Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

2020 Contra Costa County Fair canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19)

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By Joe Brengle, CEO Contra Costa County Event Park

ANTIOCH – As a major event facility, The Contra Costa Event Park has been monitoring the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. There is no higher priority than the safety of our Fairgrounds family, patrons, vendors, promoters and sponsors at the Contra Costa Event Park. Due to this ongoing situation the Contra Costa Event Park Board of Directors met last night and unanimously voted to cancel the 2020 Contra Costa County Fair scheduled for May 14 – 17.

The Fair Board realizes that the individual’s most affected by this cancellation is the youth livestock exhibitors of our county. The Fair Board did approve to let a committee of Contra Costa County 4H and FFA parents work on a Youth Fair where these youth livestock exhibitors could show and auction their animals. The Fair Board agreed to provide support to this committee as needed. If the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Contra Costa County Health Department, or the Governor of California lengthen the current restrictions and orders, it is possible that a Youth Fair will not take place. At this time dates for Youth Fair are yet to be determined.

We thank the community for your continued support during these challenging times.

Mark your calendars for the 2021 Contra Costa County Fair May 13 – 16.

Martinez Main Street Arts to hold smaller show in April, students’ show postponed until August

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Due to the coronavirus concerns, instead of the children’s show during the month of April, Main Street Arts in Martinez will have a “Small Wall” show featuring small paintings by the Main Street Arts gallery artists. (See related article)

“Confluence” featuring the wonderful artwork created by Patsy Taylor’s students, past and present, will be postponed to August. Thank you all, stay safe!

Martinez: Main Street Arts to host student art exhibit in April

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Resplendent by Patsy Taylor and Coastal Waters by Kin Sethie. Courtesy of Main Street Arts.

Main Street Arts in Martinez presents “Confluence” featuring the wonderful artwork created by Patsy Taylor’s students, past and present.  The exhibition runs through April 2nd to 29th, with the reception April 4th from 4 to 7 p.m. at the gallery, 613 Main Street in Martinez.

Peppermints by Mark Milner

Patsy Taylor is an artist living in the East Bay. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has been teaching since 2008 both privately and in community programs. She paints in the studio and outdoors.

As a teacher Ms. Taylor believes in establishing foundations and then, from there, allowing creativity to flow. With this in mind she teaches with a focus on individual development and exploration.

As an artist she has been mostly focused on landscape painting in oils. Expression of her love for the natural world and interest in connections with life has seen her work recently diverge into a different style with more intimate content. She intends to continue on this path with her painting.

Patsy has been teaching in the East Bay for many years and has been a great influence on a generation of painters.  We look forward to this talented group.

Main Street Arts was founded in 2016 by several of the Martinez Gallery Co-op members, in partnership with other local artists. Our goal is to make Martinez an important part of the Bay Area art scene by showing and promoting the best in local contemporary art.

We offer a wide range of collectible fine art, from fused glass, to photography, and paintings. It’s also a great destination to find the perfect gift, with affordable prints and other small items.

Hours: Open 11 am – 5 pm, Wednesday through Saturday; 10 am – 2 pm on Sundays
​Note, the Martinez Farmers Market is open year-round every Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm.

The Martinez art scene is undergoing an exciting revitalization!  Every 3rd Saturday of the month, Artcelerator puts on Art Beat in downtown Martinez. Main Street Arts will be open until 9 p.m. on Art Beat nights. 

For more information about Main Street Arts visit www.mainstreetarts.net or call (925) 269-8049.

Italian tenor Pasquale Esposito of PBS fame to perform operatic pop concert in March in Antioch

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Pasquale Esposito at his piano.

By Allen Payton

Italian tenor and PBS star, Pasquale Esposito will perform operatic pop concert, From Italy With Love, with very special opening act, the Anthony “Nino” Lane Band on Saturday, March 21 at the historic El Campanil Theatre in Antioch. His performance will include a touch of opera, standards, Broadway and his originals. The concert begins at 3:00 p.m. and tickets for all reserved seating are $39.

Born in Naples, Italy, tenor Esposito grew up listening to the music of famous tenor Enrico Caruso, also from Naples and started singing when he was just six years old. By age seven Esposito began performing in church, the same church in which Caruso sang.

“I was born in his same neighborhood, which is why the inspiration,” Esposito said.

Following a visit to California in 1998, he decided to move to America where he studied music at San Jose State University. Esposito graduated with a degree in vocal performance in 2009.

“Don’t ask me to dance,” he said with a laugh.

He has gone on to perform during tours in both the U.S. and Italy, singing in multiple languages: Italian, English, Spanish and Neapolitan, the Italian dialect from Naples.

Esposito tours a couple times a year.

“We partner with PBS, then we follow with a concert in the area where the television show is aired,” he shared. “We do this a couple times a year,”

Enrico Caruso was born in the 1800’s and achieved amazing success in Italy, but mostly in the U.S. He was with the Metropolitan Opera and was one of the first to be recorded.

“We did another special on Italian Squares that we visited,” said Esposito. “The main concert was done in Rome.”

“What we will be doing in Antioch is a combination of these two shows,” he stated. “I think we are going to have an amazing video projection of media behind, to tell the story. It’s an interactive performance.”

He will have with him his “piano player, who has been with me for 12 years, a guitar player, a drummer, a percussionist and bass player,” Esposito added.

“We will also do some American standards and even some Spanish songs,” he shared.

About Neapolitan, he said “it is one of the most musical languages in the world. If you want to start in opera, you need to start with Neapolitan songs.”

Asked which one is his favorite, Esposito said, “I do have one, it’s one from an aria from an opera from Pucini. Turandot is the name of the opera. Nessun Dorma is the name of the aria.”

“I had the joy to collaborate in my first PBS special with Placido Domingo,” he said. “He has been my mentor and definitely a light in my life.”

About his career, Esposito said, “It was an amazing journey. If you ask me if it was something I chose, I would have to say no. I was lucky to win the green card lottery at age 22 and moved to the United States.”

“It’s the story of a new immigrant,” he stated. “The U.S. is still the land of opportunity, where if you work hard, your dreams can come true. I am able to support my family with this gift.”

Sorry, ladies, but Esposito is married and has three children, Vittorio, Roxanna and Valentina, named because she was born in February, and they live in the San Jose area.

“The last one was a beautiful surprise,” he shared. “She just turned one years old on Feb. 6.”

He finished a Christmas special for PBS that will air later this year.

Esposito said he travels between Italy and the U.S. but spends most of his time in California.

“It’s a joy to come to a new community,” he shared. “This show is not just made for Italians but music lovers. Even those who love rock ‘n roll will love this style of music.”

The concert is part of a series being brought to East County by Licata-Cardinale Productions, and partners Michael Licata and George Cardinale.

“This is a guy who has been a PBS star and never been on this side of the Bay,” Cardinale said. “He’s performed all over the world, in Vegas and Reno. We’re happy to bring his talent to historic downtown Antioch. You’ll enjoy the show very much. It’s really a treat for the people here who have never seen him, before.”

For tickets visit https://www.elcampaniltheatre.com/pasquale-esposito.html, call the Box Office at (925) 757-2500, or stop by Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or one hour before shows at 602 W. 2nd Street in Rivertown, Antioch.

For more information about Pasquale Esposito visit pasqualeesposito.com.

Beatles vs. Stones tribute show to play the Lesher Center on February 17

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WALNUT CREEK – The debate between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones has been going on ever since they first crossed paths on the charts 54 years ago. The argument at the time, and one that still persists, was that the Beatles were a pop group and the Stones were a rock band: the boys next door vs. the bad boys of rock. So who’s better? These two legendary bands will engage in an on-stage, throw down – a musical ‘showdown’ if you will – on February 17 at the Lesher Center courtesy of tribute bands Abbey Road and Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show. The Abbey Road band has performed to capacity audiences at the Lesher Center in the In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles production.

Taking the side of the Fab Four is Abbey Road, one of the county’s top Beatles tribute bands. With brilliant musicianship and authentic costumes and gear, Abbey Road plays beloved songs spanning the Beatles’ career. They face off against renowned Stones tribute band Satisfaction – The International Rolling Stones Show, who offer a faithful rendition of the music and style of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the bad boys of the British Invasion.

Where did the idea for the show come from?

“Music fans never had a chance to see the Beatles and the Rolling Stones perform on the same marquee,” said Chris Legrand, who plays “Mick Jagger” in the show.

“Now, music aficionados can watch this debate play out on stage.”

The Walnut Creek show is part of a 125-stop tour of the U.S., Australia and Canada and has been touring since 2011.The show also performs long term residencies for a number of the Harrah’s Casino properties. The production includes some of the more popular songs from the two rock pioneers and covers the scope of their musical careers, although the set list for Satisfaction usually includes Rolling Stones songs up to the 1980s.

“They certainly have more pop songs but we’re a really great live show. The fans are in for an incredible night of music,” says LeGrand.

During the two-hour show, the bands perform three sets each, trading places in quick set changes and ending the night with an all-out encore involving both bands. The band members have their outfits custom-made, since avid fans know exactly what the Beatles and Stones wore onstage during different time periods in their careers. There’s a lot of good-natured jabbing between the bands as well.

“Without Beatlemania, the Stones might still be a cover band in London,” said Chris Overall, who plays “Paul”.

“There’s no question that the Beatles set the standard.”

The audience naturally enjoys top shelf tributes to two legendary bands in the same evening. Like The Idaho Statesman said: “If you see only one tribute show, see this one…smart and loads of fun.”

“It’s just a fun time and a cool back-and-forth nonstop show,” Overall said.

“We’re going to bring it all. It’s going to be an evening of high-energy music,” said LeGrand.

Calendar: Beatles vs. Stones – A Musical Showdown comes to the Lesher Center for the Arts on Monday, February 17 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $45/$55/$65 and may be purchased at the Center Ticket Office, by phone at 925.943.7469 or online at www.lesherartscenter.org. The Center Ticket Office is located adjacent to the main entrance of the Walnut Creek Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive. The show is appropriate for all ages.

“Farewell to Mondo” concert at Campos Family Vineyards, Friday night

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Mondo Live Music has become a huge part of our Campos Family Vineyards Family and he definitely will be missed! Join us on January 17th as we give Mondo Mariscal a Campos Family Vineyard Farewell.

Get tickets here: Farewell to MONDO – Wine Down Friday

A portion of ticket sales proceeds will be donated to Mondo to bless his family in the move.

Campos Family Vineyards is located at 3501 Byer Road in Byron, CA. For more information visit www.camposfamilyvineyards.com or call (925) 308-7963.