Music in the park: A lullaby for La Cañada

Local band Pacific Coast Highway calmly sat down in front of the Memorial Park stage on the evening of July 20, because they “wanted to get a little closer to the audience,” the lead singer, David Blasucci, explained. Dressed comfortably and carrying a demeanor just as mellow as their music, the soft rock band that had performed at Music in the Park for the last “three or four or five” years, as Blasucci casually explained, started their set with The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun.”

With a local guest drummer Dave Buyer from Montrose, the band continued to sooth the La Cañada crowd with songs by Nora Jones, James Taylor, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Toto, Simon and Garfunkel, Sheryl Crow, and Van Morrison. They even played “Happy Birthday” for a 13-year-old member of the audience.

They flowed from song to song, transitioning smoothly with very little interruption.

Two of the concert’s highlights came about halfway through, during their rendition of “Best of My Love,” female vocalist and percussionist Hollye Dexter’s son ran on up on stage to see his mom. A few songs later, the band offered a free CD to the first person who could guess the band that originally performed their next song. After having to deny the drummer’s wife’s guess, because of her relationship to the band, an audience member answered “Crazy Love” by Poco on her second attempt, and won the CD.

Pacific Coast Highway, made up of Blasucci on vocals and guitar, Pat Thomi on lead guitar, Trent Stroh on bass and vocals, and Dexter, performs every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Ocean View Bar and Grill, and Saturday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the New Moon Café in Montrose.

This Sunday, the La Cañada Flintridge Community Band will perform American-themed music in Memorial Park.

The concert lasts from 6 to 8 p.m. and is free to the public.