

The best Live at Lakeview sunset so far! Shout out to all of you who braved the strange Tahoe weather on July 19th! Photo Credit Larry Sabo

Let’s face it, there’s A LOT more to love about the Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series, so come out and see for yourself! See you next Thursday!

Give Us Your Best Shot!!

Live at Lakeview would like to invite you to enter our fan photo contest for a chance to see your pictures all over next year’s marketing campaign! We’re also going to hook up the winner with a sweet goodie bag full of freebies from our event sponsors!!

Photo credit Dylan Warren

Here’s How  You  Can Enter:

Take all the photos you can at each Live at Lakeview concert and submit your best shots by posting them on our Facebook Fan Page or emailing them to LeslieAllison33@gmail.com with the subject line “Lakeview Fan Photo Contest.” Each person can submit up to 3 photos for this contest.

Have fun with it and by all means, get creative and crazy!

Here’s How the Contest Works:

Once you’ve submitted a photo, it will be added to the “Lakeview Fan Photo Contest” album on our Facebook Fan Page, with your name as the description!

Our Facebook fans will be the judges in this contest, so be sure to send all your friends to our fan page to vote for you pics! The photo that gets the most likes & comments will be the winner!

The winning photo will be used in next year’s Live at Lakeview marketing campaign and they will also receive Live at Lakeview Superstar Fan Package including all sorts of goodies from event sponsors!

Important Dates to Know:

The final deadline to submit your photo(s) is Sunday, August 19th

Pictures will be posted August 15th with voting will running from August 15th – September 1st

The winner will be selected by September 2nd & awarded at our last concert on Thursday September 6th

Best of luck Live at Lakeview fans! Can’t wait to see your pictures!

Summer Music Series Needs Your Support!

The Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series continues to bring the community together at Lakeview Commons to enjoy free live music every Thursday from 4:30-8:30pm.

While these concerts are absolutely free to attend, they are not free to produce.

Every Thursday morning, long hours of hard work is put in to setting up the beer garden, bike valet, vendor booths, the stage, and all the sound equipment. The On Course Events crew starts setting up these free concerts at 7am and they continue working up until the show starts. Unfortunately for our crew, the equipment won’t magically disappear once the show is over, so we all strap on some headlamps and work late into the night breaking down the venue.

In order for these free concerts to continue, we need the support of our community. The Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series is seeking volunteers to help break down the venue and pick up trash after each Thursday night concert. Volunteers are also encouraged to join us every Monday morning at 8am for the Live at Lakeview Neighborhood cleanup. To get involved, call our event phone line at (530)600-2233 or email the events coordinator at Leslieallison33@gmail.com.

If you are not able to volunteer, but you want to show support for these community events then remember to purchase a beer or two from the Beer Garden. Also be sure to show some love to all of the local vendors and sponsors that help to make these events possible!

Backstage Pass: Tracorum

Band Interview & Blog Posting by Kelsey Adams

Opening for 40 Watt Hype is a crazy band you don’t want to miss. By crazy we mean awesome! Another band we are excited to have back in the area. They go by the name Tracorum. A 4 piece band of seasoned bay area musicians consisting of:

Fletcher Nielsen: Piano/Vocals/Harmonica
Derek Brooker: Electric Guitar/vox
Mark Calderon: Bass/vox
Darian Gray: Drums (Regular drummer Ian Herman is on tour with Mickey Hart).

Tracorum Band Photo from Facebook Fan Page

With music featuring the sounds of: New Orleans piano, Rock n Roll, Soul, Rhythm and Blues, Gospel, Caribbean, Southern Rock and Country. “Tracorum is not a one trick pony; in fact we find it difficult to describe our sound.” Funkadelic meets Dylan and the Dead with some Springsteen, Dr John, Jimmy Buffet, Ray Charles and the Allman Brothers are some of the different styles they play.

Tracorum is a regular act at the Crystal Bay Club. “We used to rock Whiskey Dicks back in the day” as well. The only expectation they had when coming to play was “a good time! Music is love but it is also war. Sometimes a crowd is ready to rock before you even load in, sometimes it takes 8 songs before they realize what’s happening to their soul and the legs start shakin’!”

They are currently touring California and the Western States. They have two studio albums “Rock n Soul” and “The Lesson” available on itunes, with a third album due out in August. Tracorum has made appearances in 2011 at High Sierra Music Festival, Guitarfish, and now they will grace the stage of Live at Lakeview! “We are very excited!  Ryan and Pet Projekt Presents are amazing people.” The band will also be playing at the Live “AFTER” Lakeview party at Rojo’s Tavern, where they will really “stretch out” for the audience. They claim “few bands have as much fun as we do! We are looking to connect with the audience and travel together on a celebratory journey through the human experience, giving 110%.”

As you can tell this band will be pretty exciting! When asked if they were planning on relaxing at all while in Lake Tahoe or enjoy the recreational activities, Fletcher responded “That all sounds amazing; we would like to do everything. Maybe jump a jet-ski over a boat and mid air catch the bottom of a gondola that drops me in the lake!”

Tracorum starts playing at 4:30PM, get excited South Lake Tahoe!

Backstage Pass: 40 Watt Hype

Band Interview & Blog Post by Kelsey Adams

On Thursday Live at Lakeview will be welcoming 40 Watt Hype back to our beautiful Lake Tahoe area! This band plays Alternative Latin/Hip-hop. A great combo if you’re looking to dance! This week’s show will also feature Tracorum, all the way from San Francisco – stay tuned for their interview coming soon!

40 Watt Hype getting the crowd on their feet at Starline!

When asked what their music is closely related to, the band replied that they are “the soulful stepchild of The Roots and Ozomatli baked under the California sun.” They combine English and Spanish lyrics over live original instrumentation, with a funky Latin and R&B twist. If that doesn’t get you to the beach for a free concert, I don’t know what will!

The band members (Aaron Wall-Vocals, Percussion/Jay Rossette- Guitar/Javon Davis- Keyboard/Sean Alderette- Drums/Pat Olvera- Bass/Robert Rufner- Trombone) are from Fresno, Ca. They’ve performed several different times in Lake Tahoe. At MontBleu, opening for Collie Buddz, Spring Loaded at Heavenly and Cabo Wabo inside Harvey’s Casino. “We’re all definitely looking forward to Live at Lakeview, the venue location itself will make this show very special for us.”

The Live at Lakeview stage is set up right on the shore of Lake Tahoe

If you haven’t been to the concert series before, our venue is gorgeous! The bands continue to play as the sun sets, which has got to be cherry on top of this killer event!

Although 40 Watt Hype band has been all over the country, they are stoked to be back in our town. “Tahoe is such a beautiful area; it’s one of our favorite places to play.  Every time we play here we get a great crowd response and meet lots of interesting people.”

40 Watt Hype – linked from Facebook Fan Page

40 Watt Hype has been featured on MTV, Univision, ABC, FOX and Nickelodeon.  You can also find them on the new Lions Gate film “Black Cobra” and Warner Bros. “The Adventures on Pluto Nash”. Their video for the single “Mas y Mas” aired on MTV3 and is featured as the theme song for the show Latino 411!! They have performed with Ozomatli, The Roots, Sundance Film Festival, Ludacris, Mayer Hawthorne and many others.

Along with winning many music awards this band has a very busy schedule!!! To help with that, they do what they can to relax and prepare.  “Before a show we connect with each other and talk through the set.  It’s always good for a band to hang out before they play so the connection onstage can be stronger both mentally and musically.”

40 Watt Hype – New album “PUSHed:Inner Ear Remixes” Cover

Their latest album is called “PUSHed” and is available at all shows, online and on iTunes!! If you want to find out more information check out the band’s website or connect with them on twitter and facebook!

See you Thursday!

This is Just the Beginning!

The biggest turnout at Live at Lakeview so far this summer! 7/12/12

The Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series has got the South Shore buzzing with excitement! With a free bike valet, tons of local vendors, a beer garden, and live music on the beach every Thursday…what’s not to love!?!!

Last Thursday, over 1,500 people attended the Keyser Soze & Good Gravy concert – it was the biggest turnout so far, and we are just getting started!! These free concerts have created an incredible vibe and give us all a reason to come together each week! The community atmosphere is truly what Tahoe is all about!

The New Place To Be On Thursdays

Did you spend last Thursday evening sittin’ around on your friend’s couch, wishing there was something cool going on in town?! Please allow me to spice up your life, because there is a NEW place to be on Thursdays in South Lake Tahoe and you need to know about it!!

Photo credit Dylan Warren

Thanks to the City of South Lake Tahoe and the vision of On Course Events, a local planning and promotion company, you can all enjoy FREE summer concerts every Thursday at the brand new park, “Lakeview Commons.”

The Live at Lakeview Summer Music Series will bring in a different style of music every week. Check out full schedule or stay connected with us on Facebook & Twitter to catch your favorite bands!

Fruition got the crowd up on their feet! Photo credit Dylan Warren
Locals have been raving, “Live at Lakeview is the best thing that’s happened to south shore in eons!” and “Thanks for bringing awesome music to the community!”
Fruition on the Live at Lakeview Stage at Sunset – Photo credit Dylan Warren

We are just as pumped on these concerts as you are, but it’s important you know that these amazing community events wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors, our vendors, and ALL OF YOU!! Sales from the beer garden and sponsorships from local businesses are paying for these amazing bands!

This is the place to come cool down with a beer and support an amazing community event!!

So when you decide to check out the coolest thing to happen to the South Shore, make sure you buy a beer or two from the beer garden! See you Thursday!