Well, I've done some really cool things, but today I am two stories up from the ground on the top of the Elkhart Public Library.

I have with this Trevor and of course, one of our fabulous band members here.

It is time for the Curbside Concerts.

This is an annual tradition.

You guys have been doing it for a few years now.

Yeah, this will be our fifth season.

We're really excited about it.

You know, we grew we started this thing during the pandemic, in the fall of 2020.

We maybe had 60 people sitting out in the lot.

Last year we averaged 300.

So we've seen some really great growth.

That's amazing.

And just so you can see, we are literally on the rooftop right now.

Yeah.

Tell us why we're here.

Yeah.

So it was one of those things, we kind of, you know, walked around.

And I have a friend of mine, Sonny Carano, who who I invited up to see the rooftop space, and I said, hey, what do you think?

So we talked about this in 2019. what do you think?

Could we do, like, a a Beatles tribute show up here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of, you know, let it be.

And, you know, he was really into it.

He.

Because Sonny, you know, he grew up, you know, adoring Ringo.

And that's why he started playing the drums and really wanted to be part of it.

So all those plans, you know, went by the wayside during Covid.

But we thought about it and it was like, well, we'll be outdoors.

We could still use the space.

We could pay some local musicians who, you know, really weren't having any work during the pandemic.

And so how can we put together a little thing?

So we decided this, this rooftop deck, you know, makes a really great, we hope, spot to play from a nice stage.

You're removed from the crowd, though, so that's kind of what makes it different.

But these guys are up in the air.

They're doing their thing up here.

Crowds watching from the parking lot, having a good time.

We always get food trucks.

You know, we have, you know, some beverage sales going on here too.

So, we've just tried to make it a fun thing that's free for anybody to come out and just watch the show, you know, and it's, like I said, it's it's grown so much.

We really love this.

And it's something to staff we look forward to doing every year.

And it's a great thing to also get more exposure for the public library.

Yeah, absolutely.

So that is one thing that, you know, we try to just attract attention and be that place, that community can count on for for fun and different stuff.

You know, they can come out here and maybe experience a band that they haven't seen before, a different type of sound.

And and of course, we'll sign them up for a library card as they leave.

Perfect, perfect.

Now, Rob, you have been a part of this for a while now.

You're not new to this.

No platform, if you will.

What are the bands that you are in?

I am in high gravity.

I am in a band called, Quite frank lee, and another one called Society's Child.

All three bands played last year.

All three bands are playing again this year.

Society's child is going to be here, I think May 24th.

Okay.

and then, High gravity will be here in the middle of June and then and I think September is when, quite frank lee, we'll be here.

And I was here high gravity played here the first year that they did because you all together you guys have performed quite a number of times so far.

Yeah, yeah, we've been doing it every year since it started.

And that first year it was so nice just to have a place to play where people could hear you again.

Sure.

and yeah, everybody was kind of tentative and nervous and kind of keeping their distance.

But it's, you know, it's grown and grown and grown.

It's always a really, really good time.

It's fun.

They take great care of us.

They're fantastic.

And, yeah.

And I don't know how we haven't played.

Get back up here.

See one band we learned Revolution just for this gig that the hair band society we did not.

So what kind of genres are you guys playing for?

All of the performances?

High Gravity sort of does a mix of classics, some kind of older hits, some 90s stuff.

society's child is pretty much hard rock, heavy metal from the 70s and 80s and then, quite frank lee, is, Americana, folk country, a little bit of rock and roll, too, a lot of great duet harmonies, a little bit of everything.

What's it like to be up here on this platform?

Yeah, this is probably different than anything else.

Oh yeah.

The first year it was super scary because you you look over the edge and I came up, I said, cannot do that.

Can I hold on to it.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah okay okay.

Yeah, yeah.

Before you couldn't though.

Right.

Well there is some rail but it's, it's built up and fortified.

So if you've got, if you've, if you're a little afraid of heights, it's a lot more comforting to see, see the rails up here and know that you're not going to accidentally follow it.

Don't get you excited while you're out there jamming away, but you guys have a whole big concert lineup.

When are people going to be able to come on out for the Curbside concert?

Yeah, so our series is, every Friday night in May and June and I think, you know, today it's got a nice little breeze.

It's a nice spring day, in July, this place is cooking, so we do not have concerts in July and August up here on the on the black roof.

but, you know, so we'll we'll resume for a short series then again in September.

and like Rob said, I mean, we're just trying to have all different types of bands.

We're even having a punk night this year, you know, on June 7th, you know, naming another library that puts punk bands on the roof, you know, and that's really kind of the story behind the library itself, right?

You guys make, so many different genres accessible to the community.

Yeah.

And that even goes into the fine arts as well.

Yeah.

And we have, of course, we also have, as part of our programing.

the symphony was just here last week.

they have a regular standing, quartet.

Quintet that comes in, performs and so people, you know, and especially kids and families can get different experiences in that way too.

So some, some bands that we have are a little bit better inside, probably for that listening room effect.

And, and then bands that like Rob plays in they need a little bit more of the outdoor open air, you know, to, to express themselves.

I love it now for those who haven't been here to the concerts before, are we literally driving our cars up here?

No, actually.

So we'll block the parking lot.

Okay.

we encourage people to bring a blanket, bring camp chairs.

We do put out some chairs.

We'll have some tables, that people can can use just from the library, but.

Yeah, just spread out.

Have a good time.

You know, whatever makes you comfortable.

but, yeah, we do block the lot.

And then that makes up our beer garden.

but there's plenty of parking on second Street, on Franklin on High.

So come on down.

And that's 21 and over from the beer garden.

Well, actually, all ages can be in the beer garden.

it's just the sale areas 21 and over.

So?

So families tend to stick together.

And all of this is really family oriented.

Yeah, absolutely.

And that's really, you know, that's what even like with the bands I mean we're family, right?

Yeah.

Yeah yeah yeah.

I agreed with I like we're family now actually one of the bands.

Our kids came up last year and they're coming up again this year.

They are our horn section.

So two trombones, two, sax players.

And I think we got a trumpet player this year and we kind of jokingly call them The Offspring because they're all our kids and they love it.

I think literally your kids.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

My son plays trombone and Angies got a son that plays, trombone and another that plays sax, and one of their buddies plays trumpet.

So we're learning, you know, 7 or 8 songs to throw in for the second set.

awesome.

Yeah.

In June.

So bent a little pressure on the kids, but they got sheet music, so I'm confident they're going to get it done.

And then.

And it will blow away.

Right?

Right.

Yeah yeah, yeah.

So that's the lineup.

How can people get the lineup.

Where can they get the information.

It's all free to attend.

Yeah.

So all our stuff is on our website, my EPL dot org slash curbside.

You can also go on Facebook.

You can see all the bands that are coming by yourself.

So exactly I love it.

Yeah.

Awesome.

Well thanks so much for having us.

Thanks so much for having this railing up to keep us safe.

Right.

All of them fans up here to.

But be sure to come on and check it out Fridays at Fridays the seven, Fridays at seven.

We'll see you here at the Elkhart Public Library.