Concert Under the Stars 2017: New Carson City venue at BAC with headliner The Family Stone

What began 12 years ago as a music celebration in the back parking lot at Cafe at Adele’s has now grown past the confines of John Street — adjacent to the restaurant — and moves this year to Brewery Arts Center in Carson City.

The legendary music of The Family Stone and Lydia Pense & Cold Blood will be showcased Wednesday, July 12.

Concert Under the Stars, A Benefit for The Greenhouse Project, launched its first year simply as Concert Under the Stars, a show produced by Adele’s co-owner Chef Charlie Abowd in conjunction with his lifelong production company, Captain Little Trip, and producer John Procaccini’s Chili Bop Entertainment.

“It started out of my love for music and a desire to bring one night of classic music to the community,” Charlie said.

That first year featured The Rowan’s Rubber Soldiers, showcasing renditions of Beatles songs and Dave Gans, of the Grateful Dead.

“Unfortunately, Dave had a heart attack en route to the show, which thankfully he survived, and David Jenkins, founder of Pablo Cruise, sat in for him.”

A crowd of about 200 people attended then, growing over time as folks came out to see such legendary performers as David Lindley, and Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks, Bill Champlin and Sons of Champlin.

Once Charlie’s wife, Karen Abowd, had the idea for The Greenhouse Project, Charlie was inspired to continue the concert as an annual benefit event to bring TGP to fruition and continue to fund operations costs, once it was built.

“We already had an established event, so incorporating that into something that would foster agriculture education and provide food for others was, to me, a natural progression,” he said.

In most recent years, the community has enjoyed performances by such artists as Booker T. Jones, Pablo Cruise, Ambrosia, WAR, Little River Band, and Tower of Power.

This year’s show marks the 50th anniversary of Sly and The Family Stone and a new chapter in TGP concert history. The current band line-up features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees and original founding members of Sly & The Family Stone, Jerry Martini and Greg Errico, featuring Phunne Stone.

“We have debated when would be a good time to move the concert to a different venue the past couple years,” Karen said. “We have been fortunate to sell out the restaurant venue the last couple of years and really had no other choice at this point, but to move.”

This year’s event will also showcase the beginning of a collaborative effort between TGP and its first ever Title Sponsor Carson Tahoe Hospital, as the organizations launch The Foothill Garden at the hospital site.
TGP manager Cory King will oversee the hoop house facility and garden site. Produce grown at the hospital will be donated to Meals on Wheels program for senior citizens.

“This collaborative process creates a beautiful space on campus that, when completed, will provide a restive space for family and patients and will, near-term, continue CTH’s ongoing effort of providing sustainable, fresh produce to our area seniors as well as expanding TGP’s mission of educational opportunity and food production,” Karen said. “It’s a wonderfully positive development, and we look forward to being up in time to plant fall crops.”

For those wondering how the ambiance of the Adele’s venue translates to BAC, rest assured a cadre of volunteers and TGP board members have focused energy on recreating similar spaces.

The event as always will feature a live auction facilitated by Harcourts Auctions of Reno. Food and beverages will also be available.

Additional sponsorship is provided by NV Energy, Carson City Toyota Campagni Auto Group; Northern Nevada Toyota Dealers - Dolan Toyota, Fallon Toyota, Carson City Toyota; Gold Dust West Hotel & Casino, Carson City and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

Reserved tickets start at $45 and bleacher/standing room only tickets start at $25, available at Brewery Arts Center Box Office, 449 W. King St., Carson City and Carson City Visitors Bureau, 716 N. Carson St., Carson City or online at www.carsoncitygreenhouse.org . For more information, call 775-232-8626.