The Relics will play music of the Woodstock era at the “Free Fridays” Concert Series on Friday, Oct. 10 from 8 – 10 p.m.

 

The Relics return for the sixth time to “Free Fridays,” after their record-setting debut in 2009, which attracted more than 3,000 music lovers to celebrate Woodstock’s 40th anniversary.  In addition to their crowd favorite Woodstock generation anthems, the band will appear in the alternate guise as the Erasables, performing a short opening set of original songs from their current and future CDs. 

 

The Woodstock era music concerts are the brainchild of local musician Bob McPeek. “Nothing reminds you of a place and a time like your favorite song,” notes McPeek, who as a 17-year-old drove 800 miles with three friends to attend the original event in 1969. “The music of Woodstock is in the DNA of the baby boomer generation, and it defines that magical era of the 1960s.” Janet Rucker, female vocalist for The Relics, was also at the original Woodstock concert, though McPeek and Rucker did not yet know each other at the time.

 

Joining McPeek (guitar and vocals) on stage is an impressive cast of Gainesville’s finest talent.  The musicians include Fagan Arouh, (guitar and vocals), David Ottenberg (bass and vocals), Rob Rothschild (drums and percussion), Dan Tampas (guitar and vocals), Brad Bangstad (keyboards and vocals), Janet Rucker (vocals), Cathy DeWitt (vocals) and Michelle Ott (vocals). 

 

The Relics concert is one of the select “Free Fridays” classic rock concerts that are sponsored by classic rock radio station WIND-FM (92.5, 95.5, 107.9).

 

The 2014 “Free Fridays” concert series is produced by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department.  This activity has been funded in part by a Tourist Development Tax Grant from the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in conjunction with the Alachua County Tourist Development Council, a grant from the Florida Department of State,  Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and a sponsorship from the Downtown Hampton Inn & Suites. The concerts will play each Friday night this year from Friday, May 2 through Friday, Oct. 24 from 8-10 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza, which is located at 111 E. University Ave. To view the complete “Free Fridays” 2014 schedule, please visit the Cultural Affairs Division website at www.gvlculturalaffairs.org. For more information on “Free Fridays,” or to schedule an interview, please contact David Ballard at 352-393-8746.