Concerts in the Park returns to get Ober Park grooving
Published 11:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Clear a little space on the picnic blanket: Concerts in the Park is coming back, and this year’s lineup was assembled to keep Ober Park moving.
The Vashon Park District, in partnership with Vashon Events, will present five free Thursday evening concerts beginning July 30 and continuing through Aug. 27.
The family-friendly series will run from 7 to 9 p.m. at Ober Park, where grassy berms form a natural amphitheater between Vashon Library and the park district offices. Islanders are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics — though, with a lineup spanning Latin funk, glam rock, classic funk and electronic dance music, sitting still may prove difficult.
Each evening will begin at 7 p.m. with “New Voices,” a Vashon Events program showcasing emerging young island musicians. The night’s headliner will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. for a 90-minute set. The New Voices performers will be announced as bookings are finalized.
Laird Gonter of Bandstand Music will provide sound equipment and lighting, while island producer Martin Feveyear of Feveyear Master Mix will dial in the sound.
Here is what will be on tap, week by week.
July 30: Reposado
Reposado will open the series with what the band calls “Tequila Funk” — a bilingual, rhythm-driven blend of Latin funk, Afro soul and dance music.
Led by frontman and creative director Jean-Paul Builes, the collective draws inspiration from Caribbean and West African music, Builes’ roots in Queens and his current home in Seattle.
Its influences include Fela Kuti, the Fania All-Stars, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown, resulting in music built around percussion, movement and connection.
Reposado describes music as an antidote to fear and isolation — but no manifesto should be required to understand the band’s most immediate mission at Ober Park: Get everyone on their feet.
Aug. 6: John Roberts y Pan Blanco
John Roberts y Pan Blanco will bring an energetic combination of funk, African and Latin grooves to the park Aug. 6.
The multicultural ensemble performs in Spanish, English and Portuguese, blending global rhythms with soulful vocals and instrumental solos.
The band’s members bring experience touring all 50 states and six continents, as well as recording and performing with funk, soul, salsa, orchestral, West African and jazz ensembles.
Frontman John Roberts, a vocalist, trombonist and keyboardist, grew up in rural Montana before studying music performance at Montana State University Billings and earning a master’s degree from the California Institute of the Arts.
The group’s two albums, “Soul y Pimienta” and “Soul Ain’t Got No Color,” have received airplay across the United States and internationally.
Aug. 13: Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army
Ober Park will take a sharp turn into the glittering world of 1970s glam rock when Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army takes the stage Aug. 13.
The Vashon-based eight-piece band grew from the ashes of producer and mixing engineer Martin Feveyear’s popular Bowie-Idol project.
The group performs music by David Bowie, Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Roxy Music, The Cars, The Kinks, Talking Heads, Joy Division and others.
Feveyear fronts a lineup packed with veteran Northwest musicians, including guitarists Dave Dederer of The Presidents of the United States of America and Duff McKagan’s Loaded, and Tim DiJulio of Lazy Susan and Flight to Mars.
Michael Musburger of The Posies and The Fastbacks plays drums, Billy Stover of the Dusty 45s plays keyboards, and Jeremy Lightfoot plays bass. Backing vocals come courtesy of the Suffragette Sisters: Rhiannon Walther, Sarah Howard and Melissa Feveyear.
Expect theatrical rock ’n’ roll, deep cuts and no shortage of opportunities for dramatic dancing.
Aug. 20: Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme
The Aug. 20 concert belongs to funk.
Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme, a 12-member ensemble known for turning dance floors into sweat-soaked celebrations, will bring its full-bore live show to Ober Park.
Frontman Eldridge Gravy leads the Court Supreme through gritty horn arrangements, funk, disco-funk and what the group simply calls “down-n-dirty funk.”
The band released its fifth studio album, “Always Never Not a Good Time,” in 2024. Its 10 tracks provide what organizers describe as all the necessary raw materials for “getting down.”
The group has headlined major Seattle and Portland venues including The Crocodile, Neumos, Tractor Tavern, Showbox, Doug Fir Lounge and Star Theater. It has also performed for festival crowds at Bumbershoot, Portland’s Waterfront Blues Festival, Seattle’s Fourth of July celebration at Gas Works Park and Summer Meltdown.
Aug. 27: High Step Society
High Step Society will close the series by launching the Jazz Age about a century into the future.
The seven-piece band combines big-band horns, vintage jazz, electronic dance beats and sultry vocals to create an EDM-infused dance party.
Based in Portland, Oregon, and New Orleans, High Step Society has toured the festival circuit since forming in 2015, sharing stages with performers including Beats Antique, The Polish Ambassador, Zion I and Dirtwire.
Its fusion of live horns and hard-hitting electronic beats has also made the group a favorite among dancers, burlesque performers and circus artists.
The result is music that can sound nostalgic and futuristic at once — with both feet, as the group puts it, firmly on the gas.
All five concerts are free. Dogs, alcohol and smoking are not permitted at Ober Park.
Organizers also have indoor backup plans in case summer weather fails to cooperate. Four of the concerts may move to Vashon Center for the Arts, while the Aug. 20 Eldridge Gravy show may move to Vashon Theatre.
More information is available at vashonevents.org and vashonparks.org.
