Cape Ann Big Band
David Benjamin, the Summer Music Director for the City of Gloucester announces The Antonio Gentile Bandstand 2023 Summer Concert Series. He offers an eight-concert series of free concerts beginning on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at 7 p.m. with the Cape Ann Big Band and ending on August 27, 6:30 p.m. with the Rico Barr Band. The weekend of August 19 & 20 will feature two concerts; the Cape Ann Community Band will perform a “Salute to Gloucester’s 400th Anniversary” the Saturday, August 19. Old Cold Tater, Daisy Nell & Captain Stan plus Ellen Ford play on August 20. This year marks the thirty-seventh season of concerts at the bandstand.
The opening Cape Ann Big Band concert on July 9 is sponsored by Pure Water Systems and the City of Gloucester. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of Anthony Verga, former State Representative. Local businesses and individuals sponsor the concerts.
A highlight of the season will be the Cape Ann Community Band “Salute to Gloucester: 400th Anniversary Concert” featuring music special to Cape Ann. “We’ve planned a program that covers the music of Indigenous people who first inhabited Cape Ann, those first English fishermen here in Stage Fort Park and the immigrants who followed throughout the next 400 years”, said David Benjamin, who is also the conductor of the band. “We’ll feature the Irish, Swedish, Finnish, Italian, Portuguese, Eastern Europeans and the Brazilians; our most recent group to emigrate here. The concert will be introduced by young musicians from the Gloucester Elementary School Band program, who are our next chapter of Gloucester’s musical journey.” The concert will end with movie music from “The Perfect Storm” and “Coda”. The Anniversary concert is sponsored by Bank Gloucester and the Gloucester Cultural Council.
The concert series is held at the Antonio Gentile Bandstand, Stage Fort Park, Hough Avenue, Gloucester. All July concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. All August concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. The bandstand was built in 1986, to honor Mr. Gentile, who was the Director of the Gloucester High School Band for many years. His former students raised the funds to build the bandstand. The Gloucester Rotary Club helps maintain the bandstand and its landscaping. The concerts are ninety minutes in length. The rain dates for the Sunday concerts are the following Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in July and 6:30 p.m. in August. The rain date for the August 20 concert is the following Monday evening.
The 2023 series will also feature the return of the Compaq Big Band on August 6 with the three Cape Ann “Jazz Divas”: Alexandra Grace, Renee Dupuis, and Marina Evans. Many favorite acts will also be returning this summer, including 4Ever Fab, Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra and the Continentals!
Benjamin encourages all to attend. “Fantastic music overlooking the outer harbor; glorious sunsets; schooners sailing by; it doesn’t get any better than this in Gloucester!”
All programs are subject to change. Admission and Parking are free. Restrooms are ADA accessible. Bring a chair or blanket.
2023 Antonio Gentile Bandstand Schedule
July 9, 7:00 p.m. Cape Ann Big Band (Big Band Jazz)
July 16, 7:00 p.m. 4Ever Fab (Beatles Tribute Band)
July 23, 7:00 p.m. The Continentals (Pop-Rock Band)
August 6, 6:30 p.m. Compaq Big Band with the Cape Ann Jazz Divas
August 13, 6:30 p.m. Deep Blue C Studio Orchestra
August 19, 6:30 p.m. Cape Ann Community Band “Salute to Gloucester’s 400th”
August 20, 6:30 p.m. Old Cold Tater, Daisy Nell & Capt. Stan
and Ellen Ford (Acoustic Bluegrass & swing)
August 27, 6:30 p.m. Rico Barr Band with the J&J horns (Classic Rock & Pop)
For concert information please visit www.DavidLBenjamin.com or telephone 978-281-2286
