The last time the Paperboys performed on Vashon was Dec. 12, 2019.
The event was a “Concert in the Dark” hosted by the Vashon Park District in partnership with the Vashon Movie Theatre and Vashon Events.
Now, two and a half years later, this island favorite band from Vancouver, British Columbia, will finally return to Vashon for a free performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at a Concerts in the Park show at Ober Park.
The Paperboys are celebrating 25 years of touring the world and lighting up stages with their freewheeling and danceable blend of influences including Celtic, bluegrass, Mexican son jarocho, brass band, and Canadian roots music.
The Paperboys band lineup features Tom Landa on vocals, guitar, and jarana; original member Geoffrey Kelly on flute; Kalissa Landa on fiddle/vocals; Brad Gillard on bass/banjo; drummer Sam Esecson; and trombonist Nick La Riviere.
“Tom and Kalissa Landa are married, and sparks still fly when they perform from their magnetic energy on the stage,” said Pete Welch, who is co-curating the event with his partner, Allison Shirks, for Vashon Events.
Opening for The Paperboys, as a part of Vashon Events’ “New Voices” program, is Jack Devore.
DeVore is an Indigenous blues musician from the Seattle area. A lifelong musician, he built his act over the course of more than a decade of playing music at Pike Place Market. His music is a blend of old-time jazz, traditional blues and spoken word. With a soulful voice and a quirky mannerism, get to know one of Vashon’s new resident musicians. Devore will perform from 7-7:30 pm.
Concerts in the Park is curated by Vashon Events, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive life experiences through music and art for all. Sound equipment and lighting will be provided by Laird Gonter of Bandstand Music, and Martin Feveyear of Feveyear Master Mix will be dialing in the sound.
Concerts in the Park are held every Thursday in August — plus, there will be a special concert on Friday, Aug. 19. The concert series is free and geared for all ages. Bring a picnic and blanket or lawn chairs. Please leave dogs at home — they aren’t allowed in Ober Park. Alcohol and smoking are also not permitted.
Upcoming concerts include Portage Fill, a locally-based big band playing favorite jazz standards, on Aug. 18; Trolls Cottage, Vashon’s homegrown reggae band, will celebrate the release of a brand new album on Aug. 19; and The Rumba Kings, a Mediterranean-inspired band featuring mostly instrumental nylon-guitar driven music with a special guest singer on Aug. 25.
