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 The McLovins -- Jeffrey Howard, Jason Ott and Jake Huffman, left to right -- in Mills Pond Park. Photo: dotCANTON  Jeffrey Howard of Canton turns his fingers loose. Photo: dotCANTON The skies threatened from the beginning, but thought better of interfering.
With at least 500 people gathered on a hill in Mills Pond Park Thursday evening, Aug. 12, to watch The McLovins and Canton’s own Jeffrey Howard perform, it wouldn’t have been nice for Mother Nature to fool with everyone’s fun.
So the show went on, a rousing conclusion to the six-week-long Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series.
The Mills Pond parking lot was filled before the concert began, forcing cars to be diverted to Millennium Field on Simonds Avenue. When that lot filled, too, late arrivals had to park in the junior high/high school lot and walk the long walk back.
Early on, the McLovins invited the crowd to move forward to the front of the stage, and many accepted for an up-close experience with the jam band’s three young and talented performers.
Howard, who will soon begin his sophomore year at Canton High School, handled lead guitar, Jason Ott, a senior-to-be at Simsbury High played bass, and Jake Huffman, who will split his senior year between Granby Memorial High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, gave his drums and vocals a vigorous workout.
The McLovins will be performing in Burlington, Vt., Friday afternoon, Aug. 13, and Saturday night, Aug. 14. The band is back in Connecticut on Saturday, Aug. 21, at The Kate (the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center) in Old Saybrook.
Tickets for The McLovins Oct. 30 performance at Infinity Hall in Norfolk are now on sale.
For a larger view of the images below, click on any of the six and use the arrow left or arrow right button at the bottom of the larger image that pops up. To return to this page, click on the full image you are viewing.
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 Darren Litzie of Milford, Kevin Smith and "Orly" of New York, and Jerrod Cattey of Torrington, left to right, injected some jazz into Collinsville's muggy evening air Thursday night, Aug. 5. "Orly," a native of Australia, below, who has been in the United States for four years, was the first female vocalist to perform in this season's summer concert series. Photos: dotCANTON  The sound was superb and the vocals were memorable Thursday evening, Aug. 5, as the Jerrod Cattey Group brought down the curtain on the Collinsville portion of the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series.
The sixth and final concert of the season is set for Thursday evening, Aug. 12, when The McLovins will rock Mills Pond Park.
The popular teenage trio consists of Jason Ott (bass guitar), a senior-to-be at Simsbury High School, Jake Huffman (drummer), a senior-to-be at Granby Memorial High School, and Jeff Howard (lead guitar), a sophomore-to-be at Canton High School.
– dotCANTON
 Band director and conductor Sam Hudak, right, leads the way as The Farmington Valley Band performs in Mills Pond Park Thursday evening, July 29, in Week 4 of the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series. The series resumes on Thursday, Aug. 5, when the Jerrod Cattey Group jazzes up downtown Collinsville. Photo: dotCANTON
 Photo: dotCANTON The Farmington Valley Band provides the entertainment from 6:30 to 8 this evening, July 29, when the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series resumes in Mills Pond Park.
Tonight’s performance will be the fourth of six scheduled in the series this summer.
The Farmington Valley Band is known for its renditions of marches, concert music and tunes from the Big Band era. The band’s current organization was formed in 1944, according to FVB’s website, but the group’s history dates to the late 19th century. Band director and conductor Sam Hudak said he expects to bring a full contingent of 30 to 35 musicians.
In the event of bad weather, the concert will be held in the auditorium at Canton Town Hall.
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 Dan Stevens, left, of Old Lyme and Chris D'Amato of Hamden keep the music coming Thursday evening, July 22, in Collinsville. Photos: dotCANTON  Keyboard player Glenn Hardy of Mystic gets into it during a solo tribute to legendary American composer and pianist Scott Joplin.  Dan Stevens puts his recently acquired homemade cigar box guitar to work. Downtown Collinsville was the site, and the Dan Stevens Trio brought the sounds of blues and American roots music as the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series returned Thursday evening, July 22, from the porch of the Canton Historical Museum. The series resumes on Thursday, July 29, when the Farmington Valley Band performs in Mills Pond Park.
– dotCANTON
Saturday night, July 17, Dan Stevens brought his blues and American roots music to the Crown & Hammer in Collinsville. Wednesday night, July 21, he was in Old Saybrook. In between, he took his talents to Manhattan.
Sunday’s gig at the Delta Grill in Hell’s Kitchen was normal enough; it’s Monday’s performances that get your attention. Stevens, who will be back in Collinsville Thursday evening, July 22, as the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series resumes at 6:30 p.m., made two appearances Monday. The first was on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal from 8-10 a.m.; the second was at the Union Square subway station from noon to 3 p.m.
Stevens, a resident of Old Lyme, is in his third year on the roster of the Music Under New York program, which enables him to perform with permits throughout the Metropolitan Transportation Authority system in New York. Playing in Manhattan Sunday gave him reason to stay in the city and get right back to work the following morning.
A passerby at Grand Central recorded Stevens on a cellphone and posted the clip on YouTube. The video isn’t great, but it’s an interesting look at Stevens performing with a homemade cigar box guitar. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQhaVNaFZ_A.
Stevens will be in Collinsville Thursday evening with two other musicians, guitarist Chris D’Amato of Hamden and keyboard player Glenn Hardy of Mystic. Stevens promises he’ll bring some music for everyone. The concert runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
– dotCANTON
 Photo: dotCANTON Some folks brought food, some folks brought kids and The Bus Drivers brought the music as the Canton Parks and Recreation Summer Concert Series resumed Thursday evening, July 15, in Mills Pond Park.
Several dozen music fans came to the park and clearly enjoyed what they heard as band members Joe O’Brien of Granby, Mike Keyes of Middletown, Nano Sciucco of Cromwell and Jeff Przech of Farmington, left to right in photo above, performed many old favorites, including Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright,” Steve Miller’s “Take The Money And Run,” Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets To Paradise” and The Doobie Brothers’ “Listen To The Music.”
The series returns to Collinsville on July 22 for the acoustic blues/Americana sounds of the Dan Stevens Trio.
 Adults attending The Bus Drivers' concert Thursday night at Mills Pond Park, set up in the shade at the top of the hill overlooking the stage or down in front, closer to the band. The kids didn't seem to mind that the hill in between was drenched in sunlight and a little warmer. Photo: dotCANTON
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