Dock of Bay Festival on Mare Island strikes a chord – Times-Herald

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After months of planning, the atmosphere, ambiance, food and music all seemed to be on the right notes at the very first Mare Island Dock of Bay Festival on Saturday afternoon.

The event, which took place just outside the coal sheds at 850 Nimitz Way on Mare Island, featured 15 groups – including five headliners such as Grammy Award winner Fantastic Negrito , as well as Dumpstaphunk (Dump-sta-funk), Jackie Greene, Them Vibes and the New Monsoon.

Although The Times-Herald was due to go to press shortly after New Monsoon wrapped up their set and Them Vibes took to the stage, co-host Jeff Trager said early on that the event was sure to be. rhythm.

“It’s everything we thought it would be,” Trager said, with a big smile. “The music, the atmosphere, the people and my God, the weather. All of these things indicate that we have done something right. All of our problems are gone and everything seems to be working out. It’s really cool and it’s a beautiful day. All the fans have been great and all the bands have some really nice people too. “

Even though everything was going well, co-host Kevin Frazier said it wasn’t always easy. Frazier was busy on Saturday, moving from area to area, making sure everything was going well.

“If you had tried interviewing me before the doors opened, I would have been a different person,” Frazier said with a laugh. “The final details and make sure everything is in place. And then the stuff that you can’t do and perform, well, we’ll have them next year. But now that I breathe, look around and realize it’s amazing. We have succeeded. Everyone comes up to me saying, “It’s beautiful and beautiful. So for now, I’m really happy. When I can finally close the front door and when we are done with the entrance, then I can have fun and listen to good music.

Frazier said he and Trager looked at some bands they were considering playing, but admitted the first band he wanted was Fantastic Negrito.

“He already had two Grammys in his pocket and he finally won them just as we started selling tickets. So it was wonderful, ”said Frazier. “But all of these bands are headliners. I mean I love Jackie Greene. And Dumpstaphunk is awesome and will make me want to go out and dance. I mean, it’s gonna happen.

Trager said he got along well with all of the bands and each of them seemed excited for the show.

“Well, all of these guys haven’t played live in over a year, so of course they want to play,” Trager said. “It’s not getting them to play that can be a problem sometimes, it’s the managers. But I think we’ve found a great collection of good, diverse bands and they all seem to click well.

While enjoying the groups, fans could sample local and international cuisine via licensed food truck vendors, exclusive Mare Island Brewing Co. beers, and a choice of fine wines from the Northern California region. Participants also had the chance to view artwork by local artists, browse arts and crafts from vendors, and choose unique festival merchandise designed by a local artist.

Lynda Hermosa and Leslie Middleton relax in large, leaf-carved chairs during the Mare Island Dock of Bay music festival in Vallejo on Saturday. (Chris Riley – Times-Herald)

The first headlining group of the day was New Monsoon from San Francisco, who performed a stunning set including a powerful cover of Who’s “Eminence Front”. Guitarist and singer Jeff Miller was thrilled to perform at the event.

“Everything about this show has been great. The people, playing with the band, the sight, everything, ”Miller said. “The scene is incredible and the level of production is top notch. The weather is really nice in that it was cool and not too hot. I mean it was exhilarating to play in a band again. I felt like we were at the water’s edge as we were in a spaceship over the bay. We’ve done a few streaming events, but it’s not like playing live with a big sound system. Nothing compares. I prefer to be in reality than in virtual reality.

San Leandro’s Mike Fitting and Susan Carroll, sitting right on the water’s edge near the stage, enjoyed the show from the start.

“I found out about this show in an email,” Carroll said. “It’s just nice to see live music outside again! I am here to see Dumpstaphunk, which I have seen several times. But I also can’t wait to see Jackie Greene and Fantastic Negrito.

“I like being on this side near the water,” Fitting said. “You can just relax and enjoy the ambiance which is really sweet.”

Jim and Jackie Sparks from Vallejo also enjoyed the show. Each week, the couple will take a walk by the water’s edge for exercise, but they never imagined there would be a concert where they always walked. In fact, on their walk the other day, Jim Sparks reunited with an old friend – Trager.

“I hadn’t seen him for 45 years, but I played ball with him in San Rafael,” Jim said. “I was walking with (Jackie) yesterday and I asked this guy, ‘Do you know anything about this gig going on? He looks at me and says, ‘I know a little.’ I take a closer look and ask, “Jeff, is that you?” So I got to see an old friend again and I’m delighted to be here and support the groups and the community.

Trager, who has worked in the music industry for five decades, said he wanted nothing more than to make the Dock of the Bay Festival an annual event in Vallejo.

“F $$$ yes I would!” said Trager, laughing. “Look, we (Trager and Frazier) know what we’re doing. We know it’s all about quality and you get what you pay for. I learned this from Bill Graham. But I would like to start over and continue to make people happy.

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